Wellbeing leads are the heart and soul of workplace wellbeing. They are passionate about humans thriving and are deeply committed to fostering environments where employees can flourish. However, the journey for many wellbeing leads is fraught with challenges that can take a significant emotional toll.
Imagine being deeply committed to a cause, pouring your heart and soul into creating a supportive workplace, yet feeling like you’re constantly falling short. This is the reality for many HR professionals tasked with wellbeing responsibilities without the proper professional development. They find themselves under immense pressure, feeling anxious as they navigate this complex role with little to no guidance.
The lack of structured professional development leaves these dedicated individuals experiencing frustration and being disheartened. Despite their tireless efforts, they often don’t see the results they aspire to achieve. This constant struggle not only impacts their confidence but also their sense of self-worth. They are always learning on the job, which can lead to a perpetual state of uncertainty and self-doubt.
The cornerstone of achieving business success
In recent years, the focus on workplace mental health and wellbeing has increased significantly. Our Wellbeing Strategy Maturity Quiz completed by over 100 wellbeing leads and HR professionals from a broad cross section of the UK economy reveals substantial gaps in current practices.
In the ever evolving and competitive business world, employers are seeking ways to enhance the wellbeing of their employees. A well-crafted wellbeing strategy can significantly impact a business’s overall competitive advantage and sustainability. But what are its goals?
Goals of wellbeing strategies
The primary objectives include improving employee health and wellbeing, increasing employee engagement, satisfaction and retention, and fostering a positive workplace culture.
However, without the right knowledge, skills and tools, development goals are missed, return on investment isn’t being measured, and poor mental health and wellbeing continues to rise as employees leave to find healthier places to work.
Here are four top insights from 100 Wellbeing Leads on the gaps in their strategies that are preventing them from achieving their goals.
1. Developing and delivering effective strategies
A whopping 71% of respondents have not received training on how to develop and deliver effective mental health and wellbeing strategies. This statistic is alarming, especially considering the increasing awareness of the importance of good mental health in the workplace. The lack of development for strategic wellbeing responsibilities is evidenced in our maturity quiz with only 1% of wellbeing strategies in the advanced maturity stage.
Without proper training HR are struggling to create and implement effective strategies that support and improve the mental health and wellbeing of their employees. This can lead to higher levels of stress, burnout, and decreased productivity, and that’s just in HR!
2. Psychological risk prevention and management
65% of respondents do not have a psychological risk prevention and management programme embedded in their mental health and wellbeing strategy. This is a point of concern as work related stress prevention is a HSE legal obligation for employers and is the number one cause of work-related sickness absence.
Work related stress is a significant issue that can have a detrimental impact on employee wellbeing, productivity, and overall business success. Work related stress has also been estimated to be the cause of around 10% of suicides in the UK. Without a proactive approach to managing psychological risks, organisations run the risk of experiencing higher rates of burnout, absenteeism, disengagement, and suicide among their workforce.
3. People manager development
Evidently 76% of respondents do not have mandatory people manager development in fostering mentally healthy cultures embedded into their organisation’s wellbeing strategy. This is a concerning statistic, it highlights a potential blind spot in many businesses when it comes to supporting employee mental health and wellbeing.
While mental health awareness training is a step in the right direction, it’s clear that it isn’t enough to create a truly supportive and mentally healthy environment.
With one in three employees ready to leave their job due to poor management, according to the Chartered Management Institute, providing managers with the tools and training they need to support their team members’ mental health can create a more positive and healthier workplace culture that attracts and retains top talent.
4. Addiction and recovery support
Despite the increased focus on mental health within workplace wellbeing strategies, support for addiction recovery is often overlooked. Addiction remains one of the last taboos in the workplace, with only 6% of respondents reporting recovery-friendly practices as part of their strategy despite 70% of people struggling with addiction being in employment.
Overcoming the biggest barriers to workplace wellbeing
We also found many challenges that wellbeing leads are facing when it comes to implementing effective strategies.
1. Poor employee engagement
Poor employee engagement in wellbeing activities is a significant challenge for many wellbeing leads. It’s crucial for employers to recognise that every employee is unique and may have different needs when it comes to mental health and wellbeing. A one-size-fits-all approach is not effective.
2. Lack of data collection and analysis
Without accurate data on the mental health and wellbeing of employees, it can be difficult for companies to understand the impact of their current strategies and make informed decisions about future initiatives. This lack of data also makes it challenging to measure outcomes and demonstrate a return on investment (ROI), which in turn can make it harder to secure the necessary budget for wellbeing investments.
3. Budget constraints
76% of wellbeing strategy leads did not have budgetary decision-making power. While many companies recognise the importance of mental health and wellbeing, they may struggle to allocate the necessary resources to effectively address the issues. Without adequate funding, it can be difficult to provide the services and support needed to thrive in the workplace.
Addressing these challenges
Providing the right training and development for passionate wellbeing leads is essential so employers can create a more supportive and healthy work environment. When this is achieved a virtuous cycle of excellent KPIs including increased profitability, long term employee development, retention and business growth are an inevitable consequence.
Employee wellbeing is the golden thread that weaves through any organisations success, creating a trusted environment, brand and culture that attracts and retains the best talent.
It’s time to recognise the incredible dedication of our wellbeing leads and the emotional burden they carry. These professionals deserve more than just our appreciation, they deserve the tools and training necessary to succeed. Investing in their professional development is not just a benefit for them—it’s a crucial step towards achieving strategic wellbeing and business goals.
The Level 5 Mental Health and Wellbeing Culture Change Diploma enables HR professionals and wellbeing leads to drive meaningful change.
Want to improve your mental health and wellbeing strategy? Take the Wellbeing Strategy Maturity Quiz now and see how you score https://wellbeing-strategy.scoreapp.com
