Strong correlation between work and happiness

A happy workforce is a productive workforce, a fact that employers are increasingly aware of.

Employee well-being has risen to the corporate agenda in recent years, as corporate social responsibility began in the mid-1990s. Mental Health Charity Mind launched the Wellbeing Index in 2016 as a benchmark and measurement tool for businesses to “measure performance and improve their approach to creating a mental health workplace”.

The index focuses on the following areas that organizations should consider when developing approaches to support employee mental health:

• Encourage openness and discussion about mental health.

• Make sure that managers can understand the support available to staff and advise on how to access it.

• Give employees peace of mind when disclosing their mental health problems.

• Review and evaluate mental health and well-being support tools.

As one of Jersey’s largest and long-established employers, Jersey Electric has been at the forefront of employee well-being with approximately 3,000 job listings annually.

To discuss and promote well-being, we have established a well-being group consisting of employee cross-sections. Anyone can participate in the mental health awareness training, and 11 employees are trained in mental health first aid. This team serves as the first point of contact for people in need of help and support. You can also access this contact from Unum, JE’s Employee Assistance Program, which provides 24-hour confidential help and advice.

This commitment to employee welfare and well-being was less obvious during the pandemic when ensuring people’s health, safety and well-being was JE’s top priority.

JE has launched a Covid-specific employee engagement survey to measure the effectiveness of human-focused interventions. This improved our engagement score year-over-year, making it the top 5% of utilities using the same research provider.

This summer, the company launched a well-being assessment conducted by We Talk Wellbeing in collaboration with Marbral Advisory. The assessment consisted of a questionnaire to measure the well-being of people and the potential positive or negative impacts of their employers.

Andrew Welsby, Director of Human Resources at JE, said: Opportunity to further support our people.

“It was an opportunity to understand the feelings of employees, both physically and mentally, not just at work. Doing so encouraged some positive actions to promote wellness (what they look like to individuals within the company). ), Understand what you need to do to remain the employer of choice in Jersey.

“We asked questions during the past month in the areas of self-confidence, coping and stress coping, and tried to understand what were the main causes of stress over the last six months.

“Stress is a natural part of everyday life, and people have different perceptions of what stress is and what it isn’t. Resilience is the ability of respondents to anticipate, handle, and overcome challenges. It was encouraging to see 81% feel they were able to adapt to change almost or always, and 70% said they could handle what they wanted.

We also find that a significant percentage (73%) of the employees who make the assessment feel happy and happy overall, and are pleased that their work and organization contributes to their happiness. It was that. This emphasizes the strong correlation between work and happiness.

“Ensuring that happiness is considered part of an organization’s strategy and integrated into its policies and operations improves commitment and loyalty. Almost 80% are invested in welfare by JE. We recognize that it is part of our vision and business goals.

“Also, part of our vision is to be the employer of choice in Jersey, and happiness is an important factor in determining it. Therefore, this continues our investigation through employee research, and as a result. Are areas where you are targeting investment in solutions in areas where you think you are lacking.