Page 34 - March 2023 #179

RLI INDUSTRY INSIGHT

Employee Wellbeing in the

Leisure Industry

Hector Hughes is Co-Founder, Unplugged – The UK’s original off grid
cabin escape to offer guests a three-day digital detox and here he explains
how companies need to do more to help employees recharge and how it
is not just about giving them extra holiday.

ast week I had lunch with a friend who’d just got back from a are much more aware of mental well-being after witnessing their elders
holiday in Greece. He had a great time but said he couldn’t suffer from burnout. They require companies to ‘practise what they
Lfully switch off. Why? Because he couldn’t stay off Instagram preach’ in line with their company values. Looking after their mental
and emails. Every idle moment he’d reach for his phone. In this respect wellbeing is non-negotiable. Work-life balance and flexibility is at the
he is not alone. core of their values when searching for and staying in, a job. So if you
Almost 50 per cent of workers check their emails for at least one don’t value them, they’ll jump ship. Gen Z workers are much more
hour a day whilst on holiday. It is driven by anything from a sense of likely to job hop than millennials so it’s becoming increasingly important
obligation or fear of missing out, to pure boredom and a force of habit. for companies to offer better wellbeing support and flexibility in and
The implications are that it’s harder than ever to switch off meaning out of the workplace.
for many, holidays are no longer the sacred time they once were. A growing number of companies are coming up with innovative
The last decade has brought about endless technological ways to achieve this. In the last year we’ve seen everything from
advancements in the way we connect - personally and at work. company-wide weeks off to, in the case of Salesforce, launching their
We’re online more than ever, with over 50 per cent of UK adults own employee ranch for time in nature. The benefits of nature are
now spending a cumulative 11 hours a day online, which is negatively well documented. One study found that people who spend just 120
impacting mental wellbeing. People are beginning to wake up to the minutes in nature a week are significantly more likely to report good
health impacts that high screen time and the ‘always on’ culture is health and higher psychological wellbeing than those who don’t visit
having on their happiness. Excessive screen time has been linked from nature at all.
everything from depression and anxiety, to poorer quality of sleep Since we first launched Unplugged, what has surprised us most is
and lower self-esteem. You can only imagine what that does to our not the rising demand for digital detoxes in the last 12 months, but
performance at work. the companies using it as an employee benefit. We saw 20 companies
This has profound implications for companies. Much of the employee add this to their wellbeing packages in the first couple of months of
wellbeing industry barely goes beyond free office snacks. Serious issues this year. Staff retention and employee happiness were amongst the
are going unaddressed. With the recent rise of remote working and most popular reasons given. Employees return from their escape
employees having greater flexibility, it’s becoming increasingly difficult more rested, more productive and more motivated to work. Happy
for people to truly disconnect from work, with nearly 86 per cent of employees mean a happy company.
employees admitting being unable to switch off out of work hours. By promoting a balanced lifestyle, companies can improve workplace
Gone are the days where taking a holiday was simply enough. People wellbeing, boost staff retention and increase productivity. Happy and
are still working during their time off and it’s taking a toll on both healthy employees are more motivated, engaged and lead to higher
their mental and physical health. But change is happening. Employees job satisfaction, reducing the likelihood of them leaving the company.
themselves have said they want to take breaks that improve their When employees feel that their employer cares about their wellbeing,
mental wellbeing or challenge them. People want breaks that add to they are more likely to feel a strong sense of loyalty and commitment.
their life. More than 80 per cent of Gen Z and Millennials are looking I, for one, am excited to see where this goes. Companies need to
for a unique experience for their next trip, such as a yoga retreat or a do more to encourage their employees to disconnect from work and
digital detox. They want to try new things and expand their knowledge prioritise their mental and physical health. Not only for the sake of the
through experiences, not just a few days off to catch up with admin or employee. Those who get it right also create a supportive workplace
an all-inclusive break. culture, improve their employees’ wellbeing, keep them happy and
Gen Z, who now make up 20 per cent of the workforce in the UK, drive their success.

34 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL MARCH 2023