'Wellbeing' is not a PR stunt
Terry Streather
Director and Head of Training
Oakwood Training
Employees should be at the very heart of what an organisation does.
‘Wellbeing’ is not a PR stunt
"In our relentless pursuit of efficiency, productivity, customer satisfaction and reputation, I wonder if we’ve put the cart before the horse?"
Dave’s organisation has a wellbeing policy. They are on it. They have Mental Health Champions, an Employee Assistance Programme and a whole section on the intranet about ‘sleep hygiene’, healthy eating, the office choir and cycling to work.
But is it all just window dressing? Are we just papering over the cracks?
That same organisation wants Dave to do the job that 4 people used to do. He is forced to work the most anti-social shift pattern and be “Agile”, working in different locations and on his own most of the time. Not to worry though. He’s had that half hour workshop on ‘Managing Stress in the Workplace’, so if he can’t cope, we’ve done our bit!
Dave would love to follow the ‘Top Ten Tips for Work Life Balance”, splashed all over the wellbeing page, but the demands of the job means he never sees his young family. His wife doesn’t much care for the “We develop our people” plaque on the reception wall either. After all, saying you care is one thing… meaning and showing it is another.
In our relentless pursuit of efficiency, productivity, customer satisfaction and reputation, I wonder if we’ve put the cart before the horse?
Simon Sinek has a view…’Customers will never love a company unless the employees love it first.’
Surely there’s more to ‘wellbeing’ than one-off lunchtime yoga workshops or articles about quinoa and coconut water on latest news?
Employees should be at the very heart of what an organisation does. The best companies in the world understand that by creating a culture of engagement and involving their people, especially in challenging times, they get the best from them. It is a journey rather than an event, and best of all… it’s ‘Win-Win.’
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Beyond
Beyond is a mental health charity which was formed in 2018 by award winning campaigner Jonny Benjamin MBE. It was created to address the growing need for mental health support for young people. 75% of mental health issues begin in adolescence and yet, according to the NHS, three-quarters of young people who experience mental illness are not receiving treatment. Beyond has so far given out various grants to organisations across the UK who support vulnerable youngsters. The charity is currently developing a nationwide mental health festival for schools called Now and Beyond which will take place in February 2021.
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Mental Health UK
Bringing together the heritage and 50 years’ experience of four charities across the country, Mental Health UK provides support and services for the biggest societal challenges posing a threat to our mental health - we won’t stop until everyone has the tools they need to live their best possible life.
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