Employee Well-being in the Middle East: Strategies to Improve Employee Health and Well-being in Your Organization

In a 2022 survey conducted by the McKinsey Health Institute, which involved more than four thousand employees in four GCC countries (Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar), it was found that:

Over 60% of respondents had experienced mental, physical, and well-being challenges at some point in their lives.

Mental and physical health, as well as overall well-being, were closely linked, with 66% of GCC respondents reporting at least one mentalhealth challenge, slightly exceeding global averages. Addressing poor employee well-being and mental health is a complex issue, influenced by numerous factors.?

In this guide, we outline three key strategies to increase employee well-being for better business outcomes. ?

1. Develop a Culture of Psychological Safety

One of the ways organizations can protect well-being and mental health is by building a culture of psychological safety. When people feel this kind of safety, they believe they can speak up in the workplace without risk of punishment or humiliation. Here are a few ways your organization can build a safe space for a winning culture that supports effective teamwork and strong performance.

Democratize ideas and feedback: Guidance from leadership is part of every organization. However, effective leaders know their role isn't to be “the fixer” but to unleash potential in others by making space for ideas and constructive feedback to flow freely from every part of their team.

You simply need to be a leader who remains open to ideas without dismissing them. You can ask people to check your assumptions. You can say, ‘Let's hear everybody's ideas. We aren't going to criticize any of them.’”

When leaders model this type of behavior, organizations are set up to build company-wide feedback mechanisms where everyone can share new ideas and areas for improvement. As a result, people feel psychologically safe and organizations reap the benefit of more diverse perspectives.

2. Leaders' role: How to lead for well-being

Did you know?

70% of individuals believe their leaders have a substantial influence on their mental well-being. This influence can be either positive or negative, and it's equal to the impact of their spouse. - The Workforce Institute at UKG

Use Influence Positively and Address Challenges: Various factors can significantly influence employees' mental health and well-being. Personal issues, such as family problems, financial stress, or health concerns. Workrelated factors like excessive workload, job insecurity. External influences including political turmoil, economic uncertainty, or natural disasters in home countries.

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FranklinCovey provides leadership-development solutions to help individuals and leaders at all levels. Our world-class learning solutions— delivered Live-Online, On Demand, or Live In-Person—are designed to build exceptional leadership skills throughout your organization.?For more information please visit our website www.franklincoveyme.com or contact us at [email protected]