Written by Sally Lovett, Workplace Wellbeing Expert from Stretching the City

No longer a ‘nice to have’, staff wellbeing is an essential part of any company’s culture. With wellbeing defined as ‘feeling good and functioning well’ (New Economics Foundation Report 2016) in simple terms, ‘staff wellbeing’ means that a company’s employees are feeling physically and mentally well – whilst doing their job to the standard required.

Staff wellbeing can cover a number of benefits, but different employees will need different things to feel good and function well. For some employees, it may mean flexible working to fit around family or caring commitments. For others it may be in-office yoga classes, standing desks or mental health training and support.

Whichever area of staff wellbeing you’re considering, it’s best to approach staff wellbeing ideas with a 360 degree holistic perspective. Think of your staff wellbeing strategy as encompassing five pillars of wellbeing: Physical, mental, emotional, financial and social. And try to offer initiatives that cover all five of these pillars.

Why should you invest in your employee’s wellbeing?

Studies show that workplaces that invest in employee wellbeing are happier, healthier and more productive. And in the current climate, happy and healthy workplaces are needed more than ever before. It’s currently reported that 15% of employees are experiencing mental health problems in the workplace and sick days amongst UK workers are at an all time high.

Companies who invest in employee wellbeing will also benefit from performance amongst their teams, as well as higher staff retention and lower rates of absenteeism. It’s a win-win for all businesses. As proven by a recent Wellhub study, which found that 90% of companies see a positive ROI from their wellness initiatives. Another study by the British Heart Foundation found the ROI for a UK business that invests in workplace health initiatives is £4.17 for every £1 spent.

And it’s not companies who get hit hard by a lack of investment in staff wellbeing. Without staff wellbeing initiatives, employees are likely to feel under-valued, demoralised and at risk of poor mental and physical health.

Our top 15 wellbeing ideas for your team

We appreciate it can be overwhelming planning staff wellbeing ideas, so let us give you a helping hand with our top wellbeing ideas for your team.

Simple employee wellbeing ideas

No grand gestures required, it’s often the simple employee wellbeing ideas things that pack a punch.

Tip #1: Make Meetings Shorter

A schedule of back-to-back meetings can lead to feelings of burnout and overwhelm. Make all 30 minute meetings 25 minutes and cut hour long meetings down to 50 minutes. This gives staff some breathing space between meetings to decompress before their next meeting.

Tip #2: Have lunch together

Sharing food is the ultimate way to connect with others. And what’s more, when we connect with others, we create oxytocin aka the ‘cuddle hormone’. With a recent Gallup study finding that one in five employees worldwide currently feels lonely at work, gathering with colleagues for a shared office lunch will help ward off loneliness, whilst also fuelling productivity for the afternoon ahead.

Tip #3: Wellbeing gift ideas for Staff

Receiving a thoughtful gift is a guaranteed way to feel valued and appreciated. Whether you’re welcoming a new starter, celebrating a milestone or simply offering support to a staff member who’s struggling, a gift is a kind gesture to show you care. Don’t Buy Her Flowers offer a range of employee gifts that are tailored to the individual, and makes the recipient feel thought of instead of receiving yet another gift voucher. And if you need help putting together a gift box (or more), they can do that for you too.

Fun fact: Did you know, that receiving gifts is also one of the official five ‘love languages’, coined by Dr. Gary Chapman in his best-selling ‘5 Love Languages’ book?

Tip #4 Have healthy snacks available

With inadequate nourishment accounting for a 20% reduction in employees’ efficiency and nutrition described as the ‘missing piece’ of the corporate wellbeing puzzle, it makes sense to offer healthy snacks, such as fruit, nuts and seeds. So next time you’re ordering some pastries for a morning meeting , or stocking up the office kitchen with sweets, consider swapping the usual office treats with some healthier alternatives instead.

Tip #5 Have desk plants

Allocate staff a plant budget, or invite employees to bring in some plants from home. Plants have a positive effect on mental health by lowering anxiety and stress, improving concentration, and stimulating creativity.

Effective Staff Wellbeing activities

Try these proven effective staff wellbeing activities at your workplace and see your staff wellbeing soar.

