As employee health and wellbeing continues to gain momentum we look at the best approach to take and why it’s so important.
CIPD describe Employee health and wellbeing as a core enabler of employee engagement and organisational success (1).
A recent survey report by AXA UK reveals some alarming figures: poor mental health at work cost the UK economy £102 billion last year, with a global loss of £2.1 trillion due to employees’ mental health issues. The report also highlighted that the workplace environment greatly affects mental health, with three-quarters of UK adults experiencing issues like stress and lack of confidence (2) .
This year, mental health concerns continue to be a major focus (3).
One key reason is the shift in the focus, In Deloitte’s 2023 Well-being at Work survey, which included 3,150 workers, managers, and C-suite executives across Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States, 84% of respondents say that improving their wellbeing is a top priority this year—with 74% saying it’s even more important than advancing their career (4).
While companies are investing in employee wellbeing and mental health initiatives, why doesn’t it seem to make an impact?
Is it due to our traditional approach to employee wellbeing?
There’s a debate going on between proactive and reactive approaches to addressing employee wellbeing concerns.
Is one any better than the other?
Proactive Approach:
Proactive employee wellbeing strategies operate on the principle of prevention.
Key features of wellness programmes designed with a proactive approach include: health education (Roots Health Academy) fitness initiatives, mental health resources, nutrition guidance, and stress management workshops.
Proactive wellbeing initiatives encourage open communication, offer knowledge, encourage healthy behaviour, provide opportunities for feedback, and offer flexible work arrangements to support employees in achieving a healthy balance between work and personal life.
Reactive Approach:
In contrast to proactive strategies, reactive approaches to employee wellbeing focus on addressing issues after they manifest.
The most popular example of the reactive strategy is Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs). These programmes offer support to employees facing challenges, providing confidential counselling, financial guidance, and other resources to help them navigate difficult situations.
It also covers private medical insurances, health check-ups etc.
Example
For example, a proactive approach might involve mental health assessments or educational workshops on mental health, stress, anxiety, positive communication and resilience in the workplace.
In contrast, a reactive approach could entail offering free consultation with mental health professionals such as private psychologists, psychiatrists and therapists, through EAP for support.
What’s Best for Employees as well as businesses?
The proactive approach is considered to generate more ROI than reactive solutions.
However, it’s important to understand that proactive and reactive approaches offer distinct advantages, and it is naive to believe that taking one or another approach is enough.
Elevate Wellbeing for All Employees
The ideal strategy lies in striking a balance between the two approaches. Here is why:
Prevention and Intervention: Proactive strategies focus on preventing issues before they arise, while reactive measures intervene when problems occur.
Integrating both approaches creates a comprehensive wellbeing framework that addresses the prevention, and intervention needs of more employees.
Cultural Impact: Proactive approaches foster a positive organisational culture of health and wellbeing, while reactive measures demonstrate commitment to supporting employees through challenges.
A balanced approach ensures employees feel supported and valued consistently.
Resource Optimisation: Integrating proactive and reactive strategies enables organisations to optimise resources effectively. By investing in prevention initiatives, they can reduce the frequency and severity of wellbeing issues, minimising the need for reactive interventions – health care costs.
Conclusion
Achieving employee wellbeing requires a holistic approach that recognises the importance of both proactive and reactive strategies. Whilst proactive measures focus on prevention and creating a supportive environment, reactive interventions are crucial in mitigating existing problems and supporting employees through challenges.
But does establishing this solve the problem? Is it enough to run a few workshops on mental health and offer a consultation with specialists?
There are a range of health and wellbeing crises in workplaces that people are experiencing on a daily basis. So, the first step is to develop an objective understanding of employee experiences and their health needs before planning an employee wellbeing strategy. It’s crucial to understand the barriers to engagement as well.
Deloitte’s Well-being at Work survey revealed six significant disconnects between C-suite leaders’ perceptions of worker wellbeing and the realities workers are experiencing. And it is claimed to be the fundamental reason why employee wellbeing continues to deteriorate despite organisations increased investments in employee wellbeing .
The answer lies in bridging the gap between realities and the understanding of decision makers. Ask your employee the right questions frequently to understand their work experience from their point of view, then involve them in the planning process to add relevance and value to upcoming wellbeing initiatives.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution. To find appropriate solutions, we must thoroughly grasp the problems, identify loopholes, and fill gaps in services.
Want to find out more about our employee wellbeing programme Roots Health Academy? Click here.
- CIPD | On this page (no date). https://www.cipd.org/uk/knowledge/factsheets/well-being-factsheet/#gref.
- Uk, A. (2024) New research shows poor mind health in the workplace costs the UK economy £102bn a year. https://www.axa.co.uk/newsroom/2024/new-research-shows-poor-mind-health-in-the-workplace-costs-the-uk-economy-102bn-a-year/.
- Parsons, L. (2022). Poor mental health costs UK employers up to £56 billion a year. [online] Deloitte United Kingdom. Available at: https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/pages/press-releases/articles/poor-mental-health-costs-uk-employers-up-to-pound-56-billion-a-year.html.
- Deloitte Insights. (n.d.). Six leader/worker disconnects affecting workplace well-being. [online] Available at: https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/environmental-social-governance/six-leadership-disconnects-affecting-workplace-satisfaction.html.
