Sponsored by Reward Gateway | Edenred.
In this episode we’re going to explore a topic that I truly enjoy: workplace culture and wellbeing.
There are many ways to improve the overall lives of employees. It is so gratifying to see organizations deliver exceptional services that improve their wellbeing. If you have any interest in workplace culture, this is the episode for you.
Meet Our Guest: Anthony Knierim
Joining us today is Anthony Knierim from Reward Gateway | Edenred.
Anthony is the managing director at Employee Experience Platform Reward Gateway | Edenred. His career journey began with the founding of MoveSpring where he championed customer-led health engagement in the workplace by seeing the impact on thousands of companies in more than, get this everyone, everybody got their seat belts on? 3 million users.
Workplace Culture and Wellbeing
From your perspective, what has changed within the overall culture to bring workplace wellbeing back to the forefront of leadership conversations and decision-making?
Businesses really over the last few years just hadn’t been seeing results of the way that wellbeing programs or service were being delivered. The key purpose of those investments was really focused around this promise of outcomes. Mainly financial for the employer. That they were promised by some of these legacy big, robust, wellbeing and wellness platforms, that they would be able to lower healthcare premiums for the employer or the employee. It’s what I like to call this ROI dream. What we’re seeing now is that that old model just really isn’t working, and there’s this transformation in the market.
Evolving Demographic Trends
Tell us what cultural trends are pushing companies to lean into wellbeing and appreciation efforts?
I hit this point a lot when I talk to people is that if you just zoom out and look at what’s changed over the last 10 to 15 years in the workforce, there’s 15, 20 years ago, the majority of the workplace and certainly the 90% plus of management were in that baby boomer and Gen X generation. Today 70% of the US workforce is millennial and younger. By 2030 it’s going to be closer to 85 to 90%. It’s just really changed the dynamics.
Measuring Results
When an organization prioritizes employee wellbeing, what measurable results are generally experienced, such as retention and productivity?
A culture of wellbeing and offering robust ways to promote better health to employees, it does encourage employees to stay. Helps lower turnover, associated costs, but it’s really a great value alignment. You’re basically, as an employer, offering these. You’re recognizing the values and the lifestyle of your employees, and you’re recognizing that in a way by saying, “We’re going to do more to support that lifestyle.” Obviously, then, well, what are the other benefits? If we look at it, we say, “Well, it helps boost productivity.” Employees that tend to be more health-focused, are typically more motivated, they’re more focused, they’re less absent, often increasing productivity by 15% or more.
Back to the Office
There’s a big resurgence of return-to-office mandates across industries. What do you attribute this to and how is it affecting workplace culture?
We went through this massive experiment during the COVID to this push to all virtual. But the reality is that pre-COVID, the trend was already moving more hybrid, so it was inevitable that we’re going to be more virtual. I believe that we’re really entering this over correction period. I do think the next one to two years, you’re going to just continue to see employers following suit really pushing people back in person spending more time together in offices and whatnot.
To Learn More Workplace Culture and Wellbeing
For more insights about how workplace culture and wellbeing, listen to this full podcast episode. And be sure to subscribe to the #WorkTrends Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Anytime you want to continue this conversation on social media, follow our #WorkTrends hashtag on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Let’s talk!
