Dear EXperts,

What would you say your position on workplace wellbeing initiatives is like mental health days and access to meditation/mindfulness classes or stress-management seminars?

– Culture Curious

Our EXpert advice

Workplace wellbeing initiatives, including mental health days, stress seminars and mindfulness apps, aren’t inherently flawed, but their effectiveness hinges on how customisable they are to meet direct, individual needs and their ability to address root causes of wellbeing issues. In reality, many initiatives fall short because they adopt a one-size-fits-all approach, often masking deeper issues like excessive workloads, poor resourcing or issues with leadership. Ultimately, no one cares about the “taking charge of your wellbeing at work” webinar when they’re working nights to keep on top of their to-do list, or their micromanaging boss is causing them sleepless nights.

To truly improve wellbeing, employers need to prioritise creating a supportive and empowering environment which includes reasonable workloads, flexibility, skills training and compassionate leadership. I’m also a big advocate for engaging your employees in decisions made about what wellbeing initiatives you offer, and ensuring that you offer diverse options to create a holistic and tailored approach to employee wellbeing.

With that in mind, here’s some ideas and actions to spur next steps:

Fo supportive and empowering environments:

• Conduct workload audits to identify and address potential areas of overload.

• Consider developing and implementing flexible work arrangements (remote work, core hours, compressed workweeks) to promote work-life balance.

• Explore ongoing skills training and development opportunities to help employees stay engaged and challenged.

• Equip managers with training on compassionate leadership practices, including active listening, providing regular feedback, and recognizing employee contributions.

Employee-Centric Wellbeing Initiatives:

• Conduct surveys or focus groups to gather employee input on desired wellbeing initiatives.

• Consider offering a variety of wellbeing options that address different aspects of well-being (e.g., physical, mental, financial, social).

Remember to gather feedback on the effectiveness of implemented initiatives and make adjustments as needed.

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