Is your organisation guilty of 'wellbeing washing'?

Workplace wellbeing has become a hot topic in business. But when the chatter and buzz die down, are employees actually feeling any better?

What is 'wellbeing washing.'

Wellbeing washing, simply put, is when organisations are seen to be all talk, no action when it comes to workplace wellbeing. A new study by Claro Wellbeing found that more than 'a third (35 per cent) of businesses are wellbeing washing – the practice of firms supporting mental health publicly but not supporting the workforce internally'. This is a concerning workplace trend and a frightening figure reported by employees.

The pandemic reignited the employee wellbeing conversation. It created a driving force behind many newly implemented workplace wellbeing strategies and initiatives. A report by Mckinsey found that 96% of companies globally provided additional mental health resources to employees during the pandemic, but only one in six employees reported feeling supported. These reactive measures aimed to put a band-aid on a complex and holistic condition.

At a basic level, we know that wellbeing is supported by good physical and mental health. However, beneath this basic understanding, there is extreme complexity as to what we all need as individuals to create our unique version of wellbeing. One-off events, awareness days and free fruit are not the answers to such a complex issue.

It's clear that employers are making efforts to meet the moment and take on the demands of an ever-changing work environment. But it's just not landing with employees.

One-off events, awareness days and free fruit are not the answers to such a complex issue

The Future of Wellbeing

When workplace wellbeing is good, it's the gift that keeps on giving. Increased productivity, reduced staff turnover, a limited number of days lost to work-related stress and increased monetary value resulting from increased profits, this list goes on.

A recent 2022 report created by Deloitte, IIRSM and the Institute of Directors (IoD) was designed to understand how modern organisations deliver modern wellbeing solutions following years of dramatic change in the workplace. The report highlights that traditional wellbeing strategies "wait until people are struggling before intervening'. The report outlines that more should be done to target 'the stressors that created the issues in the first place". Proactive rather than reactive measures are the key to achieving successful and sustainable workplace wellbeing. Take stress as a perfect example of this. It is much easier to get a handle on our stress when we are feeling good rather than when we are burned out and exhaustedly trying to understand how to feel better and recover from the breakdown.

When workplace wellbeing is good, it's the gift that keeps on giving.

How to avoid being accused of 'wellbeing washing'

Instead of fearing that your wellbeing strategy won't meet the mark, see this as the perfect opportunity to get closer to your employees. During this time of extreme uncertainty and economic downturn, this is the time to band together as an organisation, team and community.

Below are three initiatives organisations should incorporate into a wellbeing strategy that goes beyond the talk and gets real employee results.

1. Speak to the experts

Too often, wellbeing has been a topic passed on to HR as a department or day-to-day delivery teams to designate a 'Wellbeing Champion' alongside their 9-5 role. Of course, this reduces costs by having in-house staff somewhat encouraging wellbeing alongside their daily to-do's. However, this is not their area of focus and most importantly, not their area of expertise. Wellbeing is complex. For this reason, working with accountable experts with the knowledge, experience and energy to implement successful employee wellbeing solutions is vital.

2. Design wellbeing solutions that take the pressure off of employees

Typically, organisations design 'take it or leave it' wellbeing solutions. Often the emphasis is put on the employee to be proactive and take ownership of their wellbeing. But we forget that when stress and competing priorities come into play, we tend to put ourselves at the bottom of the priority list. For this reason, wellbeing solutions should be embedded in the organisational culture, working standards and measures of success. Only then can employees be motivated and empowered to make the right decisions for their unique requirements and overall lifestyle.

3. Now is the time to invest in wellbeing

'Only 16% of directors said their organisations have increased investment in wellbeing' despite '49.78% of directors reporting improved business performance from focusing on wellbeing' (Deloitte, 2022). Investing in wellbeing isn't just a nice to have. It may be one of the most important things your organisation does over the next 12 months. During times of economic downturn, it can seem like the last thing you need to spend money on, but with evidence showing how important wellbeing is to your business's success, now is not the time to cut back. If you are going to survive and thrive in the current economic downturn, your employees must be put first.