If the past few years have taught us anything, it’s that flexibility is a must-have when it comes to attracting and retaining talent. Adjustable work schedules and flexible benefits all contribute to happier and more productive workforces, but what else can organizations do to keep that momentum going long-term?
Daily task prioritization and schedule adjustments are important pieces of the puzzle, but what employees really seek from their organizations is the freedom to choose their own adventures. Whether it’s deciding when to take breaks during the work day or which benefits best suit their needs, employees crave autonomy in the workplace.
And with an accessible, intuitive wellness solution behind them every step of the way, employees have free rein over what they need to truly thrive.
Why is Autonomy in the Workplace Important?
A typical work day for most employees involves completing tasks and responsibilities assigned by managers, senior leaders, or other colleagues. And while the completion of these tasks is essential to keep the organization moving, the power to choose when, where, or how to complete them is often out of an employee’s control.
This lack of choice in day-to-day operations is one of the key drivers of employee burnout, stress, and turnover—and it’s only exacerbated by inflexible and impersonal wellness benefits. However, when employees are given control and independence over what they need to thrive, they are more likely to experience higher job satisfaction, engagement, and wellbeing.
As a result, organizations stand to benefit from employees having more ownership of their personal and professional obligations. By educating and providing employees with a buffet of work and wellness options to choose from, employers see cascading improvements in:
- Productivity: When employees have the liberty to manage their tasks and benefits, they feel empowered to go above and beyond expectations.
- Purpose: Autonomy fosters ownership. Employees don't just complete tasks or engage in one-off wellness initiatives—they own their professional responsibilities, leading to a profound sense of job satisfaction.
- Health and Happiness: Autonomy reduces stress and boosts mental health. Happy employees are healthy employees, and vice versa.
- Work-Life Balance: Flexible work arrangements and benefit plans, key aspects of autonomy, allow employees to balance their professional and personal lives more effectively.
Case in Point: How Do Holistic Wellness Programs Foster Autonomy In the Workplace?
When workplace wellness programming is set up to serve an entire organization rather than the individual, personal wellbeing feels more like a chore—cumbersome, tedious, and often ignored.
To help employees feel empowered in their day-to-day work, it’s essential to give employees the tools they need to own their wellbeing. Personalized wellness programming that addresses all areas of wellness—physical, emotional, financial, social, occupational, and purpose—puts impactful resources right at an employee’s fingertips, accessible anywhere, any time, and through multiple different mediums.
Let's look at some trailblazers who've embraced these concepts:
Indiana Regional Medical Center: After sticking with a fragmented wellness solution and low program participation for over a decade, IRMC realized it needed to put wellness back in their employees’ hands. After implementing a wellness solution that gave employees the power to choose which areas of their wellbeing needed most help, IRMC saw employee wellness program participation surge by 85%.
ScanSource: Wellness has always been a top priority at ScanSource, but when the pandemic distributed its workforce across the country, it wasn’t as easy to figure out how to help employees engage meaningfully. By integrating a new holistic solution that offered a variety of virtual wellness options—like health coaching—employees were able to engage across multiple different devices all over the country, boosting their month-over-month program engagement.
3 Ways to Customize Holistic Wellness Programming to Promote Employee Autonomy
Fostering autonomy in the workplace requires a thoughtful approach that balances freedom with guidance. Want to know what your wellness program needs to get there? Here are three places to get started:
- Dedicated Personal Challenge Arena: Providing employees with a full library of wellness activities and educational resources is one way to put control back in their hands, but too many options can easily lead to decision fatigue. Customizing the interface of your wellness platform so that it has a dedicated space for employees to add and remove activities they want to participate in helps them focus on the areas of wellness that matter most, without getting distracted.
- Flexible Rewards Mall: Offering a variety of wellness activities is a huge step in giving employees ownership over their wellness journeys, but allowing them to choose which rewards to receive after reaching their goals? That adds another layer of autonomy that empowers employees to see their goals through to the end. (Pro tip: asking for feedback on different types of rewards can give employees the opportunity to voice their opinions on which rewards leave the biggest impact.)
- Personal Mission Statements: Providing the option to write and edit personal mission statements may seem like a small way to encourage employees to own their wellness journeys. But spotlighting a personal mission statement front and center in a wellness platform keeps wellness goals top of mind, enabling employees to steer their own ships towards wellbeing.
Strengthen Workplace Autonomy With a Wellness Platform
Fostering autonomy in the workplace is just the beginning. To truly empower your employees and ensure long-term success, it's important to support their overall wellbeing.
A fully-integrated wellness platform can provide the resources and tools needed to help employees manage stress, improve their physical and mental health, and stay engaged with their work. By harnessing the power of a holistic wellness strategy, you can create a more balanced and productive work environment where employees feel supported and motivated to take ownership of their responsibilities.
Empower your team with the tools they need to succeed—request a demo today to see how WellRight can support your workplace and overall employee wellbeing.
