How to create a workplace that actually supports team wellbeing

Supporting employee wellbeing has become business critical.

Looking after your people is not just the right thing to do, but it will cost you a hell of a lot of time and money if you don’t. 

To sum it up: Take care of your people, and they'll take care of the business.

However, all the statistics and studies show employers still have huge steps to take before they create a workplace that actually supports team wellbeing.

Research carried out by Jeffrey Pfeffer, professor of organisational behaviour at Stanford Graduate School of Business, found that any job can have a detrimental impact on employee health. From irregular shifts and long hours to job insecurity and poor work life balance, there’s a number of factors that employers can control that are negatively impacting employee’s health and wellbeing.

Unfortunately there’s no quick fix or one-size-fits-all strategy for wellbeing in the workplace. It’s a complex topic – one that covers physical health (diet, exercise, sleep, physical safety), mental health (stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness), financial health (standard of living, lifestyle, budget, debt), and family health (children, family, marriage). 

With no doubt around the importance of wellbeing support in the workplace, that just leaves the question of ‘how’.

With sickness absences rates at their highest in a decade and countless reports of organisations still “wellbeing washing” – how do you actually create a workplace that's good for team wellbeing? 

1. Start with your leaders

If you want to support team wellbeing, you need to start at the top. Leaders have a much bigger job than just driving results. They need the knowledge, tools and support to look after themselves, take care of their people and make sure teams are positively impacting the whole business.

When empowered with the right resources, leaders can foster a culture where wellbeing isn’t just an afterthought, but a fundamental aspect of daily operations. From managing workloads and navigating obstacles to inspiring and supporting their teams, leaders have the power to either help or hurt their teams wellbeing. That’s why it’s so important they have the tools to handle their responsibilities effectively. 

2. Give your culture a health check

Wellbeing needs to be embedded into every fibre of your organisation; and culture is a huge part of that. A healthy business requires a healthy working culture. Toxic environments, usually indicated by high stress levels, poor communication, and a lack of support, can have detrimental effects on employee wellbeing.

Giving your culture a health check helps you keep your finger on the pulse of your business, as well as the people in it. This means regularly taking stock of culture, evaluating how your values align with actions, and whether organisational policies and practices are actually supporting employee wellbeing. An honest examination of your culture can identify areas that need improvement and help you implement changes that benefit everyone.

3. Find out what your people need

There’s no one size fits all strategy to wellbeing. Teams are a diverse group of individuals, each with distinct needs, preferences, and challenges. To create an organisation that truly supports the wellbeing of everybody in it, you need to understand what they require on an individual level. 

This involves actively seeking feedback, conducting surveys, and engaging in open conversations with employees. By listening to their concerns and suggestions, you can tailor your wellbeing initiatives to address specific needs. 

Some people might benefit from flexible work arrangements, while others may prioritise mental health resources or social connection initiatives… but you won’t know unless you talk to them!

4. Support a healthy work life balance

When it comes to creating a wellbeing strategy that actually supports team wellbeing, you need to be proactive. That means tackling the root cause of poor wellbeing - and a huge part of that is work life balance. People are burnt out and stressed, with most citing long working hours, overwhelming workloads and toxic cultures as the reason.

Promoting a healthy work life balance takes more than just encouraging people to take breaks, it requires realistic expectations, reassessment over daily operations and working practices, and a culture that values rest and personal time. 

Leaders play a pivotal role in setting these expectations and modelling a balanced approach to work. Plus, implementing flexible work arrangements, promoting time management strategies, and discouraging a 'always on' mentality are all useful steps for helping team members strike a balance between work and home.

5. Keep the conversation going

Wellbeing isn’t a box you can tick, a quota you can meet or a target you can smash. It’s an ongoing effort that requires constant attention and adaptation. 

You need to ensure wellbeing is considered at every level and during every decision. Keep the conversation around wellbeing alive with regular 1:1 check ins, team meetings and surveys. This not only ensures wellbeing support is being given to those who need it, but it also provides opportunity for people to express their concerns, share feedback and suggest improvements.

Not everyone feels comfortable talking about their wellbeing - or reaching out for help when they need it. Organisations need to be educating people, providing the right support and doing what they can to destigmatise and open up the dialogue around wellbeing.

One last thing…

High performing and happy teams aren’t the default and Braver Leaders Team Coaching focuses on providing you with the tools you need to be the cohesive unit you have the potential to be.

Take the first step and grab some of our free resources to use with your own team!