How competence cracks the code to improving employee wellbeing

When workload is high, demands still need to be met. But when help seems like it’s not on the way, how do you work on improving employee wellbeing, while still hitting KPIs?

Countless organisations offer up “solutions” to treat the symptoms of the problem of poor employee wellbeing. Symptoms may include low employee engagement, reduced productivity or high employee turnover. However, band-aid solutions to these symptoms, won’t be effective in the long-run. Instead, focusing on improving employee wellbeing allows you to cure the root problem, rather than the symptoms.

What is employee wellbeing?

Employee wellbeing refers to the holistic health and happiness of workers in their professional environment. It covers aspects like physical health, mental health, psychological safety, inclusion and job satisfaction.

The 5 drivers of wellbeing

After cycling through years of research, MindGym’s team of behavioural scientists identified the five drivers of wellbeing:

• Certainty: The benefits of certainty grow over time. Leaders who are able to regulate their emotions and reduce uncertainty within their team, can improve their employees’ wellbeing and productivity, and empower them to confidently address circumstances that can’t be controlled.
• Competence: When people feel set up to fail, no one gains. Employees who are confident in their ability to do their job and are better equipped to handle challenges experience a greater sense of wellbeing.
• Autonomy: Leaders can give employees a meaningful sense of autonomy by empowering them to take ownership over certain aspects of their role. This could include opportunities for job-crafting, involving employees in decisions about how to streamline processes, or simply creating an environment where they can contribute ideas and their voice will be heard.
• Belonging: When people feel included by their colleagues, leaders and peers, they experience all sorts of health benefits. From boosting their immune system and perceptions of stress, to reducing the risk of anxiety, depression, and physical illness.
• Purpose: Core to the human condition is the need to feel that we matter. This sense of purpose can make us happier, have more energy, engage in healthy habits, and even sleep better.

When these five factors are threatened, people experience illbeing and begin to fall into crisis. But when they’re supported and built into the way of work, they can help employees flourish.

Certainty and competence are the bedrock of enhancing wellbeing and should be every organisation's first priority to really get on the right path toward building healthy, happy teams.

How competence can contribute to improving employee wellbeing.

When it comes to workplace wellbeing, at minimum, people need to know what they’re doing and how to do it well. Competence is about having what it takes to accomplish tasks effectively now, as well as opportunities to learn more.

Some 54% of employees report feeling like they don’t have the skills they need to do their work. With the wrong mindset, this can be demoralising.

But moving from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset enables us to see mistakes as an opportunity to learn and improve, versus feeling like a failure and giving up.

If you’re an employer committed to improving employee wellbeing in your workplace, you can improve your employees’ sense of competence by:

• Focusing on positive reinforcement.
• Praising good work.
• Offering opportunities to gain new skills.
• Framing mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow in competence.

How improving employee wellbeing is possible with MindGym

Work demands can have a negative effect on our wellbeing – but they don’t have to.

Scientists at MindGym have crafted our Wellworking solution to unlock new ways to drive performance while protecting and promoting wellbeing, without having to compromise on either.