Article Summary
The Make Work Better conference was a testament to the growing importance of embedding a culture of wellbeing in the workplace. Leaders and experts across industries shared insights on how to integrate wellbeing into business strategies, focusing on areas like mental health, flexible working, and strong leadership.
This three-part blog series explores the key themes discussed at the event and provides practical takeaways for creating supportive, people-first workplaces.
At the Make Work Better conference Paul Devoy, CEO of Investors in People (IIP), revealed a stark reality: there’s a growing chasm between what HR leaders believe employees want and what employees actually value. While HR focuses on perks like wellbeing apps, employees are asking for something different – flexible working and supportive management. This disconnect is more than a miscommunication; it’s costing businesses dearly in productivity, engagement and even revenue.
The event brought together leaders and experts across industries to explore the future of employee wellbeing, uncovering strategies that go beyond surface-level perks to address the core needs of today’s workforce. From mental health to flexible working the discussions centred on how organisations can create sustainable, supportive environments that enhance both employee wellbeing and business performance.
What emerged were 10 key themes that have the potential to reshape how organisations approach wellbeing. From the critical role of leadership to the economic costs of neglecting employee health these insights provide a roadmap for building a workplace where wellbeing isn’t just a priority, it’s the foundation for success.
So here are lessons #4 to #7 of 10 that every organisation needs to understand if they want to make work better for their people and their bottom line.
Paul Devoy – CEO, Investors in People
Ruby Wax – Actress and comedian with Paul Devoy
4
Why leaders must prioritise their own wellbeing first
Leaders must put on their own oxygen masks first if they want to lead with impact.
Leadership sets the tone for an organisation’s wellbeing culture. Fitness expert and CEO Joe Wicks stressed the importance of leading by example. His approach to wellbeing includes promoting healthy behaviours like walking meetings, what he calls ‘walkie talkies’, as well as two hour lunch breaks – an hour for lunch and an hour for exercise – and four- day work weeks.
PVL Founder, Petra Velzeboer echoed this, noting that to truly support wellbeing leaders must model the behaviours they expect from others. HR and people teams should set the example by discussing challenges openly, such as burnout or stress, and working together to find solutions. As a leader, it’s not about being perfect, it’s about being real.
Admitting when you’re struggling or not at your best is key to creating a supportive environment. For example, if you’re off your game during a meeting it’s important to acknowledge it, reflect and correct the course. This approach encourages honesty and trust within teams. Leadership is about modelling wellbeing, not flawlessly, but authentically.
Joe Wicks MBE, Fitness Coach and Author
But for leaders to foster a culture of wellbeing they must first prioritise their own health. Wicks shared how his personal background, growing up with parents struggling with mental health, fuelled his passion for fitness and wellbeing. He emphasised that focusing on the basics – exercise, sleep and diet – can transform one’s health. “You have to put yourself first. And it’s hard, because we care for everybody else but we stop looking after ourselves,” he said, emphasising that self-care is essential for effective leadership.
Devoy discussed his own experiences from childhood, noting that addressing his personal wellbeing has been integral to his role as a leader and his ability to create a supportive work environment.
Leaders who prioritise their wellbeing not only boost their own performance but create a culture where employees feel supported to prioritise their health as well.
5
The future of flexible and hybrid working: balancing wellbeing and productivity
Flexibility is the future, but only if it’s built on trust and coordination.
The future of work includes a strong focus on flexibility, but organisations must balance this with maintaining productivity and team collaboration. Cary Cooper, professor of organisational psychology, advocated for true flexible working, stressing that many hybrid models lack the necessary trust. “Managers always like to see the bodies there. They want to call meetings when they want to. Well, we’re in a different age now. We don’t need that anymore.” He highlighted the importance of allowing employees to determine when and where they are most productive.
While flexible working is a proven driver of wellbeing, Dame Carol Black highlighted its challenges. Studies show it can boost mental health and engagement but Black highlighted research that shows it can hinder innovation if not well-coordinated. “People still had ideas but the idea quality fell during home working. Remote and hybrid working can inhibit innovation if teams aren’t properly coordinated,” she warned, urging organisations to carefully plan how they manage flexible arrangements.