Tip #6 Celebrate wellbeing awareness days

From Mental Health Awareness Week in May to World Menopause Day in October, there are so many campaigns to support throughout the year. Having these dates to hand can help hone your wellbeing strategy and provide some structure to your plans (2025 wellbeing awareness day calendar).

Tip #7: Include hybrid and WFH colleagues too

Don’t forget and neglect your hybrid or WFH colleagues when planning your staff wellbeing ideas. If you’re running a wellbeing workshop, make sure you stream it online to your virtual colleagues. Planning a wellbeing event at work? Schedule it for a busier office day, so as many staff can attend in person as possible.

Tip #6: Make Wellbeing Multi-Channel

Talk about wellbeing across as many touch-points as possible. Have posters up in the communal areas, share wellbeing advice on the company intranet or have a stretch before a company meeting. Use Slack? Why not have a Slack channel dedicated to wellbeing, where colleagues can share tips, advice and musings on all things wellbeing.

Tip #9: Volunteer and give back

Volunteering is not only beneficial for the wider community but can also boost staff wellbeing. By giving our time and effort to help others, we gain a sense of purpose that can improve our physical and mental health. See if there are any local organisations, schools or charities that need volunteers and give staff a day off to volunteer. You can also offer to match charity donations for any fund-raising efforts amongst your team.

Tip #10: Make Mental Health a Priority

With 1/6 of workers currently suffering from a mental health problem, now really is the time to prioritise mental health in the workplace. Offer mental health training to all your employees and in particular, ensure any line managers are trained to spot and sign-post any mental health struggles amongst their teams.

Ideas for a Wellbeing Day at Work

Whilst wellbeing should be an every day, year-long effort, a wellbeing day at work is a great way to raise awareness and put wellbeing on the business agenda. These are our five favourite ideas for a wellbeing day at work.

Tip #11: Treat your Staff to an Office Massage

When it comes to work perks, you can’t beat a relaxing office massage. In just 15 minutes, an office therapist can help relax stressed-out shoulders and knotty necks, leaving staff relaxing and refreshed as they return to their desk.

Tip #12: Bring your pet to work

You may have met your co-workers pets on Zoom or Teams, but how about meeting their furry family members in the flesh? Research has found multiple benefits to bringing a pet to work. They can boost morale, relieve stress, build a sense of community and get people out for regular walking breaks.

Tip #13: Have a day of walking meetings

Weather-permitting, attempt to have a day of walking meetings. Moving whilst on a meeting will boost your heart rate and endorphins. What’s more, difficult conversations are much easier to have side by side, rather than face to face, so you may find it easier to tackle more challenging topics this way.

Tip #14: Share your Wellbeing Pledges

When it comes to sticking to healthy habits, accountability is your secret weapon. Planning to run 10k in the next 6 months? Trying meat-free Mondays? Share your wellbeing pledges on a dedicated wall, forum or amongst colleagues to make sure they really happen.

Tip #15: Run a wellbeing workshop

Whether you want to learn how to keep burnout at bay, get savvy on sleep or wise up on nutrition, a wellbeing workshop will share expert information and actionable advice . Usually lasting 60 minutes, a wellbeing workshop can be delivered onsite at your office or virtually online and is a guaranteed way to inspire your staff to practice healthier habits and prioritise their wellbeing.

Hopefully by now you’re feeling inspired to implement some of these wellbeing ideas yourself. Remember staff wellbeing should be considered an essential part of all business operations, so don’t let budget constraints or being a small team stand in your way from delivering a killer wellbeing strategy. From small gestures to big investments, so long as you keep wellbeing at front of mind, your staff and business will most definitely benefit.

Author

This post was written by Sally Lovett, founder and co-director of Stretching the City. Founded in 2010, Stretching the City is a one-stop-shop for workplace wellbeing, delivering wellbeing solutions to over 300 clients, including Amazon, Sky and TikTok.

From mental health workshops to office massage – and everything in between, Stretching the City offer a holistic portfolio of nearly 100 different workplace wellbeing services to suit every workplace.

Find out more at www.stretchingthecity.com.