Slovakia
Wellbeing is more than just a nice word from an HR manual. It refers to how we feel – physically, mentally and socially. And while everyone defines it a little differently, one thing is certain: when it’s not working, we all feel it. At work and at home.
Today, it is no longer enough for an employee to have a "contract and a chair". In addition to the job description, they also need a safe environment in which they can speak up, support when something happens and space for regeneration. It is true that a satisfied employee does not perform despite the circumstances, but thanks to them.
Wellbeing is therefore not a benefit. It is a foundation, literally a necessity. The employee's feeling that they can handle the work, that it does not break them down, but fulfills them. That they also have time to relax and that work is in balance with their private life.
Wellbeing as balance
In companies, well-being includes an environment, proper relationships, a manager who knows how to listen, and a team where you can function without feeling stifled. And it ends with support that is not just on paper.
"Wellbeing is not a soft skill. It is a strategic issue. When a company takes care of its people, people will take care of the company," says Lívia Bachratá, Director of Public Affairs at Edenred.
That's why it's being talked about more and more today - good performance doesn't grow from exhaustion, but from a sense of security and trust.
Companies often confuse wellbeing with benefits. They offer employees fruit, thinking that's enough. But wellbeing is not about the tinsel, it's about the system. And it either supports healthy functioning or undermines it.
Strategic investment
A fruit basket cannot balance ignoring the psychological burden of employees sitting in open spaces, pushing their deadlines and performance schedules, while no one asks them how they are really doing. The result is exhaustion, quiet frustration, and silent departure.
On the contrary, companies that do it well understand that wellbeing is a strategic investment. That's why they are not afraid of flexibility, create space for personal growth and listen to feedback in order to keep people motivated and engaged.
"Employees with high levels of wellbeing are up to 59 percent less likely to change jobs," adds L. Bachratá, based on data Edenred has from its surveys. Almost 60 percent is a number worth considering.
Edenred Academy
At Edenred, wellbeing is part of the company culture. The company has a long-standing commitment to supporting employees to be in balance both physically, mentally and socially.
Through Edenred Academy, Edenred offers various tools and programs that improve the working environment and personal lives of employees. A new feature is the cooperation with the Dobrobytie platform, which focuses on mental health and burnout prevention.
"Creating space for personal development, psychological well-being, and quality interpersonal relationships is not a nice gesture. It is a necessity if we want people to stay, grow, and feel good," adds L. Bachratá.
Life doesn't end after work.
When an employee has a healthy environment, he does not leave work exhausted. He has energy for himself, his family, and for the next working day. In return, the employer has a motivated person who trusts him, a lower turnover rate, and higher performance. At Edenred wellbeing, we also say "investment in well-being, balance, and development." "It's an investment that pays off. It will certainly help employers if they look at wellbeing not as a finish line, but as a journey along which employees get to their goal. With as little stress as possible, focused and with the feeling that they are not alone. There is no need to invent extreme innovations, just ask employees what they would need to feel better, take what they say seriously and act accordingly," concludes L. Bachratá.