Kate Martin – Head of Psychological Services, PAM Wellbeing
Professor Dame Carol Black – Physician, Academic and Government Advisor on Drug Misuse
Adding to this Channel 4 HR Director, Kirstin Furber emphasised how technology blurs the boundaries between personal time and work, contributing to stress. “Technology has given us flexibility but it’s given us pace and ‘always being on’. Gone are the days when you’re in a meeting and someone says, I’ll get that information to you. Today people are looking for the answer in the meeting and decisions are moving really quickly. Why do we accept this as a way of working?”
Kate Martin, an expert on menopause in the workplace, emphasised the need for organisations to better support menopausal women, who make up a significant portion of the workforce. “One in four women consider leaving their job due to menopause symptoms,” she said, adding that some will find flexible working beneficial at this time.
Flexible working is here to stay but organisations must focus on building trust, coordination and clear boundaries to make it sustainable.
6
The importance of communication and engagement in employee wellbeing
Your wellbeing programme is worthless if employees don’t know about it.
No matter how robust your wellbeing programmes are they’re only effective if employees know about them and feel comfortable using them. Clear communication and active engagement are critical for the success of any wellbeing initiative.
HR consultant Janet O’Hehir shared a story of how an employee was unaware of the mental health resources available to them at a time of need. “We need to be constantly reminding people what we’ve got but also how to use it and how to benchmark it,” she said, highlighting the need for clear and consistent communication.
Continuous engagement is key to ensuring wellbeing initiatives meet the evolving needs of the workforce. Hayley Staff, people advisor at Blue Light Card, shared the benefits of being part of the IIP We Invest in Wellbeing accreditation and how this ensured colleagues understood and were engaged in the programme. “It’s great as HR professionals to say we’re doing well, but what do the workforce actually want?”
Hayley Staff – People Advisor, Blue Light Card
Janet O’Hehir – HR consultant
Julie Stephens – Global Director of Wellbeing, Inclusion, Health & Safety, Bupa
Wax suggested fostering a sense of community where people share information and have a space for human connection. “It gives people a chance to be real. Maybe that’s something you need. We used to have the smoking room where people bonded but now that’s gone.”
For wellbeing initiatives to be successful organisations must communicate clearly and continuously engage with employees to ensure that they feel supported and aware of the resources available to them.
Julie Stephens of Bupa Dental Care pointed out that clear communication around benefits is essential.
Bupa’s total reward statement helped employees see the full value of their wellbeing benefits, which increased engagement and satisfaction.
7
Wellbeing as an outcome: how structured design can boost your workplace
Rather than treating wellbeing as an isolated HR initiative many speakers stressed that wellbeing should be embedded into the organisation’s culture and systems.
O’Hehir noted how she likes to think of wellbeing as “an outcome rather than a process.” To create work systems and environments that genuinely support employee health, organisations need to take a comprehensive approach. This involves not just looking at infrastructure, policies and tools but also examining job design. Jobs should align with employees’ skills and capabilities while driving organisational outcomes, she said.
It’s crucial to approach wellbeing systematically, integrating it into the entire organisational ecosystem rather than treating it as a standalone initiative. “How do we create work systems and environments that help our people go home healthier?” O’Hehir asked? “I look at it in the round so that it’s very systematic rather than wellbeing being done to something. If you’ve got your whole ecosystem of the organisation that is in train, then I think you’re going to be helping to drive wellbeing.”
Holly Stevenson, head of employee relations at Porterbrook
By evaluating processes through a wellbeing lens, like reviewing how policies impact financial or emotional health, businesses can create environments that truly foster employee wellbeing. A human-centred design approach, similar to how tech companies design with empathy, ensures that every aspect of the organisation contributes to a healthier workforce.
Holly Stevenson, head of employee relations at Porterbrook, highlighted the importance of creating a strategy that evolves based on employee needs, sharing how they introduced financial wellbeing support in response to the cost-of-living crisis. “Wellbeing is continuous. It will never be complete. Being open-minded and evolving the strategy is crucial.”
Read the full article series
You can also watch all sessions from the conference online now and register your interest to attend the Make Work Better Conference 2025, to be held on 9th September in London.
