Build It

12Wellbeing

Chapter Objectives

In this chapter, we will:

• Discuss how to create an integrated approach to wellbeing.
• Explain how workplace stress and burnout is the key threat to business performance.
• Look at the importance of moving away from a one‐sided approach to true flexible working.

Key Points

• Wellbeing needs an integrated approach covering physical, financial and mental health to be effective.
• Technology has fundamentally changed the relationship between home and work, and our mishandling of that has led to record stress levels.
• Flexible working in its current state is not flexible.
• Tackling the root causes of wellbeing issues will require complete buy‐in from your entire organization.

Introduction

I've been working in and around employee wellbeing for nearly 25 years and in that time, the collective thinking about wellbeing has moved on hugely. Back in the 1990s, we focused almost entirely on a reactive approach to wellbeing with the aim of reducing absence days and, in the US at least, trying to get a grip on the burgeoning cost of healthcare. Now, the most progressive companies are lining up to an integrated and proactive approach for tackling the biggest demons of workplace wellbeing.

Wellbeing is No Longer a “Nice To Do” For Companies; It is a “Have To Do”

It's no longer giving out free gym memberships or free fruit; it's addressing and tackling wellbeing in an integrated way. Stick with the old ways and you'll have employees who exercise and like ...