Wellbeing At Work — Where To Begin?

In this series we’ve been looking at the benefits of prioritising wellbeing at work. In the last post, we focused on why founder wellbeing matters. In this post, we look at the benefits of wellbeing at work in general and quick ways to offer support growing teams.

The tech industry operates on the mindset of “move fast and break things.” The fast-paced nature of the sector means that employees are often working to tight deadlines with limited resources to hand. With teams connected across different locations / time zones, the concept of the 9–5 working day no longer exists. A recent study found that people who work in tech are 5x more more depressed than the general UK population. And 52% of employees suffering from mental health issues including anxiety, depression and/or stress. So what can companies do to help address this?

Where to begin…

• Simple questions: Don’t assume you know the answer, or that this is a one size fits all approach. Talk of wellbeing at work can mean lunchtime yoga, healthy snacks and (more) plants in the office. These are great initiatives but seeking input from the team ensures that the offerings provided are those that move the needle.
• Wider wellbeing: Create initiatives that cover wider wellbeing should include mental, physical, social and financial wellbeing to avoid the one size fits all model. Doing this increases the probability of individuals benefiting from these resources.
• Transparency: Fostering a culture of transparency by encouraging employees to share any challenges or issues they’re facing, is essential. Studies show that 86% of employees still feel uncomfortable talking about common mental health matters. Having the leaders of the company model this behaviour is crucial to embedding it into the culture.
• Wellbeing Champions: Encourage members of the team to train as a Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs), Mental Health Advocates (MHAs) or Wellbeing Champions. These courses will cover how to identify behaviours or spot signs of mental health issues and how to direct those in need to the right resources.
• Loud & Proud: Ensure that everyone knows who to turn to as and when they’re in need of some mental health support. Make it clear where to find the relevant information and resources so that no one has to go searching for it. Visibility through posters in common areas, or including the information in other regular comms, helps keep it top of mind.

Other Resources…

Below are some extra resources to be aware of.

• Every Mind Matters (NHS)
• EAPs (Employee Assistance Providers)
• Sanctus’ comprehensive guide to mental health services and resources

Promoting wellbeing at work should be a key organisational priority. Failing to do so does, and will continue to affect innovation, productivity and performance. A study has found that 30% of employees say “feeling anxious or stressed…regularly impacts their productivity at work.”

If you’re wondering how some other companies have approached mental wellbeing initiatives, have a read of this or this for inspiration.

This is just the beginning. We’d love to know what initiatives you have implemented in your business…please give us feedback via comments. Thank you 🙏