In some organisations, employee wellbeing is low on the list of priorities. But that would be a mistake — because ultimately it's a critical component of any successful business. When employees are healthy and happy, they are more productive and engaged, less likely to take sick days, and more likely to be loyal to the company. In contrast, low morale means workers are demotivated, and more likely to be absent and/or to leave their jobs for new pastures.In other words, driving employee wellness in 2024 is no longer seen as an "add-on" or "nice to have", but integral to the success of a business. With that in mind, let's take a look at some of the most recent employee wellness trends in South Africa, and how HR departments can best respond to them.1. Employees are feeling the stressIf a happy employee is a productive employee, then we'll start with some bad news. In South Africa right now, happiness seems to be in short supply. The World Happiness Index, an annual UN assessment of national happiness, put South Africa in a low 85th place, behind Algeria (81st), Vietnam (65th) and the Russian Federation (70th). How much of this is related to business? Unfortunately, research by Floatpays suggests that both the workplace environment and financial stress are impacting people negatively right now. For instance, when asked to rate their environment on a scale of 1 (worst) to 10 (best), 66% of the survey respondents rated it between 1 (poor) to 8 (mediocre). Only 34% of employees rated their working environment as 'good'. Meanwhile, almost three-quarters (74%) of the employees surveyed rated their level of financial stress as medium to high. And that's not because of unnecessary or frivolous spending: the main cause of concern was difficulty paying for everyday expenses such as food, household expenses, rent and transport or fuel.2. HR departments are reviewing benefitsThe first trend on our list has not gone unnoticed by HR professionals. Morgan Stanley's State of the Workplace Study 2023 reports that more than 83% of HR leaders worry that employees’ financial issues could affect their productivity, while 66% of employees agree that financial stress is negatively affecting their work and personal lives.But what can be done? In PwC’s 26th annual global CEO survey, 52% of CEOs said their companies have begun cost-cutting measures. But they are in a position to review existing benefits and consider whether current schemes are providing the best value to workers. Consequently, according to Morgan Stanley, nearly 69% of employees say they are more carefully reviewing their financial benefits: a significant increase of nine percentage points compared with the previous year. And that's not surprising, because 88% of HR leaders report that employees have requested benefits the company doesn't offer.3. New focus on financial wellnessThere are many types of employee benefits, but one thing HR has been putting increasing emphasis on lately has been financial wellness. According to Morgan Stanley, nearly 9 in 10 HR leaders offer employees financial wellness programmes to counterbalance issues with personal finances. And there's certainly demand for such services. With inflation hitting hard and the energy crisis continuing apace, we're seeing South Africans squeezed by higher prices, increasing debt and uneven wage growth. PWC's survey data shows that 60% of full-time employees are stressed about finances, an even higher figure than during the peak of the pandemic.4. Mental health is coming front and centreFinancial wellness is inextricably linked to mental health, of course, and renewed focus on this area is perhaps the biggest and most significant trend in employee wellbeing. With predictions that mental health conditions, if left untreated, could potentially cost the South African economy an astonishing 161 billion rand, the HR profession is increasingly seeing this as a crisis, not least because South Africa came bottom on the mental health wellbeing scale in the Mental State of the World 2022 report.5. Post-COVID isn't all sunshine and rainbowsIt was COVID that spotlighted the necessity of organisations to pay heed to their employees' mental health. And not surprisingly: it was obvious to everyone that the pandemic led to increased stress, anxiety, and depression among employees, along with disrupting work-life balance and making it more difficult for employees to access healthcare and other essential services.However, while COVID has subsided, that doesn't mean everything is rosy again. In fact, as Professor Renata Schoeman — head of Healthcare Leadership at Stellenbosch Business School — explains in this interview, many employees are now getting the worst of both worlds."During COVID, we started using our time differently," she explains. "We were having back-to-back online meetings. And now suddenly we have to commute again but we still have back-to-back meetings. So people feel they need to create more time to fit in the levels of productivity we had before, and we're battling with a blurring of boundaries. Plus people still battle with isolation if we do not really tap into in-person events in the right way."How should HR respond?So how should a company in 2024 respond to these challenging wellness trends? Here are some tips for South African employers on how to improve employee wellbeing:1. Implement a formal employee wellbeing programme. This programme could include access to mental health support, financial wellness counselling, and physical exercise programmes.2. Offer employees flexible work arrangements, Try offering employees a hybrid work option and the ability to compress their working week. At the same time, guard against remote workers feeling isolated and alone, either by mixing virtual and real-world working, hosting regular events and/or building daily togetherness rituals.3. Review existing wellness benefits. Ask yourself: are these benefits providing the best value to employees, or could an alternative provider offer more? Are they leveraging new technologies effectively, and driving engagement with employees…or just doing things in the same old, inaccessible way?4. Create a workplace where employees feel respected and valued. Building a workplace that values employees and allows for vulnerability and respect significantly boosts morale and is highly important for attracting and retaining top talent in 2024.It helps to have a robust and generous benefits programme which is well-communicated and easily accessible by employees in order to make them feel cared for and supported. 5. Think about work-life balance. Encourage employees to take breaks and holidays, and consider experimenting with ideas such as a four-day week. Don't assume this will automatically damage the bottom line. After all, as freelancers will tell you: often the fewer hours people work, the more productive and creative they actually are. About YuLife.YuLife is working to reimagine the insurance industry by protecting lives, rewarding living and inspiring life. We’re on a mission to transform traditional insurance into a life-enhancing experience each employee will value and use daily. How does it work? Our award-winning app uses behavioural science and game mechanics to reward your people for living well while offering protection in case of crisis. And with our top-rated employee assistance programme, your team gets access to mental, financial and social support, virtual GPs, nutritionists, life coaches and more to help them live their best lives.Because we believe that your employees should benefit from their insurance from day one — and that wellbeing should be accessible every day, for everyone.Request a demo for your team today.