Revolutionising workplace wellness: Beyond the basics

In recent years, the working world has witnessed an escalating dialogue around burnout, painting a picture of a workforce grappling with overwhelmed feelings. Despite its growing prevalence, this phenomenon contrasts sharply with the remarkable strides made by numerous businesses in response to employees' growing demand for flexibility and comprehensive well-being support. 

Many companies have taken significant steps to enhance workplace wellness, from offering private medical insurance and gym memberships to implementing employee assistance programs. Moreover, there's a noticeable trend among our clients towards integrating resilience training into their learning and development strategies. 

Yet, amidst these proactive efforts, a pressing question looms: Why are we not seeing a substantial improvement in overall employee well-being? Read on to delve into the complexities of workplace wellness, exploring innovative approaches beyond conventional practices to revolutionise how we think about and manage employee health and happiness.

Recognising the signs

There’s a lot going on outside of  work, and your people are likely feeling the effects. From financial pressure and changing societal norms, even around the current political landscape, there’s a ton for them to contend against. Mental health organisation Mind put out a shocking report this year, in which they revealed that 2.7 million people are considering suicide because of financial pressure. So, how can we spot the signs and get ahead of these feelings? Well, according to Mind, signs of low mental health and burnout in people at work can include:

• Feeling completely physically and mentally exhausted
• Having little motivation
• Feeling irritable or anxious
• Seeing a dip in work performance
• Experiencing physical symptoms like headaches or stomach aches or having trouble sleeping

Understanding what is really going on

With the increase of mental ill health at work we are getting better at spotting signs and dealing case by case with the issues. But what leaders really need to do is look under the hood of your business and actually take stock of what is happening. For instance, how many exit interviews do you have hidden away, with data that likely tells a story of your people’s experience? 

Uncovering and unearthing the triggers in your business with an analysis of actual mental health cases in your organisation will help you determine how to create a mental health action plan that not only opens up the conversation but give you the insight into what in your business might be causing mental health challenges.  If your team are working long hours - why?  Are they telling you that they are under-resourced  - what can you do about that?  Are they getting the right support to be able to do their jobs well - is anything blocking them from being brilliant at what they do? Are they clear about what is expected of them at work?  Are there certain business events like pitching that create more pressure on your team and their workloads?

How confident are you that your wellbeing strategy is making any positive impact on your people?  How often are you evaluating initiatives and benefits provided? How often are you reacting to mental health issues without really addressing what might be causing it?  We are seeing employees feeling a sense of frustration when Resilience Workshops are rolled out every January - they question whether their employers are committed to making any meaningful change to make things better or expecting people just to suck it up?   

Strategies for success

Once you have the data and have identified what workplace triggers exist, you can start to put together a well thought out measurable and meaningful wellbeing strategy.  Depending on the data you have collected here are some ways that you can make some positive changes that will impact wellbeing at work.  

Give your managers and leaders the tools they need

Remember, as a leader, it is your responsibility to create conditions for your team to feel engaged and deliver great work all you can do is help. But, in equal measures, remember you’ll be your people’s first point of contact; The NABS All Ears Report notes that 42% of people experiencing mental wellness issues would first bring these issues to their line manager, despite widespread awareness that managers may not be prepared for such responsibilities. We’d encourage you to invest in mental health first aid training for all your managers so they can be confident to be that initial front line person. From our experience we also know that sometimes people would rather speak to someone else who is not their manager so giving people another option to turn to is also important. This finding suggests that examining exit interviews could reveal crucial insights about management's role in employees' mental wellness and indicate areas for improvement within the organisation. 

Furthermore, the report highlights the need for open conversations and more awareness about mental wellness. Creating an environment where such discussions are encouraged and normalised into a regular cadence 

By creating more open conversations managers and leaders can also find time to understand what motivates and drives their team members - again something crucially connected to a sense of wellbeing when we get it right.

Flexible working 

The pandemic forced us to review how we worked and so many organisations have kept some level of flexibility within their working practices having recognised the benefits it created.  We’ve seen lots of research showcasing the benefits of offering flexibility but we are also seeing the negative impact it can have on some people too. 

According to the whitepaper by Softworks, ‘The Remote Work Revolution: Evaluating its Impact on Employee Engagement and Productivity’, the benefits of remote working on employee engagement and productivity often include:

1. Increased autonomy and flexibility

2. Improved work-life balance

3. Reduced distractions and interruptions

4. Enhanced technology and collaboration tools

Remote working challenges and considerations

According to the Softworks report, the most significant issues are often:

1. Feelings of isolation and reduced social interaction

Employee engagement may suffer due to physical isolation and reduced face-to-face interaction with colleagues. This issue can lead to a decreased sense of belonging and connectedness to the organisation and team. 

2. Communication challenges

Without clear communication, misunderstandings and delays can arise, hindering employee engagement and productivity. As such, leaders must find ways to prioritise clear and timely communication to make sure everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goals.

3. Building relationships and trust

Building meaningful relationships and establishing trust among remote team members

can be more challenging. Remote work may lead to a lack of visibility, making it difficult

for individuals to form strong bonds with their colleagues.

Create safe spaces to raise wellbeing concerns

Employees must feel safe to express concerns about their mental health without fear of stigma or reprisal. Providing resources such as access to confidential counselling services, mental health days, and regular check-ins can foster a culture where employees feel supported.

For instance, we recommend you use our health check diagnostic service that reviews all people's practices and policies through a lens of Equity, Inclusion and Diversity, helping us provide you with practical recommendations and solutions to help you build a great place to work.

Feedback loops to stay connected 

The Mind Share Partners' 2023 Mental Health at Work Report reveals workers favour a healthy work culture over mere self-care perks, suggesting a need for systemic changes rather than band-aid solutions. So, creating a system where employees can provide feedback on wellbeing initiatives, which you can use to tailor the support offered, is imperative. 

Clear leadership engagement

Your people will go where you do. By encouraging leaders to set an example that the organisation is visibly supportive and engaged with well-being initiatives,you can increase buy-in can significantly influence the company culture across the board.  So make sure your leaders take a holiday, encourage healthy habits, manage client expectations  and boundaries between work and home.    

Final word: Cultivate a distinct way of working

Ultimately, we wouldn’t have a business, let alone any type of success, without our people. They’re an indispensable cog in the machine that is our operations. As such, supporting them to our fullest potential is not just a personal, moral imperative but a strategic one. 

Want to quickly ensure your organisation's well-being without slowing down? Contact JourneyHR. We specialise in infusing a unique identity into your workplace by delivering robust, equitable policies and best practices. Our approach blends practicality and creativity, ensuring that every aspect of your company's culture thrives, cultivating a distinct and effective way of working.