Today, on World Mental Health Day, understand the effect that wellbeing washing can have on workers and the workplace.
Employment takes up a good deal of our time. According to the Office of National Statistics, the average UK worker spends over 36 hours in work every week; in Ireland, that figure is 38.5.
Meaningful work, over and above its obvious economic considerations, has a notably positive impact on mental health. At the same time, mentally and physically healthy employees are more engaged, productive and primed to perform at an optimal level. This is a win-win situation.
Organisations that take a tick-box, tokenistic approach to staff wellbeing, promoting and conveying a virtuous whiter-than-white approach rather than clear, strategic evidence- and values-based objectives, are unlikely to enjoy high levels of employee satisfaction.
For those of us working in the field of workplace mental health, the trendy strap lines that roll easily off the tongue are very familiar. Employers profess compassion, only to be found wanting when colleagues actually need help, the washed-out buzzwords revealed as little more than meaningless phrases on slick websites and in glossy promotional literature. These do nothing to alleviate distress. Instead, they add to it and leave team members feeling underappreciated and cynical.
On the other hand, a well-intentioned organisation cares about its workers’ health and performance in equal measures. However, positive cultures do not just appear. They must be cultivated and considered, delivered via operational plans and procedures. Effective policies permeate and align with all aspects of the environment, from boardroom to broom cupboard, and different roles should be defined not by status but by function.
Inspire knows well that workplaces are often a microcosm of society. Life is unavoidably stressful and, at some point, each of us will need support. When that happens, leaning into vulnerability – and embracing it – can lead a person to discover previously unknown reservoirs of strength and resilience. When someone summons the courage to seek help, a gentle embrace is required, not wellbeing-washed corporatism.
Inspire’s Therapeutic and Wellbeing Services team is proud to pursue a collaborative and person-centred ethos when working alongside our customers. From the first point of contact, we enable easy and timely access to a suite of services. Our priority is clear: to find the best treatment option for that individual, in that moment and in the future. Thereafter, all clients are matched with a professional with human skills, knowledge and experience to get them back on track.
If you want to know more about what we do, we would love to hear from you. You can get in touch via e-mail: enquiries@inspirewellbeing.org