How leaders can transform workplace wellbeing: Part 3

Insights from the Make Work Better Conference 2024

Article Summary

The Make Work Better Conference 2024 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 #8 to #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

8

The economic impact
of poor wellbeing

Poor employee wellbeing is a financial risk your organisation can’t afford to ignore.

Ignoring employee wellbeing has a high economic cost. Absenteeism, presenteeism and long-term illness reduce productivity and place a strain on public services. Professor Dame Carol Black – Physician, Academic and Government Advisor on Drug Misuse – noted the UK’s difficult labour market, with the employment rate at its lowest since 2017 and people of all ages not in work due to long- term health issues.

She highlighted that 470,000 more UK citizens are out of work post-COVID, due to long-term health issues, creating a significant strain on the economy. Meanwhile 3.8 million working age people are in work but say they have a work limiting condition – close to the 3.9 million working age people who are inactive in the labour market. “So if you’ve got many more people at work who say, look, what’s wrong with me is limiting my ability to be in work, then they may not be able to be there for so many days or to work to their full capacity. That will affect production and productivity,” she said.

Author and Benefex CIO, Gethin Nadin said data showed people are now more likely to be off work due to a long -term health issue than to be a student, retired or a homemaker. “I think that’s really shocking because think about how you have towns that are considered student towns because you’ve got so many students living in them. But those towns have got, generally speaking, more people off sick in them than they have students, which I think is quite alarming. And so no surprise that this is all quite a serious fiscal threat to our country.”

He noted that an employee who’s off work for six months or more has a 90% chance of never returning to work. This economic inactivity is costing the UK government about £15 billion pounds a year in lost revenue from taxes, benefits and so on. Overall poor wellbeing costs UK businesses more than £100 billion annually – more than the annual revenue of companies like Tesla, Pepsi or Disney, Nadin said.

Wellbeing therefore has to move up the agenda, Black said, quoting former chief economist at the Bank of England Andy Haldane, who says there is now clear evidence for the first time since the Industrial Revolution that poor health is detracting from both growth and wellbeing.

Investing in wellbeing is a financial imperative. By ignoring it organisations risk significant financial and operational losses.

9

How managers can transform
employee wellbeing

Managers are the gatekeepers of wellbeing and their impact is critical.

Managers are crucial in shaping their teams’ wellbeing, but too often they’re promoted for their technical skills, not their ability to manage people. Cary Cooper, professor of organisational psychology, shared an example from a large financial services company, where the HR director proudly listed wellbeing initiatives like desk massages, lunchtime mindfulness, bean bags, free smoothies and wellbeing champions. When Cooper pointed out that this wasn’t real wellbeing the HR director was surprised. “Then what is wellbeing?” he asked.

Cooper’s response was clear: it’s about changing the culture and focusing on the quality of management. “What are your managers like?” Cooper challenged. “Are they people-oriented?” True wellbeing starts with managers who understand and care about their teams.

Beth Samson – People Director, IIP

Black referenced research from a Swiss industrial psychologist showing that managers’ health has a direct impact on the wellbeing of their employees. Managers who never experienced physical or mental health issues tend to lead healthier teams, whereas managers with ongoing health problems are more likely to oversee teams with similar issues. This underscores the critical importance of taking care of managers’ wellbeing to positively influence the overall health of the workforce.

At Bupa management and leadership is one of three wellbeing pillars. As Julie Stephens – Global Director of Wellbeing, Inclusion, Health & Safety, Bupa said: “Your manager has just as big an impact on your mental health and your wellbeing as your spouse.”

The lesson, according to IIP’s people director Beth Samson, is to empower and train your managers and they’ll be able to listen and support their teams.

Managers are on the frontline of wellbeing and their impact on their teams cannot be overstated.

Investing in manager development is essential for creating a healthy, productive workplace.

10

The role of technology and AI in shaping workplace wellbeing

Technology and AI offer powerful tools for identifying and enhancing employee wellbeing, but their use must be thoughtful and balanced with the human element.

Black noted that AI, if used correctly, can free employees from repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on more meaningful work. O’Hehir predicted that AI tools would make it much easier for organisations to identify employees at risk of burnout. For example, large language models can analyse how we communicate through emails, detecting subtle signs of stress such as sharp or abrupt language. While data privacy issues will need to be addressed, AI could eventually offer real-time prompts, like suggesting a health check when it detects signs of strain, such as typing aggressively.

But speakers agreed that technology can also cause stress. As Stephen’s said: “If somebody that works in a contact centre has to navigate between three different computer screens and systems before they can even start working in the morning, that’s really wearing, that has an impact on the customer experience that they can give and it has an impact on their mental health. Which means you need to talk about IT and technology investment in the context of the wellbeing business case.”

Idris Arshad – Head of People, Asthma + Lung UK

Idris Arshad, head of people Asthma + Lung UK, emphasised the importance of ensuring that your organisation is digitally prepared before rolling out new initiatives. He shared an example where the charity considered implementing a platform for early wage access but ultimately decided against it, as the digital competency within the organisation wasn’t at the level needed for this app to be effectively introduced and used.

Technology offers tremendous potential to improve wellbeing, but only when combined with human- centred strategies that enhance connection and communication.

Conclusion

The Make Work Better event made one thing clear: prioritising employee wellbeing is not optional, it’s essential for business success.

From the critical role of leadership to the economic impact of neglecting mental health, the insights shared highlight the urgent need to create supportive, people-focused workplaces. Whether it’s rethinking job design, embracing flexible working or leveraging technology to prevent burnout, these strategies are vital for building healthier, more productive teams.

As one panel encouraged, HR professionals must be ready to “jump in” and start the process, recognising that while challenges will arise the learning and feedback gathered are invaluable. If you’re ready to take the next step in transforming your organisation’s culture and prioritising wellbeing, Investors in People is here to help. Get involved today to start creating a healthier, more engaged workforce.

Idris Arshad – Head of People, Asthma + Lung UK

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.

About Investors in People

Investors in People have been working with a huge range of big and small organisations from Public Sectors, SMEs, Charities, PLCs and anything in between for over 30 years. We have accredited more than 50,000 organisations and our  accreditation is recognised in 66 countries around the world, making it the global benchmark when it comes to people management. So we know we speak your language and can offer the specific kind of support and guidance your organisation needs.

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14th Nov 2023 | Old Billingsgate, London

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