You should consider hiring these strategic job positions this year.
By: Lifespeak Inc.
Tags: Employees, HR, Work, Hiring, Employee Engagement

The New Year isn’t just about redefining and improving oneself on a personal level; organizations are seeing the start of 2019 as an opportunity to develop by revamping their teams. That’s not to say everyone has planned a hiring blitz for Q1; in fact, most employers in Canada and the US are planning to keep their numbers relatively unchanged.

What is changing, however, is the emergence of strategic roles related specifically to employee engagement and well-being. The lines between our personal and professional lives are blurring as technology makes it increasingly possible for people to work from home, be on call around the clock, and attend to personal matters while on the job. Everyone’s wondering what in the world work-life balance is supposed to look like now, and this confluence of factors is leaving many employees burnt out and unwell.

Employee well-being can’t be ignored

Mental health issues like depression, stress, and anxiety are on the rise worldwide. Much of this is due to hazardous conditions found all too often in the workplace: impossible deadlines, toxic co-workers, inadequate compensation, scant benefits, and so forth. Not only is this dangerous for employees as individuals (mental illness is intrinsically linked to physical health), but it also affects the people around them and the organizations they work for. When your staff isn’t feeling their best, they can’t do their best work. This ripples out to their colleagues, killing morale and hindering business growth.

Baking wellness into the org chart

Whether you’re planning to hire brand new roles or adjust existing positions, it’s critical for you to keep employee health in mind. Who’s making sure employees are taking breaks, or that the refreshments in the lunchroom are healthy? Whose job is it to ensure staff members feel supported and heard? Is anyone available for them to talk to if they’re having issues with their boss or colleague?

With these priorities in mind, job titles like the following are springing up across the most forward-thinking companies:

Chief Mental Health Officer

Chief Employee Experience Officer

Chief Employee Engagement Officer

Chief Empathy Officer

Chief Empowerment Officer

Chief Well-Being Officer

These positions can add incredible value to your organization by boosting employee satisfaction, reducing turnover, facilitating recruitment, improving teamwork, and increasing productivity. Each of these roles not only serves as a safety net to catch employees who may be struggling, but they also embody the organization’s appreciation for the continuous contributions of each employee.

While it’s fantastic to have someone on staff whose whole day revolves around keeping employees as healthy and happy as possible, ideally, these responsibilities should be shared among all managers so employees feel supported by the entire organization. The more people involved in employee wellness, the more wellness becomes entrenched in the workplace culture.

LifeSpeak is a leader in employee well-being

One of the best ways to help your employees thrive both at work and at home is by providing them unlimited access to health resources. Our digital employee well-being platform contains over 2000 expert-led videos, podcasts, and tip sheets on topics ranging from getting proper sleep, nutrition, and exercise to staying mentally healthy, balancing family responsibilities, managing personal finances, and more. Book a free walk-through today to see how our platform can help your staff.