- Employee wellness has become an increasingly important issue in Kenya in recent years, but there is still much work to be done to improve the status of employee wellness in the country.
I am a proponent of employee wellness which I believe is a key factor that contributes to organisational success.
As HR professionals we are charged with managing people and unlike any other resource, any disruption in the wellness of a person directly impacts their performance in every aspect of their life.
Employee wellness has become an increasingly important issue in Kenya in recent years, but there is still much work to be done to improve the status of employee wellness in the country.
On a positive note, there is growing awareness among Kenyan organisations about the importance of employee wellness, and many companies have implemented workplace wellness programs that include initiatives such as health education, fitness classes, and mental health support.
Some organisations are also providing access to healthcare, offering flexible working arrangements, and addressing workplace stress.
However, there are still significant challenges to employee wellness in Kenya, including:
Limited access to healthcare -Unfortunately a number of employees still do not have access to affordable and quality healthcare, which can impact their health and well-being.
High levels of workplace stress – With a global recession, a weak economy, and organisations still recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic a significant number of employees face high levels of workplace stress.
Limited mental health support - There is still a stigma associated with mental illness in Kenya, and many employees may not seek help or receive the support they need.
Limited awareness and education which has negatively impacted the adoption of workplace wellness programs and other initiatives among others.
While there are positive developments in the area of employee wellness in Kenya, more work is needed to address the challenges and improve the status of employee wellness in the country.
HR professionals, therefore, play a crucial role in promoting employee wellness in the workplace.
It does not have to cost money, with innovation and the commitment to improve our places of work any organisation can kick off this journey.
Some of the ways through which HR professionals can contribute to this success include:
Develop a workplace wellness program- HR professionals can create a wellness program that includes initiatives such as health education, fitness classes, mental health support, and stress management.
They can also encourage employee participation by offering incentives or recognition for those who participate.
Provide access to healthcare - providing access to affordable and quality healthcare, such as health insurance and regular health check-ups, to ensure that employees receive timely medical care and treatment.
Promote work-life integration - HR professionals can promote work-life integration by offering flexible working arrangements, such as telecommuting, job sharing, and part-time work.
This can help reduce stress and improve employee well-being.
Address workplace stress - They can help build and maintain a good workplace culture that provides mechanisms for identifying and addressing workplace stressors, such as excessive workload or poor working conditions, to prevent employee burnout and promote a healthy work environment.
Lead by example - This can encourage employees to follow suit and make wellness a priority in their lives.
By promoting employee wellness in the workplace, HR professionals can improve employee health and well-being, reduce absenteeism and presenteeism, and increase employee productivity and job satisfaction.
It is important to note that all these solutions have to be anchored on policy for ease of implementation.
HR professionals have to also demonstrate the return on investment through regular reports providing metrics and analytics which justify the continued value for the organisation when they invest in employee wellness.
It is for this reason that the Institute of Human Resource Management continues to play its role of advocacy to raise awareness on the importance of employee wellness, build the capacity of HR professionals and other business leaders to integrate employee wellness in all their programs and collaborate with like-minded stakeholders for the benefit of our members.
We can all agree that employee wellness is constantly under threat due to pressure from various sources: Economic, work stress, family and social relationships, and political factors.
These impact the employee’s ability to be fully present and productive in the workplace.
It is therefore imperative for HR professionals to raise their awareness of employee wellbeing programs in the workplace, and share best practices for sustained high performance in the workplace in order to enhance productivity.
CHRP Quresha Abdullahi is the executive director of the Institute of Human Resource Management. She spoke during the wellness summit in Mombasa