Canadian HR Reporter

CANADIAN HR REPORTER APRIL 2019 22 FEATURES HEALTH AND SAFETY KPIs for employee health and wellness Appropriate indicators offer tangible method of measuring staff satisfaction By Charles Benayon S ince employees are the most valuable aspect of any business, the success of an organization is contingent upon their health and wellness. Key performance indicators (KPIs) can help businesses pro- mote employees' wellness and work satisfaction by incorporating metrics to measure performance. If an organization wants to ensure it is valuing the physical, mental and emotional well-being of employees, KPIs are a sustain- able source for measurement, highlighting any potential areas for improvement. Although typically used in business strategies, KPIs can be measured to lend value to work- place culture, employee satisfac- tion, and an organization's over- all success. Choosing the right KPIs First, the overall objective of the KPIs needs to be established. Then an organization must discuss their implementation and review subsequent results on either a weekly or monthly basis, depending on their per- formance. ese KPIs must be actionable and subject to future updates, depending on their overall performance. It's crucial to not only develop valuable KPIs, but to establish the right ones to boost well- ness programs. To achieve re- sults, the organization's values must be defi ned and measured in conjunction with the overall business goals. ese indicators must therefore be attainable and quantifi able. For example, if the goal is to boost employee job satisfaction 20 per cent by the next quarter, KPIs will help employees maintain a clearer vision of what they must set out to accomplish. is in turn helps them feel more valuable to the organization as a whole. I mprov i ng a nd t rack i ng employees' collective sense of well-being is a process that requires cumulative eff orts from all HR professionals. KPIs must ensure that HR professionals remain on the same page in terms of goals for both the organization and its employees. Additionally, KPIs should give insight into further business solutions that are actionable and refl ect the fl exible nature of the organization. KPIs for wellness While it is advisable to ensure all KPIs are tailored to fi t a specifi c business' needs, there are certain measures that should be taken to accurately track employee wellness. is is essential to the health, growth and well-being of any organization. Key areas of focus include: • employee satisfaction (how happy employees are with their positions in the company) • employee retention (how likely it is that employees will remain within the company for an ex- tended period of time) • employee motivation (how driv- en employees are to succeed in their positions, and how per- sonally invested they are in the overall success of the company) • management satisfaction (how satisfied employees are with management style) • peer satisfaction (how satis- fi ed employees are with their co-workers) • work environment (how happy employees are with their overall offi ce dynamics). All of these factors should be tracked, monitored, and re- evaluated based on employee responses. Always maintain an open door policy in regards to employee feedback so employees feel free to make suggestions, as well as speak to areas that they believe can be improved. is will create a better sense of overall wellness for employees and encourage open, construc- tive communication with human resources. Strategic insights KPIs off er strategic insights for employees to more clearly iden- tify and manage expectations. In regards to their performance, a KPI will help an employee to bet- ter understand what her employer expects of her. A clear direction and concise communication of goals offer employees peace of mind, reduc- ing any potential stress and con- fusion related to any delegated tasks, while enhancing a sense of wellness. For example, if the goal is to fi nd out how employees are respond- ing to a change in leadership within a company, a KPI can be established for the leader to del- egate tasks to each employee, be- fore documenting their feedback to the initial direction. is will help HR professionals and employers understand how they can best enhance their em- ployees' sense of well-being, as well as manage their expectations in leadership. In terms of tracking progress, KPIs provide an optimal basis for providing relevant feedback between HR professionals and employees. is feedback increases their level of engagement with the orga- nization as a whole, and maintains an elevated level of enthusiasm for their job. In many ways, employees may feel that their valued contribu- tions make them feel more like a part of the team, as opposed to a small fi sh lost in a corporate sea. To gain additional clarity around the health and wellness within an organization, a well- ness tracker is a valuable option for tracking employee progress and satisfaction. It also works to create a better sense of overall employee wellness, and is a highly eff ective opt ion for i mplement i n g programs that enhance employee well-being, track trends in wellness, and then measure the subsequent results. Paving the way Above all things, the collective eff orts of HR professionals must put employees on the best path towards their well-being. Although several factors in an organization may f luctuate in time, using KPIs to ensure work- place health and wellness will help employees realize their full potential. As a business changes, KPIs should be made to reflect any important progress in the mental health of the organization. is will help employees adjust to their new expectations, which will ulti- mately nurture better confi dence in their performance. Tracking employees' health and wellness through KPIs provides numerous benefi ts in off ering an inclusive, open method of com- munication between HR profes- sionals and employees. By measuring employee well- ness and discovering potential gaps in existing programs, hu- man resources professionals will be able to facilitate better initia- tives between an organization and its employees. Charles Benayon is the founder and CEO of Aspiria in Markham, Ont., a provider of employee assistance pro- grams (EAPs) and student assistance programs (SAPs). For more informa- tion, visit www.aspiria.ca. Credit: bearsky23 (Shutterstock) HR News at Your Fingertips Sign up for the Canadian HR Newswire today for free and enjoy great content from the publishers of Canadian HR Reporter. THE LATEST NEWS Stay on top of essential late-breaking HR news and developments. THE BEST COMMENTARY Access trusted analysis and opinion on the cases and changes that are shaping the HR landscape. 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