It’s Time to Get Intentional About Workplace Wellbeing

If you are a leader of a workplace and you are not treating the wellbeing and mental health of employees as a strategic priority right now, then you might want to ask yourself if you truly are a leader.

Too provocative? Maybe. But there is truth in the sentiment. The mental health and wellbeing of our people has been assaulted by the pandemic. Erosion of social connections; removal of the buffer between home and work gifted by the commute; the lack of enforced breaks in the day to move between meeting rooms, coffee shops and our desks; isolation and increased general anxiety levels are but a few of the factors resulting in a mental health pandemic that is following the covid pandemic. Water-coolers in offices all around the world are missing the impromptu chats that happen around them and that natural pressure release valve of a conversation with a colleague after a stressful phone call or meeting is no longer there.

Just under half of businesses in the UK (49%) feel that the health and wellbeing of their employees will be their biggest challenge over the next 18 months, according to new research carried out by YouGov.

We have also taken away many of the visual signs that a colleague might be struggling with mental ill-health given that we have been conducting our business over Zoom and we need to find ways of checking in with colleagues as we move to a hybrid way of working.

Wellbeing as a strategic priority

As we look to build back better, we must treat the mental health and wellbeing of our employees as a core strategic priority, alongside the creation of shareholder value and the impact on the environment. If we can do this, then we can create happier, healthier and higher performing workplaces.

Did you know?

The biggest cost of mental ill-health to UK employers if that of presenteeism. This is where employees are turning up to work every day but underperforming due to the fact that their mental health is not as good as it could be. Deloitte estimated this cost at £29bn pre pandemic. This number will likely be much larger now.

So, the business case for treating wellbeing as a strategic priority is aligned with both the moral case and what employees want. It sounds like a no-brainer to me.

Turning words into action

How can an organisation become more intentional about the mental health and wellbeing of employees? Here are a few ideas:

Leadership engagement. The InsideOut Charter provides some guidance here with 7 actionable steps that leaders can take including pledging to prioritise mental health and wellbeing; Board level sponsorship; inclusion on Board agendas every 6 months and reporting on the impact of initiatives.
Develop and integrated mental health & wellbeing strategy. We will be discussing what this looks like in the forthcoming webinar but a great strategy should include elements of awareness raising; support and, importantly, prevention (or the promotion of positive wellbeing).
Create a culture of wellness. There will be no shortage of willing champions, ambassadors and advocates in your organisation. We need to give them permission to help change the culture to one where wellbeing is celebrated and prioritised. Leaders should role model healthy behaviours such as taking holidays; prioritising family; exercising and taking mindful moments during the day.
We need authentic and vulnerable leaders. Think Jacinda rather than Donald. We have witnessed the importance of the CHRO during the last 12 months and have seen some wonderful examples of vulnerability. Our people need to know that our leaders are human too.
The importance of checking in with colleagues. During these times, it is important that we create the space to as colleagues “how are you today? In respect of their mental health. This will continue to be the case as we return to the physical workplace and more to more hybrid working models in many cases.

Concluding thoughts

Leaders of workplaces have many priorities to juggle right now as they look to transition to the next normal. The mental health and wellbeing of employees is a priority that cannot be ignored. If we get it right the benefits will be significant and include increased productivity and employees who are proud to work for their organisation.

Rob Stephenson is the CEO of FormScore and Founder of the InsideOut LeaderBoard. He is a mental health campaigner and TEDx speaker, passionate about inspiring the creation of mentally healthy workplaces and helping employees ask employees “How are you today? Rob is also bipolar and proudly open.