The case for a mental health and wellbeing strategy
As we emerge collectively from the pandemic – the hidden pandemic as some have referred to it – is that of mental ill health. Stress and burnout have reached record high levels, and as we settle into new ways of working and living – it’s time, if you haven’t already – to think about what interventions you as an organisation need to put into place to support your people, so that their wellbeing and employee experience is as positive as it can be.
Simply speaking, mental health and wellbeing underpins how we think, feel and behave and is therefore central to how we perform as individuals and as a business. A thriving workforce equates to a thriving organisation, but how many can honestly say that they are thriving, rather than just surviving?
Nowadays, there is generally more awareness in the subject of mental health, which offers a springboard for an ongoing mental health and wellbeing programme of employee support, helping normalise the conversation and upskilling people to look after themselves and each other better.
Building your employer brand
It’s also now widely acknowledged that the pandemic has seen people assess their values and aspirations. The Great Resignation has shown that more are choosing to work for organisations that are committed to the wellbeing of its people. So, this is an opportunity to further build your employer brand through a mental health and wellbeing offering, so that you continue to be an employer of choice.
So, there are convincing reasons to invest in a wellbeing strategy and programme for your organisation, beyond just a duty of care to your people. They include but aren’t limited to:
- Building your employer brand
- Attracting and retaining the best talent
- Increasing employee productivity, creativity and focus
- Increasing employee engagement
- Reducing absenteeism and presenteeism – the cost of mental ill health on the UK economy is £15.1 billion per annum in presenteeism (people showing up for work but not being productive) and £8.4 billion in absenteeism.
Defining your mental health and wellbeing strategy
As an organisation, you may have justified the benefits of having a wellbeing strategy in place, and you’re thinking about next steps, but aren’t sure where to turn. This is where POINT3 Wellbeing can begin to support you on your journey – from insight and ideas that inform your wellbeing strategy, through to the implementation and on-going measurement of a wellbeing plan and programme.
We partner with organisations to create a culture of psychological safety around mental health and wellbeing… where people feel comfortable being themselves and are able to thrive. Psychological safety is the foundational ingredient of a high performance workplace culture.
Culture change around workplace mental health requires both a top down and bottom up approach to succeed. It starts with leaders and managers leading by example and modelling the right behaviours, and then it’s up to individuals to take personal responsibility for the good coping strategies that they put in place to cope with the inevitable stresses of life. Beyond that, individuals need to know they have the time, permission and resources to help educate them and to help inspire the best behaviours.
Our framework for a mental health and wellbeing strategy…
Our framework for creating a psychologically safe workplace culture follows a three step process, which can be scaled up and down, depending on your organisational requirements and how much of this process has already taken place.
STEP ONE – LISTENING + LEARNING
The first step is to understand what’s currently in place within your organisation (in terms of interventions, policies, programmes and resources) and what your people want and need from a wellbeing perspective.
STEP TWO – TURNING GAPS + PRIORITIES INTO POLICY + PROGRAMME
The next step is to interpret the data and turn it into a policy and programme of wellbeing support that meets the needs and addresses the gaps in order of priority. A typical example we see is that there’s a disconnect between what’s actually available for employees and what they understand to be available. In this instance, it could be that a communications strategy and plan is rolled out to help promote the existing resources.
STEP THREE – DELIVERING + MEASURING
The final step is to deliver a programme of support addressing the needs of the employees and the organisation, knowing that everyone has a role to play, starting with the leaders leading by example and the managers modelling the desired behaviours. For maximum impact, this programme is best supported by a consistent drumbeat of communications to help embed the programme.
We are an impact-led employee wellbeing company which means that we want to create positive change and drive long-lasting legacy. This requires measurement which is an integral part of the process. Any programme we deliver always has an element of measurement – through a combination of qualitative and quantitative feedback.
At the simplest level we measure the impact of our training by asking attendees to give us a score out of 10 (1 = negative, 10 = positive) in terms of the impact of the training. Our average impact score in 2022 to date is 9 out of 10.
We’re here to help you…
So, how can we help you create a culture of psychological safety around mental health and wellbeing, ensuring we bring all your employees on the journey?
Get in touch to find out more about our services – from strategy, planning and communications to mental health and mindset training and development and measurement.
Read some of our employer case studies and testimonials here.
And if you need further insights to help build the case for an employee wellbeing strategy and plan, check out our 2022 insights report here and our 2021 insights report here.