Watered-Down Wellbeing: Why Leaders Are Still Getting It All Wrong

Here's one for you: wellbeing isn't HR's remit.

HR is a structural need for your business. It's there to take care of pay and benefits, onboarding and leavers, promotions and disputes. By nature, it's a neutral department with neutral parties, and in all likelihood, its central priority is the business.

Wellbeing, contrastingly, is a person-first interest. It isn't about paperwork or legislation or rulebooks, it's about the unique needs of unique people, on an individual and collective basis. It can also be  extremely changeable - not exactly confined to red tape.

Here's another one for you: wellbeing is your remit. That is, that of leaders, managers, supervisors and all manner of stakeholders. From CEOs and COOs, to investors and department leaders.

This is because of two simple, intrinsically linked reasons:

Employers have a huge responsibility and commitment to their workforce, and how that workforce supports the overall business; and wellbeing is key to creating a healthy culture and a meaningful internal brand.

See where the investors come in now?

Still, misplaced ownership isn't the only reason workplace wellbeing has become less about care and more about pressure.

This World Wellbeing Week, here's why business leaders are still getting it wrong - and a different way of looking at wellbeing.

The Big Question

There's no one single answer, so here's two: your business views wellbeing as a tick-box exercise, or your business views your workforce as professionals first, rather than people first.

If that sounds familiar, we're getting somewhere.

Without consideration and intent behind wellbeing initiatives, there are few meaningful outcomes. A little like the practice of greenwashing, empty words and very little action attempt to paint a picture of perceived care, rather than reflecting the true needs of the individual through employee benefits or additional offerings.

It also places an onus on the employees themselves (more on that below), and eradicates the point of workplace-led support. This is often where webinars, free snacks and lunchtime yoga appear as 'solutions'.

Comparatively, businesses can also fall into the habit of assuming their employees are employees always. That they live and breathe their job or even your company outside of work hours, that they can 'switch off' their personal challenges the moment they sit down at a desk like magic.

Instead, there must be a greater sway towards a numbingly-obvious truth: everyone is human, and some people just happen to work for you. Remembering that there are individuals with different needs, experiences and lifestyles behind job titles will shift perspective. And with that, an enhanced, more holistic internal brand.

Of course, your internal brand is only as good as the words, actions and intent you're relaying, and how they're reflecting very real needs. So let's talk about those.

Professional

Workplace stress is nothing new, but it is on the up, particularly amongst younger professionals.

You can pick from a huge range of research sources, but some survey findings suggest around 822,000 people are experiencing workplace-related stress, anxiety or depression, whilst another suggests 79% of the UK workforce experience stress at least once a month.

Point blank, if you can't adjust the environment your workforce are subjected to, you can't improve your internal brand. That's the workload and opportunities, the habits and expectations, and even the resources directly available to your teams to better enable them to do their job.

All of these and more are the first port of call for a better company culture and therefore a better internal brand.

Financial

Money is why your employees are with you. It's also likely how and why you're in business (unless you're a non-profit), and - unfortunately - a leading cause of stress.

Wrapped up into the professional needs of your professionals, you have their worth. 77% of employees say that money worries are on their mind at work - unproductive, sure, but also deeply concerning for their personal wellbeing.

It isn't only a matter of pay packages and pension contributions meeting individuals' personal needs and goals, it's also about feeling valued, respected, and seen for the skills and effort they put into a business.

This is also where your leadership can support during changeable economic climates. If you're asking your teams to come in twice a week, time to fork out for petrol costs. If you know the energy cap will rise, pre-empt it with stipends to power their kit at home.

Practical

We all love a candle, a bubble bath, a face mask in the comforts of our own home. But while these can all add and aid, they're not synonymous with better wellbeing.

For all the softer touch help, we also need to remember the practical, logistical side of care and wellbeing. Professional assistance like counselling, therapy and treatments can be life-altering for those facing challenges - however big or small.

Unfortunately, they're also widely inaccessible to many, unless there is additional support. Support which is not only made available but that is actively encouraged.

Practical wellbeing is also about proactivity. Seeing the signs of burnout in someone should encourage leaders to take steps to address it. Knowing an employee lives with chronic illness means asking what kind of support they might need every day - not just if there's a flare up.

Underpinning It All…

Mental health is a sensitive balance of a whole host of factors. When one aspect becomes disjointed, it can be a struggle to maintain strong, consistent mental health.

It's true to say that even the greatest of businesses can't do it all, and personal responsibility will always remain key. But company culture has been increasingly subjected to the limelight in recent years, and with good reason. So why wouldn't it be a catalyst for your business to evolve?

Ultimately, even the best communications support will struggle to communicate a business out of poor relationships or poor reputation. It has to be underpinned by action.

Without a strong, healthy internal brand, most businesses will be challenged to sustain their workforce. Not to say introducing naps in the office will work for everyone, but it is to say that it's time to ditch unintentional initiatives and take a real stand for wellbeing. For the better. Permanently.

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