Beyond Performance Metrics: Supporting the Whole Employee Through eLearning

Disclaimer: The post is developed in partnership with BetterHelp.

In the unwavering pursuit of productivity, we’ve perfected spreadsheets, mastered analytics, and obsessively fine-tuned our workflows. But what are we missing in this relentless focus on workplace performance? The unseen toll taken on those individuals responsible for hitting these targets. The employees. Too often, the human element gets overlooked, reduced to mere resources within a system designed for maximum output.

It’s time for a different approach — one that addresses not just employees’ job skills but their overall wellbeing as a critical factor in sustainable success. This is where eLearning can become an unexpectedly powerful tool.

Organizational productivity isn’t just about hitting numbers. It’s about fostering a culture that supports and values the whole employee, not just their output. By incorporating eLearning into your training and development programs, you can equip employees with the skills they need to excel in their roles while also promoting their overall growth and wellbeing.

The Hidden Cost of Stress

We all know the term “burnout,” but it’s easy to brush it aside as a buzzword. Burnout is a real psychological syndrome recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO). It’s characterized by feelings of exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced professional efficacy. And it’s on the rise.

The reality is, chronic workplace stress has significant, measurable costs, far beyond impacting employee satisfaction surveys. For employers, these costs can influence everything from turnover rates and absenteeism to healthcare expenses and even legal fees. In the US, work-related stress costs employers an estimated 300 billion dollars annually. But more importantly, these costs come at the expense of employees’ mental and physical health.

Stress manifests in very real ways:

• Diminished productivity: The very thing we obsess over with metrics actually suffers. Think brain fog, difficulty focusing, and absenteeism due to physical and mental health problems.
• High turnover: Stressed, unsupported employees leave. This creates a constant drain of valuable talent and knowledge, adding up to huge recruitment and onboarding expenses.
• Company reputation: In a competitive job market, companies known for a high-stress culture will lose out on top talent, creating a damaging reputation that’s tough to change.

Whether your organization is large or small, no one can afford to ignore the impacts of stress on employees. To get ahead of this problem, we need to redefine our approach to employee development and support. This is where eLearning comes in.

eLearning: Beyond Skills Training

When we think of eLearning, the focus is usually on improving hard skills specific to a job role. But smart companies are realizing that this technology can be just as impactful when used to enhance what many call “soft skills,” those focused on mental and emotional wellbeing and interpersonal relationships.

While soft skills don’t directly impact job performance or metrics, they do play a huge role in overall workplace satisfaction and stress levels. By investing in eLearning programs that account for the whole employee, companies can reduce turnover and absenteeism while increasing productivity, all while creating a supportive and positive company culture.

Imagine easily accessible eLearning modules that offer practical, science-backed strategies on things like:

• Stress management: Techniques for recognizing escalating stress levels and quick, effective self-regulation tools that employees can use anywhere, in the moment.
• Mindfulness & focus: Guided meditations and practices to bring greater mental clarity and reduce the constant churn of the “to-do list” in an overstimulated work environment.
• Emotional intelligence: Understanding the role emotions play in communication and conflict, providing frameworks to avoid common pitfalls and foster positive working relationships.
• Resiliency training: Developing the mental “muscle” to navigate setbacks and workplace changes adaptively, protecting against burnout.

Employee motivation can also be positively impacted by eLearning programs that foster personal and professional growth.  https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/motivation/how-to-increase-employee-motivation/

When employees feel supported, valued, and equipped with tools to manage stress and develop as individuals, they’re far more likely to thrive in their roles. When we invest in our people, we invest in our success. And with eLearning, supporting the whole employee has never been easier. 

Why eLearning?

eLearning takes the traditional training model and enhances it with flexible, on-demand access to personalized content. Employees can complete courses and modules at their own pace, allowing them to fit learning into their busy schedules without the added stress of strict deadlines.

Additionally, eLearning is ideal for soft skills development because it allows for interactive and engaging learning experiences. With videos, simulations, quizzes, and more, employees can actively participate in their learning, making it more effective and enjoyable.

Moreover, eLearning can be easily integrated into existing training and development programs. It’s a cost-effective solution that offers a wide range of topics and resources for employees to choose from.

The beauty of eLearning within a workplace mental health initiative lies in several factors:

• Accessibility: Employees can engage with this material at their own pace, privately, whenever it fits their schedule. This accessibility eliminates the perceived stigma that may come with seeking traditional mental health support.
• Cost-effectiveness: Compared to in-person workshops or individual therapy, eLearning offers a scalable, budget-friendly solution.
• Measurability: While benefits like increased morale can be harder to quantify, pre-and-post-training assessments can track employee growth, and companies may even see reductions in healthcare claims related to stress.

eLearning alone won’t solve every workplace mental health challenge. It is most effective when integrated into a broader company culture that visibly supports the well-being of its employees. This culture includes things like clear communication, healthy boundaries around work-life balance, and leadership that models this behavior.

To reap the numerous benefits of investing in eLearning for mental health support, companies must prioritize an approach to employee development that values and supports the whole person. This requires a shift away from solely focusing on hard skills training towards a more human approach to workplace learning and development. By investing in eLearning, companies can create an environment where employees feel valued, supported, and able to thrive both professionally and personally.

Developing a Better Model of Success

Focusing on the “whole employee” isn’t just trendy or touchy-feely. It’s smart business. Mentally healthy employees are more productive, engaged, and loyal. Offering easily accessible eLearning tools empowers individuals to take greater ownership of their own well-being, building a more resilient and, ultimately, more successful company.

The best performance metrics include those that we can’t easily put into a spreadsheet: empathy, innovation, and the true satisfaction of employees who know they are supported as people, not just producers. When companies prioritize employee development and support, they create a competitive advantage that sets them apart from the rest. With eLearning as a tool in their arsenal, they’re well on their way to achieving success for both the bottom line and the well-being of their employees.