Prioritising wellbeing in the workplace is business critical as one in six of us will experience mental ill health this year (Mind), and recent evidence from the Institute of Fiscal Studies shows that mental health has worsened substantially (by 8.1% on average) as a result of the pandemic, with young adults and women hit hardest.
For us, at Practical Change Partners, it’s great to work with clients who care deeply about the wellbeing of their people.
We recently worked with Rachel Warwick, the Global Head of Culture and Engagement at Ocado Group on their approach to Listening, Wellbeing and Inclusion. Ocado are really focused on using data to guide their work and are investing heavily in policies, processes and tools to support their teams.
Our experience in delivering these types of change projects has given us insights into how to reach every employee, and deliver authentic and impactful solutions.
Here are some thoughts generated by our work with Ocado and others.
Delivering authentic & impactful solutions
So, what is the role of an employer? With so many outside influences an employer cannot be wholly responsible for the mental health and wellbeing of their employees. For this reason, it’s important to be aware of what and where you can add the greatest value to your people. We think there are three core pillars to include in your wellbeing strategy:
○ Building skills - supporting employees to recognise and positively manage their personal mental health and wellbeing
○ Developing the right culture – managing, including and supporting people in the workplace through positive acceptance of difference and openly talking about mental health and wellbeing
○ Adopting the right policies and tools – implementing training, tools and approaches that increase understanding of, and support for, wellbeing
When the annual cost of poor mental health in England is projected to be around £119bn (Centre for Mental Health) there is a solid business case for investment in these pillars. However, over three-quarters of managers believe businesses lack key support and education around mental wellbeing in the workplace and one in five employees with mental health problems worry that telling their employer could jeopardise their career (CIPD).
3 steps to getting started
We think there are 3 key areas which, if made a focus, will support the most successful outcomes in mental health and wellbeing over time:
1. Employee Listening
Listening to employees from every corner of your business is crucial to being able to get support from leaders and invest in wellbeing solutions that are fit for purpose. One size doesn’t fit all, and so you have to understand what will work in your context. The best people to tell you what they need are employees and managers. For example, sending morale-boosting gifts such as chocolates and mugs is a nice gesture that will be much appreciated, but it won’t build the skills of managers and employees in recognising and supporting mental health and wellbeing. Think about where any budget can be invested wisely by really asking your people what would support their wellbeing at work. Gather the data and prioritise the actions, recognising any new approach needs time to embed so start small.
2. Change champions
Building a team of champions from all levels of the business will help to raise the profile of mental health and wellbeing. Building a ‘culture of comfort’ when it comes to talking about mental health needs people who are willing to share their stories. When this starts with leaders you’ll gain buy in across the width and breadth of the business. Your champions don’t have to be qualified mental health first aiders, but they will need help to equip themselves with skills to talk openly, recognise issues and navigate individuals to effective support.
3. Selection of the right tools
Thirdly, take time to decide what tools are actually required. You shouldn't feel that you have to spend thousands of pounds to drive great change. You probably already have access to some form of wellbeing tools through your insurers – private medical insurers particularly have developed great apps and often offer free workshops and training events that you can tap into. There are also many free resources online.
In Summary
As the world moves on past the pandemic, we are likely to continue to uncover ‘collateral damage’ for some time. People’s mindsets towards the way they live their lives will almost certainly have been affected by the events of the past year, and it is critical that this is considered and acknowledged in the workplace.
Authenticity is key to achieving a culture where people can thrive, rather than simply surviving. Your wellbeing strategy, in particular the way you talk about mental health, needs to link closely with your overall business strategy, and leaders need to be visible role models who support and embody the culture that the organisation wishes to embed.