31 January, 2023

Digitalization of Employee Wellness: Challenges and Opportunities

The ubiquitous role of technology in transforming the professional landscape cannot be emphasized enough. Socio-economic disruptions across the world have further catapulted technology to the forefront, with the onset of flexible and hybrid working. As a result, HR leaders have now affirmed the importance of digital solutions such as R&R platforms and employee engagement software to cater to the ever-evolving employee experience gamut.

On a similar note, it is worth mentioning that the strategic implementation of digital tools as part of employee wellness programs is also a key factor in unlocking the potential of employee wellbeing in the coming years.

Assessing the Employee Wellness Landscape

While the vitality of physical, social, and mental wellness has come to the limelight, there is still an acute gap in the employee-employer dynamic that impacts the perception of wellbeing among people. Here are some statistics worth mulling over:

1. Over 42% of employees globally have reported a decline in mental health

2. Symptoms of burnout and mental exhaustion are increasing among employees and leaders alike

3. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that depression, anxiety disorders, and other conditions cost the global economy $1 trillion per year in lost productivity

4. Although 82% of the organizations have initiated regular communication regarding safety and wellness, two in five say that poor employee understanding is a barrier

A dire mental or physical health condition manifests itself in the form of absenteeism, lack of employee engagement, and decreased productivity. Innovative HR solutions driven by technology can be rudimentary in revolutionizing the employee wellness landscape as they provide personalized support and are equally impactful across diverse geographies.

You may also like: 6 Employee Engagement Activities to Promote Mental Health Awareness

Challenges in Digitalization of Employee Wellness

It is sufficing to say that digitizing the employee health initiatives comes with its’ own set of challenges. The deployment of a digital solution alone is not enough, its’ adoption and sustainability is what makes the difference. Thus, senior leadership buy-in and an all-hands approach is critical for the success of this approach.  

However, leaders tend to be traditionally set in their ways and require an additional push to implement any change, which is where the challenge arises. Managers and mentors across the organization need to understand the imperative part they play as role models, by opening up about mental health and eradicating the stigma around mental health-related issues.

How can you overcome this anomaly? To ensure that a digital employee engagement and wellness platform is trusted and perceived as a safe space for employees to voice their concerns, this is what an adequate solutions provider can do:

1. Regularly communicate any health-related activity, be it physical or virtual through mailers, flyers, and automated notifications

2. Create an acute adoption plan that includes detailed walkthroughs, informative videos, user manuals, and senior stakeholder meetings to encourage participation

3. Offer employees the opportunity to give feedback on the program’s effectiveness through surveys and polls with data-driven insights that can be leveraged for course correction

Opportunities Offered by Digitalization of Employee Wellness

Once the challenges of digitalization are listed down and adequately eradicated, the opportunities are endless! Digital solutions such as R&R platforms and employee engagement software can work wonders in reinforcing positive attributes and keeping the overall emotional quotient in check. Here are the key opportunities that can be fixated upon:

1. Convenience, ease-of-use, and accessibility

2. Sophisticated prediction algorithms and sentiment analytics to identify at-risk employees

3. Real-time data to put employee wellbeing at the forefront of HR and employers’ responsibilities

4. Extensive rewards catalog and the freedom to choose health-based services or products that cater to individualistic needs

5. Customizable R&R framework with wellness recognition categories to promote healthy activities

You may also like: HealthTech Meets HR: The Future of Employee Wellbeing

Ease into Digital Transformation with Gratifi!

Digitalization has certainly taken the business environment by storm, and HR professionals stand a golden chance to accelerate the employee experience by digitizing their employee health initiatives. A holistic employee engagement platform such as Gratifi can serve as a one-stop solution for all your employee-centric needs, ranging from R&R, engagement, and wellness.

Connect with us now to explore our myriad offerings and understand how our digital solution can helps boost mind and body productivity within your organization!