“Wellbeing Washing” – What is it and might you be guilty of it?

“Wellbeing washing” is a new term currently being used to describe businesses who publicly state that they provide support for the good mental health and wellbeing of their employees however, when it comes down to it, fail to provide any real employee wellbeing benefits. Recent research carried out by Claro Wellbeing has indicated that it may be as high as one in three businesses who are “wellbeing washing”. Workplaces do need to visibly commit to the wellbeing of their employees, providing real tangible support to employees is fundamental for making a positive difference towards not only improving employee wellbeing but also benefiting the business with a more motivated and productive workforce that require fewer sick days.

In these current economic circumstances, supporting employee wellbeing has never been more crucial, given the significant impact that the cost-of-living crisis is having on employees’ mental health. Creating a comfortable environment where people feel able to speak about their experiences is a good first step and therefore having an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) accessible to employees along with having trained Mental Health First Aiders in the workplace are positive steps.

• Lincoln Occupational Health can assist businesses with both these approaches by helping businesses to implement and manage an EAP scheme that’s appropriate and relevant to their organisation and by organising the training of Mental Health First Aiders.

However it is recognised that sometimes employees need more specialised psychological input than that which an EAP can provide and in times where access to NHS counselling is limited and slow, access to prompt, independent and targeted treatment at an affordable cost could be a cost effective and highly efficient way of promoting wellness in the workplace and avoiding lengthy sickness absence.

• Lincoln Occupational Health has teamed up with a bespoke psychotherapy team, operating as highly experienced cognitive behavioural specialists, with the aim being to assist individuals (and organisations) to come to grips with the complex individual and environmental factors that mediate wellness and performance in the workplace. This service allows prompt and specialist assessment and treatment and, depending on what suits the businesses/individual’s needs, this could involve a single session of counselling or a short course of sessions over a few weeks. The sessions can include liaison with the employee’s GP and feedback can be given to the company to allow for workplace support to be considered.

Workplace stress, burnout and fatigue

Undeniably, workplace stress and burnout is a symptom of a modern workplace as, with the advancement of communication technology and hybrid work models, the lines between work and home have become blurred even more. Workplace stress and burnout is on the rise and it is crucial that employers are open to the possibility that it may exist in their organisation. Businesses need to be prepared to have open and frank consideration of the workplace culture, especially of the workload and of performance expectations.

Whilst work-related stress is defined as ‘the response people may have when presented with work demands and pressures that are not matched to their knowledge and abilities and which challenge their ability to cope’, burnout is conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. The World Health Organisation reiterate that this is an occupational, not a medical, issue. The significance of this is that any responses need to be work focussed and at an organisational level and that, without this, medical interventions or personal adjustments are unlikely to be a long-term solution. Whilst stress risk assessments are useful tools in identifying causes of mental health issues in the workplace, in isolation they do not address the issue and it is vital that where issues are identified, actions and interventions are planned and implemented and their efficacy measured.

• Lincoln Occupational Health will shortly be hosting a webinar on burnout and will address some of the causes and possible organisation responses.

In summary, providing mental health support mechanisms for employees has huge benefits for the business through increased productivity, better retention and less absence.

For further information on any of the above services, please contact Katie Eastwell, Managing Partner on katie@lincolnoccupationalhealth.co.uk