The most successful companies make wellbeing at work a strategic priority

Chris Cummings

CEO, Wellbeing at Work

Take a look at the most successful companies across the UK, and you will find one common theme: they have all made significant investments to ensure wellbeing at work is a strategic priority.

Those leading companies have not just run workshops or webinars to tick the box but have taken a long-term and comprehensive approach with continual investment just as they would in marketing, sales, operations and finance to ensure their people and the organisation can thrive.  

Work-related stress, depression or anxiety accounted for 50% of all work-related ill health in 2021.

Preparing for challenges  

As we head into a challenging economic period, my rallying call is for business leaders to fight hard in the board room for wellbeing to remain a strategic priority. Now is not the time to reduce spending but to push forward courageously with longer-term, increased investment.  

We look at some of the biggest current challenges we have and are likely to face in the future working environment: 

• The future of work is now. It is blended, and we know that engagement plays a critical but challenging role in our future workforce. According to Gallup’s recent study, only 21% of employees are engaged at work. If we are going to improve this figure, we need to invest further in wellbeing to improve engagement and, therefore, performance. 

• Talent retention and attraction: There is no doubt that the best talent across all age groups has evaluated their employment situation and will continue to explore their options into the future. According to a recent CIPD workforce report, 47% of employers have hard-to-fill vacancies. The best talent will be harder to keep and find now and in the future, so a comprehensive wellbeing programme is a major competitive advantage.  

• According to the HSE’s 2021 report, work-related stress, depression or anxiety accounted for 50% of all work-related ill health in 2021. If we are going to tackle the quiet quitting, presenteeism and absenteeism that continues to challenge our workplaces, we are going to have to look after our people. 

These points and more will have a direct impact on the bottom line, productivity and profitability of any business.  

Time to invest in wellbeing  

If we are going to continue the considerable progress we have made during the life-changing pandemic, we must follow the most successful companies and invest courageously in healthy workplaces. The evidence is clear – those companies who invest in wellbeing at work will succeed.