Books and Activities That Can Boost Your Employee’s Well-Being
Written by
- Redaction Team
- Business Planning, Entrepreneurship
When companies take a sincere interest in their human resources and care about the health and well-being of their employees, amazing things happen. Organizing a corporate retreat can be an excellent starting point for such wellness initiatives.
Just look at these numbers achieved by organizations that have implemented employee wellness strategies in the workplace:
- Job satisfaction – up by 67%
- Productivity – up by 66%
- Financial growth – up by 63%
- Absenteeism – down by 50%
How should you approach your employees’ well-being and what to start with?
To help you out, we’ve put together a list of the best workplace wellness books recommended by business leaders. In the next part of this article, you can find the most successful examples from real brands on how to enhance employee well-being and take your company’s success to new heights.
Top 7 Books for Improving Employee Health & Wellness
These seven titles below are an excellent selection if you want to elevate the well-being of your employees. Check out the reviews to make sure that every book on this list is a must-read.
The Healthy Workplace by Leigh Stringer
Published in: 2016
Page count: 254
Work, work, work…
There’s always so much of it. Naturally, your employees get tired and stressed out. Isn’t it the right time to rethink the workday and create a healthier environment for them?
The formula is simple: Better Me + Better You = Better Us.
The book maps out all possible ideas for increasing the well-being of employees. How about mastering mindfulness, exercising, or sleeping your way to success?
Stephan Baldwin, Founder of Assisted Living, considers it an invaluable read for any business leader:
“This book has the potential to turn your office into a more pleasant and comfortable place to work. The author takes a close look at the role of ergonomics in designing a workplace for health. Not to mention the tactics to increase productivity and creativity flows.
Besides, the last chapters illustrate some examples of strategic approaches taken by companies that changed their work habits and reached maximum effectiveness.”
The Financial Wellness Mandate by Daniel Bryant
Published in: 2021
Page count: 268
Do you offer a financial wellness program to your workers?
If not yet, this book will make you reconsider your employee benefits package.
Even if you do have such a program in action, there’s still much to work on, according to Daniel Bryant. He names the biggest rocks on the road to the financial well-being of employees:
- Student loan debt
- Credit card overhang
- Medical debt
- Housing expenses
The author offers a win-win solution for employers who can help their workers with financial management.
“Daniel Bryant reminds us that employers and employees are interdependent not only socially but also financially,” notes Anthony Martin, Founder and CEO of Choice Mutual.
“In this book, he teaches employers how to incorporate the financial wellness of workers into a broader human capital strategy. From health insurance to retirement planning. I particularly liked his idea about the uniformity of financial care and healthcare at the workplace,” he adds.
A Cure for the Common Company by Richard Safeer
Published in: 2023
Page count: 256
As mentioned in the subtitle, this is a “well-being prescription for a happier, healthier, and more resilient workforce”.
And it is, literally!
Dr. Richard Safeer prescribes a cure for the ills that kill business values and culture.
It’s one of the newest books on employee well-being recommended by Coty Perry, CMO at Anglers.com, who shares his impressions from reading it:
“With this guidebook in your hands, you’ll understand how to provide peer support and lead your team with employee well-being in mind. It also emphasizes how important traditions are for any team.
As a third-generation angler in our company, I’m striving to unite a community of professionals under one roof of immense love for the outdoors and fishing. And this book, with its valuable techniques and tools, supports me on my way.”
The Employee Wellbeing Handbook by Cassie Sobelton
Published in: 2019
Page count: 142
“The Employee Wellbeing Handbook can become the greatest facilitator of employee happiness at work,” mentions John Gardner, Co-Founder & CEO of Kickoff.
“I completely agree with the author that the body-mind-spirit trio should be synchronous at work. Cassie Sobelton makes emphasis on proper exercise, hydration, nutrition, and other factors vital for the physical well-being of workers. Likewise, she provides some research-backed facts about the importance of emotional and spiritual stability. For example, stress-reducing activities like meditation,” he highlights.
To assist workers in maintaining optimal health, Cassie Sobelton suggests focusing on the following areas:
- Physical health
- Mental, spiritual, and emotional health
- Social and community health
- Environmental health
- Occupational health
- Financial health
If you’re in HR, this book is definitely for you because it covers all the aspects of effective cross-departmental collaboration to nurture a culture of wellness within a company.
Neurodiversity at Work by Amanda Kirby and Theo Smith
Published in: 2021
Page count: 328
“If you hear the term neurodiversity for the first time, don’t worry. I’ve been there too. Since I learned about it from this book, I keep recommending this read to every employer,” says Linda Shaffer, Chief People Operations Officer at Checkr.
