The festive season was a time to reflect and plan ahead. As we look to a brighter 2021, we have the chance to make positive changes in the workplace, taking into account the experiences and learnings from the past year.

For employees, the effect of the pandemic would have been particularly pronounced over the last few weeks. Christmas and New Year will not have been the usual large-scale celebrations – at work or at home. For employers, there is the opportunity not just to celebrate what has been achieved, but to also reconsider how they engage, support and motivate their workforce in the coming year.

Wellbeing and benefit programmes are falling short of the kind of holistic and relevant support that today’s workforce needs. Merely offering an extensive list of benefits or frequent communications does not guarantee engagement. Employers need to carefully tailor their approach to the needs of their workforce in order to strengthen employee wellbeing.

While we have all been affected by the same pandemic, our experience and requirements are as unique as we are. Employees therefore need specific and hyperpersonal interventions, ready to go as and when required.

Health services have become difficult to access during the pandemic and we don’t foresee this changing in the short-term. There is already a backlog with medical consultations and treatments, for example Macmillan estimates that 33,000 cancer patients in the UK are still waiting on treatment. As a result, employees are increasingly reliant on their employer to provide support during such uncertain times.

An effective wellbeing strategy can help employees overcome challenges, whether they are pandemic related or come from their personal circumstances. With the right supportive environment, resources and leadership, you can create a resilient workplace culture that’s fit to meet the challenges and demands of next year.

Key areas to reflect on:

• Review and update workplace policies: Your current workforce is in a different place physically and mentally to the one that started 2020, so your policies and processes need to reflect this new way of working.
• Adapt your benefits offering: The needs of your workforce have changed dramatically in the past year. Now is the time to examine how well your benefits are being utilised and whether they still meet your employee’s expectations.
• Refresh your wellbeing strategy: The new year will require a more holistic and inclusive approach to your wellbeing strategy to ensure you provide the right support, at the right time. As we see more and more employees working remotely, you’ll also need to reconsider how you support them in a virtual world.

Reviewing and modernising the way you support your employees will recognise the move away from the traditional office perks that has occurred. Wellbeing initiatives designed around working from a single location are no longer valuable. Do your initiatives accommodate the needs of your workforce? Do they support flexibility and new ways of working? Employers must also recognise that their workforce may not feel comfortable sharing feedback or their personal challenges. We surveyed over 2,000 employees during lockdown 1.0 and found that just under half would not disclose a health condition to their employer.

With an effective wellbeing strategy, you can drive authentic and sustainable behavioral changes to improve wellbeing. Those that do will increase engagement and motivation, reduce sickness absence and develop a resilient culture. Do it right, and whatever 2021 brings, your workforce will be ready to deliver at their best.

See how you can enhance and sustain your team’s wellbeing by downloading our playbook: Strengthening employee wellbeing through COVID.