Is workplace wellbeing here to stay? Here's what 6 leaders and industry experts think.
How far should mental wellbeing go in the workplace? Get the inside scoop and learn why experts and industry leaders think it’s just getting started.
The Mentemia team were proud to collaborate with AIA Vitality and the Workplace Wellness Festival (WWF), bringing together an incredible panel of guest speakers in this popular and most asked-for virtual event Workplace Mental Wellbeing - Where Does it Stop?
Following the wrap up of last month’s Workplace Wellness Festival 2021, one common theme that appeared to rank high in discussion was how far do we think mental wellbeing will go in the workplace? Where does it start and where does it stop? What is the responsibility of the employee versus that of the employer? Have we reached saturation point with mental wellbeing in the workplace or are we just getting started?
So, together with WWF and AIA Vitality, we pulled together this fantastic discussion, to learn from those leading the charge on embedding mental wellbeing in the workplace and to get their take on what the future of workplace wellbeing looks like.
The session introduced a range of panelists and provided a platform for diving deeper into what’s currently being done to accommodate this new way of thinking and working, and what other businesses could do to adapt and plan for the future of their employees’ wellbeing.
The panel was made up of top business leaders and change-makers, sharing real-life stories and examples that viewers could take back to their workplaces.
The line-up:
Damien Mu, CEO and Managing Director (Australia and New Zealand), AIA
Linda Ray, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, NeuroCapability
Nghia Nguyen-Le, Director Strategic Business Performance, Office of the Chief Executive, NSW Land & Housing Corporation
Dave Wilson, Global Sales Leader & mental health advocate, CISCO
Danielle Williams, Senior Manager Vitality Partnerships & Distribution, AIA Australia
Event moderated by Alex Canning, Managing Director, Aquent
Whether you missed out on tuning in to the event, or if you attended but would like a refresher, we’ve got you covered.
Here are 13 key highlights taken from the session:
It depends what stage you’re at.
There is currently a mix of people and workplaces who are at different stages in terms of understanding the role of workplace wellbeing: some are cynical of the concept, some would like to see it go further, and some are against it going further.
Workplaces should look at mental wellbeing as crucially as they look at physical safety.
It’s now time to start focusing on psychological safety - not just physical safety - in the workplace, as they’re equally important
Where does the responsibility lie for the mental wellbeing of employees?
It should be the responsibility of both the employer and the employee to integrate mental wellbeing in both the workplace and daily life
Psychological safety is becoming a key indicator.
There’s now more of an appetite to look at psychological safety at the core of supporting people to perform at their best in the workplace - becoming the lead indicator of employee productivity and engagement
Building a good foundation starts with mental health literacy.
Both mental health literacy and psychological safety should be a KPI that businesses track and measure in future and report on at board level - they should be as important as tracking financial metrics
Getting people on board and spreading the word is key.
Awareness must be built around simple strategies that leaders can use to introduce and embed workplace mental wellbeing
Give leaders what they need to lead their people well.
Developing effective leadership capability to deal with mental wellbeing and influencing it in the workplace, and equipping leaders with tools to support their people, is key to succeeding
See the benefits of people being freed from fear.
A vital role of workplaces is to increase mental health literacy, education, training, awareness, and create an environment that is psychologically safe and free of fear, allowing people to be creative, innovative, authentic and happy
It’s not weak for leaders to show vulnerability.
There is a greater need for leaders to show situational humility and vulnerability, and understand that being vulnerable doesn't mean being weak, incompetent or unable to make tough decisions - it shows their humanity, and is a way to build trust with employees
The world is changing, and workplaces need to keep up.
Adjusting and shifting societal views and mindsets around mental wellbeing will help to form part of mental health preventative measures
Outstanding workplace wellbeing starts from the top.
Leading by example: bring leaders up to speed with what good mental wellbeing looks like, and empower them to model wellbeing to their leadership teams
It’s not going anywhere.
Workplace mental wellbeing is here to stay! Mental wellbeing is front and centre given the world we live in right now, and the world is awakening to the importance of it becoming completely immersive across industries and sectors all over the world
And it needs to become part of daily life, in every workplace.
For workplace wellbeing to really work in the future, it needs to be properly embedded into workplaces and integrated into daily life, and it’s predicted that there will be a clear divide between businesses who get this right (high performing) and businesses who don't.
To dive deeper into the above takeaways, rewatch the full webinar recording, by clicking here!
Want to find out how you can take action and integrate mental wellbeing into your workplace?
There’s a variety of helpful resources available in the Mentemia app, covering topics like vulnerability, resilience, how to check in with people, leadership, and how to have difficult conversations.
Take, for example, Tips for helping your team work remotely. This is a great read for helping leaders to keep things running smoothly and support their people's wellbeing. Leading by example, being flexible, checking in with the team, encouraging self-care and promoting a fun and connected work environment are all a step in the right direction to workplace mental wellbeing.
Or, consider how to check in with people at work, be it a colleague or employee. Checking in with the people we spend most of our days with is so important for creating an environment of harmony and trust. When people feel that they belong to a company that really cares about their wellbeing, it not only enhances feelings of connection, but can also improve productivity. Try starting off your meetings with a check in - you’ll find that small gestures like this can make a big difference to someone’s day.
So whether you’re leading a team or are part of a team, you’ll find more great articles in the Mentemia app that you can share with your teams, managers and colleagues, to encourage awareness and enable a more psychologically safe workplace.