“It gives you both methods and instruments to hire neurodiverse talent and create a better tomorrow for your workers.”
Amanda Kirby, a specialist in neurodiversity screening tools, joined forces with Theo Smith, a leading neurodiversity advocate, to clarify the concept and its significance for modern workplaces.
They also explain how it relates to the principle of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). An inclusive and diverse environment at work promotes a greater understanding and empathy, reduces employees’ anxiety and loneliness, and makes it natural to follow professional ethics.
Yes, You Can Talk About Mental Health at Work by Melissa Doman
Published in: 2021
Page count: 256
How often do we discuss mental health at work?
Most likely, we shy away from such talks and lock them in the “most uncomfortable conversation” drawer.
“Mental health is often misunderstood and ignored by employers, even though it needs to be a top priority in the workplace,” claims Dan Petkevich, Founder & CEO of Fair Square.
“That’s why I recommend this very title as one of the must-read books about employee wellbeing. It goes from whys to how-tos in the mental healthcare of employees. More importantly, it arms leaders with communicative tactics and practical resources to start talking about mental health at work.”
In her book, Melissa Doman draws on her experience as an organizational psychologist and therapist. She pushes you to start acting: communicating first and then improving the mental health of your employees.
Employees First! by Donna Cutting
Published in: 2022
Page count: 240
Think about the first thing you do when you’ve got a newbie on your team.
What is it?
From the first day at work and on, everyone on your team should receive a little star treatment. If you want to boost workplace well-being, create a culture of respect, and improve employee retention in your business, you should definitely try the roll-out-the-red-carpet method by Donna Cutting.
Witold Stawarz, CEO of Foter, doesn’t have a shadow of a doubt that “It’s one of the best books on workplace wellness to read today.
Step by step, Donna Cutting leads you to create a safer space and a more comfortable place to work, whether in-office or remotely. The tips for remote teams were particularly useful for me. Like, for example, virtual walk-a-thons to share workspaces and bring personality into play to feel united in a remote work environment.”
Indeed, the final chapter is for those who struggle with remote work challenges and need to keep a distributed team cohesive.
Top 5 Ideas to Promote Employee Well-Being
Check out how companies put employees’ well-being first.
1. Self-care days
Buffer, Virgin Hotels, and Foursquare, among others, introduced the “Unsick Days” in collaboration with Zocdoc. Their employees can now take a paid day off at least once a year for preventive care: skin screenings, dental services, vision exams, or any other annual check-ups.
2. Therapies
Aside from mental health treatment or work-focused therapy, you can offer other therapeutic activities for boosting the well-being of your team. Let’s have a look at some of them.
Massage therapy
On-site massage therapy is a monthly practice at Borden & Company. It gives people a little break and helps them combat stress.
Google, Boeing, Genentech, and Cisco are also among the brands that hire massage therapists to support employees’ physical and mental wellness.
Puppy therapy
Therapy pets can help workers relax and cope with everyday stressors.
Puppy or dog therapy is a new employee well-being trend among big corporations like Intel and Aetna as well as smaller businesses like Intertrust Group or Boingo.
Here’s what puppy therapy looks like at Boingo.
3. Well-being camps
Salesforce’s Camp B-Well is a great example of a well-being community. It’s designed to motivate the company’s employees to develop healthy habits and “live well every day, in every way”.
Salesforce organizes B-Well weeks regularly. Besides, there are tons of other virtual and in-person events on its Camp B-Well Calendar.
4. Team-building activities
Try the following methods to drive a culture of openness, improve communication, and develop a sense of belonging in your team:
- Yoga sessions
- Talent shows
- Icebreaker games
- Company retreats
- Cooking classes
- Movie or board game nights
- Book clubs, etc.
Ethena, for instance, has a monthly book club for developing colleagueship and building a better workplace.
Below is one of the pictures from UVeye’s corporate retreat.
The team took a break from the daily grind and went on a two-day trip to have a moment of recharge.
5. Personalized employee well-being plans
Here, you can follow the example of Adobe.
The company offers a well-being app LifeDojo. It allows Adobe’s employees to create personalized programs to form new, healthy habits. The application includes some educational videos and articles on personal growth and development. On top of that, each employee can pick a personal coach.
Proven Methods and Books to Enhance Employee Well-Being: Last Note
Taking care of workers is crucial for the company’s development and business growth.
As an employer, you should address various aspects of employee well-being. This guide has given you all the necessary resources for that. Promote wellness among your workforce with insightful books and other recommendations listed above.
So, take these ideas and cultivate a healthier environment your staff will love to work in.
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