Before, you came to work in the morning and dutifully toiled for eight hours straight — then went home at the end of the shift.

Now, modern workplaces understand that employees are more than tools; they’re three-dimensional people with personal lives who have struggles and hobbies outside of work. 

Business professionals refer to this new approach as holistic HR. 

It means creating a work environment that values staff members and lets them be themselves, while establishing a positive company culture that benefits both employees and the business. 

So, if you want workers with better work-life balance, learn all you can about this HR strategy and its benefits in this article — and apply it in your organization.

Let’s begin!

What Is Holistic HR?

In a nutshell, holistic HR goes beyond traditional HR practices by considering the person as a whole, encompassing the following aspects:

• Physical
• Mental
• Emotional

As a result, HR departments can connect with their staff members better by understanding what motivates them and what they want to accomplish outside the workplace culture and space. 

The strategic goal of holistic HR is to support an employee’s ambitions to ensure they perform at the optimum level by making them feel seen, valued, and cared for.

Moreover, it’s also about enhancing your recruiting efforts by helping HR teams choose the best talent with the suitable skill set for the job position. 

Let’s explore the benefits of this strategic HR practice in the next section. 

Benefits of Using a Holistic HR Approach

So, why should organizations use a holistic approach? 

Aside from lowering the costs of your talent acquisition efforts and creating a better onboarding process, a holistic HR approach also has the following advantages.

Increased employee engagement

A sought-after benefit of a holistic HR approach is that it fosters higher levels of employee engagement by: 

• Prioritizing open communication
• Providing opportunities for growth and development
• Recognizing employee contributions

By making your team members feel valued in this way, you can create a positive work environment that motivates employees to be more engaged, productive, and committed to the company’s success. 

Enhanced talent attraction and retention

Companies that prioritize holistic HR practices become attractive to top talent.

“How so?” you might wonder.

Aside from saving costs associated with recruitment and onboarding, organizations offer a workspace that supports employee well-being, which in turn helps:

• Attract and retain high-performing employees
• Reduce turnover rates
• Enhance employee experience

Branded swag and merchandise are an excellent way to ensure high employee retention rates.

If you want to learn more about the power of swag, reach out to us today!

Improved organizational culture 

Holistic HR helps shape a positive and inclusive organizational culture, which in turn helps the human resource department with the following:

• Fostering a diverse workforce
• Promoting respect
• Creating a sense of belonging

This way, you ensure you craft a culture where employees feel empowered, supported, and motivated to give their best and contribute to your business needs.

Positive employer branding 

One last benefit of holistic HR is that it enhances your organization’s reputation as an employer of choice.

Positive employee experiences and wellness initiatives create a strong employer brand that:

• Attracts top candidates
• Increases customer loyalty
• Positively impacts the organization’s overall brand image

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After seeing the benefits, we know investing in such a strategy is tempting, but there’s one more step you need to take. 

Sneak a peek at the key elements of good holistic HR to get started. 

Key Elements of Holistic HR

Holistic HR sounds simple, but it needs to incorporate various critical elements to create a comprehensive approach that addresses employees’ overall well-being and development. 

Let’s go through them in the following paragraphs. 

Work-life balance

A key element of holistic HR is treating employees like human beings with needs, emergencies, and a life outside the job.

That’s why a prominent characteristic of a holistic HR approach is ensuring a healthy work-life balance for your employees.

It includes policies and initiatives such as: 

• Promoting flexibility through remote work
• Supporting personal responsibilities
• Increasing PTO days or allowing sick leave

Health and wellness 

You must emphasize health and wellness if you want an integral holistic HR. 

You can encourage a corporate culture of health by creating a wellness program and allowing access to resources and initiatives that support physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Here’s what you can include: 

• Fitness programs
• Mental health support
• Stress management initiatives

Employee recognition and rewards

Another vital part of holistic HR is acknowledging employees’ contributions and achievements. 

In short, it involves the implementation of recognition programs that: 

• Celebrate employee success
• Foster a culture of appreciation
• Motivate employees to continue performing at their best

Author’s Tip: Take employee recognition a step further by investing in work anniversary gifts. 

Employee engagement and feedback

This approach enables HR professionals to make sound decisions about talent management, career development, and employee evaluations. 

Furthermore, HR departments foster employee empowerment, a sense of ownership, and involvement in the decision-making process. 

You can include regular feedback mechanisms, surveys, and channels for employees to voice their:

• Opinions
• Concerns
• Suggestions

It’s essential to remember that, in the current work climate, these practices are no longer optional but imperative if companies want to retain top talent.

Employee development and training 

One last essential element of a holistic HR approach is that it should focus on learning and development opportunities for employees. 

It means providing training programs and mentoring, coaching, and career development plans to support employees’ professional growth and help them reach their full potential.

Now Over to You

In conclusion, a holistic approach to HR affects a company’s bottom line and increases its profitability. 

Acknowledging your employees’ competencies and helping them achieve personal and professional goals will foster engagement, increase retention, and ensure a healthier work-life balance. 

But your HR initiatives shouldn’t stop there.

Check out our HR glossary to discover more about other valuable terms that might aid your development efforts.