The Great Resignation, lack of applicants, and low retention rates are all common problems in the life science sector. As the pressure mounts, more employees are feeling burned out and undervalued as leaders work to fund new solutions to problems that feel impossible. Company leaders are not blind to this issue with nearly 50% of chief execs telling the Deloitte CEO survey that being able to find and keep the best employees is one of the biggest problems in talent acquisition right now. Rather than riding this doomed wave, there is one solution that seems to have strength – keeping on top of your team’s mental and physical health.
A Healthy Team is a Happy Team
One of the key strategies that many successful companies employ is providing a strong focus on the health and wellbeing of all their people. It may seem simple and straightforward but the key to success seems to be ensuring that everyone knows how to access the support that you have provided rather than just putting it in place and hoping for the best. If you are confident that your company has a robust suite of benefits that are geared towards happy staff then you may be shocked to learn that just over one-third of all employees say that they know what benefits there are in their workplace.
Making Health a Priority
If you are committed to making health a genuine priority and want to get everyone on board then the following strategies are just some of the ways that could help you achieve your goals:
- Paid time off or work time flexibility for routine and preventative health screening.
- Providing advocacy support for employees that are struggling to access support in any area of their life that is causing stress.
- Work campaigns to promote getting health advice and support when needed.
- Wellness programs that support employees to achieve healthy outcomes.
- Mental health days that staff can take when they have reached their limit.
- Recognition programs that offer healthy rewards such as gym passes or fitness classes.
- Strong routines that encourage staff to take a break and eat regular meals.
It’s also important to remember that a healthy ethos starts at the top, meaning that your leaders need to show a commitment to good health and support everyone in accessing the strategies that work for them. Doing this will motivate and inspire people who may have been initially wary to take part, helping you to achieve equity across the entire team.
Why Good Health Encourages Staff Retention
Ok, so you’re clear on needing to promote strong health messages and ensure that everyone knows how to access support when they need it but how is this going to help keep staff? Well, when you reduce the embarrassment or discomfort that people feel when sharing health concerns with their managers, you can break down barriers and make people feel happier in their job, giving them a genuine reason to want to stay with the company.
If you are committed to finding and keeping the best people for your company then GeneCoda® is here to help. We work with life science companies to find great candidates and support and design your hiring process so that you can focus on meeting your targets. If you’d like to arrange an informal chat at a time that works for you then we’d love to hear from you!
