How UAE Best Workplaces™ Develop Employee Well-Being  

Jana Saab – Content Writer

Alex Gourlay said, “We are embedding health and well-being at the heart of our business strategy because our people are our greatest asset, and we recognize that a healthy, happy, and committed workforce is vital to our business success.” This underscores the paramount importance of employee well-being in organizations.   This can be achieved when highlighting the synergy between employee well-being and productivity. It is estimated that employee productivity has increased by 20% in organizations that foster wellness programs. Research studies have asserted that a comfortable work environment can significantly contribute to organizational success by enhancing employees’ concentration, memory, and problem-solving skills.   Successful organizations in the UAE recognize that the employee’s mental, social, psychological, and emotional health are a priority that can influence the workplace environment A Great Place To Work® research study revealed that 85% of the employees in the UAE Best Workplaces™ enjoy a psychologically and emotionally healthy place of work. 

In this blog, we will delve into the ways that the Best Workplaces in UAE established to develop employee well-being.  

What encourages employee well-being?

Healthier workplaces can significantly enhance employee performance, and this results in higher-quality output. Organizations in the UAE realize the value of employee happiness and satisfaction. They implement strategies, such as flexible schedules, employee appreciation programs, wellness programs, opportunities for professional growth, and promoting a positive workplace culture. UAE organizations can develop a more productive, engaged, and loyal workforce by putting employee well-being and job satisfaction foremost.  

Here are the main ways to promote employee well-being in UAE workplaces: 

1 – Valuing connections in the workplace  

Building strong relationships can enhance morale, drive success, and arouse creativity in the workplace. In the UAE, fostering a friendly work environment creates a sense of belonging and an enjoyable workday.  

Establishing a buddy system enhances socializing in the workplace. When new employees are linked with seasoned colleagues, this helps in decreasing the feeling of loneliness and isolation. The new ones can receive guidance, support, and answers to their questions and are introduced to other team members in the organization through their buddies. When people have good relationships with each other in the workplace, they can feel at home. Thus, employees can share ideas, celebrate achievements, and motivate each other.  

In addition, leaders in the UAE can set up a strategic plan, social activities, and events that strengthen employees’ bonds. This boosts collaboration and confidence among team members. Meaningful connections can be incorporated in UAE companies through educating employees about the benefits of social communication at work. It is worth mentioning that creating communication channels like Microsoft Teams and other tools and scheduling meaningful and engaging team-building activities connected keeps them connected. 

2- Maintaining psychological support  

Taking care of your employees’ psychological health lets them feel that they are appreciated as human beings before being employees. Offering mental health programs, like the Employee Assistant Program, that boost employee psychological state helps in reducing employee stress levels. Additionally, including meditation and yoga sessions improves employees’ mental state and reduces absenteeism. 

By continuously cultivating a positive and optimistic work environment, managers can help employees feel relaxed, energized, and empowered to discuss concerns and challenges. This open communication enables leaders to offer comprehensive support and actionable solutions.  

In addition to that, considering holidays, respecting personal time, and managing workloads improve employees’ psychological state. Our Trust IndexSurvey results show that 78% of the employees in the UAE Best Workplaces™ feel they are encouraged to balance their work life with their personal life.  

3- Driving purpose  

People in purpose-driven organizations are motivated by more than just accomplishing tasks. They are driven by their fundamental values and a common sense of purpose. Research studies have shown that 73% of the employees who work in purpose- driven organizations are more likely to get engaged in work.  

Successful leaders in the UAE enable employees to know their value in the workplace by sharing with them the results of the projects that they worked on. This empowers them and boosts their motivation. Imagine that you are working with a team to solve a certain issue. What encourages a person to come up with innovative solutions? In fact, it is the “purpose.” Working on something you care about is different from doing it for the sake of being done.   

What makes the UAE Best Workplaces ™ stand out?

The UAE Best Workplaces ™ reported high levels of well-being among their employees. Here is what they did to obtain successful results:
1- Elevating innovation from your employee resource groups   

Employee resource groups are built based on everyone’s experience. When all the team members share ideas, different backgrounds, and perspectives, this triggers creativity. Moreover, these groups offer professional development, team collaboration, and more connection to the organization’s culture.  

Integrating design thinking helps in having diverse points of view that let employees see the problems and solutions from different angles. When considering the ideas of the team members and including them in the decision-making process, this lets them feel that they are appreciated. In this way, creating ERGs levels up employees’ well-being.  

Based on the insights from clients, employees in the ERGs can offer the management updated trends in the market. This helps in developing a well-planned marketing strategy based on the customers’ needs. 

2- Caring about employee financial health

When leaders care about the employees’ financial health, this alleviates stress and anxiety. It can be achieved by creating financial health programs through including workshops, financial wellness software, and retirement programs. Therefore, employees feel that they are supported, which creates a positive workplace environment. They will also let them stay a longer time in the organization, which increases their loyalty and achieves higher employee retention. 

3- Asking employees meaningful questions that matter about their well-being

The UAE Best Workplaces can ask these simple questions: What type of work environment can let you feel more encouraged? What resources do you need to improve your professional career? These questions help leaders to know the needs and aspirations of their people. What makes a difference in employees’ lives at work is being offered 100% healthcare benefits, flexibility in work hours and days, wellness programs, and services. 

Employee's well-being is a blessing!

To boost employee well-being, leaders have to maintain a safe workplace environment where people can feel at home there. Therefore, this can diminish burnout and boost employee engagement. Connecting employees with the workplace, having meaningful purpose, offering mental support, creating employee resource groups, linking business performance with well-being, and asking employees about what makes them feel better at the workplace enhance employee well-being.  

When managers invest in their people’s well-being, they build trust and loyalty in the workplace. Relying on the Great Place To Work® Trust Index Survey helps you know what is going well and what’s not with your employees.  

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