8 Reasons Social Connections Can Enhance Your Employee Wellness Program

 

1. Increased engagement and loyalty. Employees with friends or social connections at work tend to be more engaged and loyal workers. This is because quality work relationships help build a strong company culture that emphasizes respect, loyalty and trust. Social connection provides a sense of cohesion in the office, which is essential for cultivating creativity, teamwork and collaboration. Employees with positive relationships become more dedicated and motivated to perform their best. A work environment that promotes social connection might also experience better recruitment outcomes as well.

2. Healthier life. Employees with strong social connections are generally healthier. According to Mayo Clinic, “Adults with strong social support have a reduced risk of many significant health problems, including depression, high blood pressure and an unhealthy body mass index (BMI).” It is also noted that research found that older adults with a rich social life and quality relationships are likely to live a longer life than those with fewer social connections. This is important for employers because healthy employees tend to have higher levels of work performance, take less sick days and bring more energy to the workplace.

3. Create a social spot. Sometimes it can be difficult for employees to socialize because they don’t have an area in the office where they feel comfortable doing so. Creating a “social spot” for your employees will give them an area where they can decompress or socialize without distracting other colleagues. Consider repurposing an empty area at your company to create a Zen room or game room for employees to hang out over their breaks. If you don’t have a spare room to use, try setting up some chairs or couches by popular spots for socializing in the office – like the break room or the area by the water cooler.

4. Celebrate. Find new things to celebrate with your employees. While birthdays and holidays are always a cause for celebration, start thinking outside the box to find different reasons to celebrate. Hold annual ceremonies to recognize employees for their hard work, host employee appreciation days once a month or take your team out for a nice lunch after achieving a company goal.

5. Connect departments. Sometimes it’s difficult for employees to socialize at work due to the office layout or different departments not having any contact with one another. By simply taking the time to introduce teammates from different departments, employers can provide an opportunity for social connection. Employees will also benefit from having team outings – such as volunteer events or lunches – with other employees from different departments that they typically don’t get to interact with.

6. Encourage team building. Fun team building exercises can be a great way to bring colleagues together. However, employers should understand that these team building exercises shouldn’t seem forced or uncomfortable for employees. When implemented properly, effective team building activities are excellent for cultivating a sense of unity and comradery among employees. Team building exercises should be used to help colleagues unwind, have some fun and build connections. Some ideas include office trivia, book clubs, sports team, or escape rooms.

7. Inspire positivity. Creating a positive work environment will help employees feel more comfortable around one another. A positive work environment will also help encourage social interaction and positive communication among colleagues. Employers can help inspire positivity by practicing gratitude, promoting laughter and using positive messaging.

8. Utilize wellness challenges. Rather than focusing solely on wellness challenges at the individual level, start creating team wellness challenges. For example, a team walking challenge will challenge colleagues to come together and compete as a team to take more steps in one month than other departments. Daily walking clubs are another excellent idea that can also be used to encourage social connections.

SOURCE:forbes.com