Wellbeing and performance shouldn’t be a balancing act for small business leaders, says Jill Whittaker, Executive Chair of The Executive Development Network, but knowing what support employees want is a step in the right direction.
Over three years on, it’s common knowledge that the pandemic acted as a catalyst for individuals to monitor their mental health more closely, especially while in the workplace (be that remotely or in the office).
Large companies with robust resources have acted fast, with some implementing comprehensive systems to support employees’ state of mind, or providing access to wellbeing platforms, apps, and counselling services. And while the success of these initiatives is a tremendous achievement, some businesses find it harder to implement the same levels of support when focused on keeping their business profitable – but with the right training they can prioritise wellbeing in the workplace.
A recent study from University of York’s School for Business and Society has revealed that many managers of smaller companies are struggling to balance mental health assistance and performance management. Juggling these important factors of daily working life may feel like an impossible task, and managers’ mental health and stress levels must also be protected if they are to be able to build a strong foundational support that champions wellbeing at work.
There has never been a clearer need for the right workplace training, especially for leaders and managers, in order to properly support employees to the standard they deserve. There are new initiatives available specifically for this purpose, such as EDN’s new programmes that empower leaders to develop strategies for creating a diverse, inclusive and modern workplace culture.
Inclusivity starts with education and training
Much of the work on these courses starts with dissecting and breaking down archaic management practices. Learners will develop skills in how to deal with co-workers and business structures that are prejudiced and learn about the full the benefits of promoting inclusivity in the workplace.
Employee wellbeing can cover a multitude of issues: from nurturing the talent of neurodiverse individuals to educating teams about LGBTQIA+ inclusion. Ticking all the boxes might seem like an impossible task, but it’s one that they do need to undertake – as our latest insights revealed that 86% of employees would be more likely to leave a job if there was no obvious support for employee wellbeing.
With most sectors continuing to face staff retention issues – businesses cannot afford to skip implementing wellbeing support. But what exactly is it that workers want to see?
Well, when it comes to enhancing their benefits package, the majority of employees (69%) told us they were keen to see measures implemented that help create a positive work-life balance, while first aid for mental health was a priority for 45%.
And when asked what more their workplace could offer to enhance its benefits package, employee responses to us included training in areas such as diversity and inclusion of ethnic minorities within the workplace (20%), LGBTQ+ inclusion (18%) and understanding the impact of menopause (19%).
Whether it’s providing an upskilled contact in the workplace for people to access immediate mental health first aid or ensuring that employees are aware of any additional support needed by their neurodiverse peers – offering these training opportunities will lead to a more progressive company culture (something 83% of employees are more attracted to when seeking new roles).
We know that employers want to invest in employee wellbeing – with more than 60% telling us they would be interested in focusing training to help create a positive work-life balance among staff, for example. But it seems that demand for this training from employees might at present outweigh supply in reality, especially with smaller businesses who may feel they do not have adequate resources, and that’s when working with an external training provider can alleviate the pressure.
Want to improve employee wellbeing, but not sure where to start? More information on EDN’s inclusive leadership courses can be found on the EDN website: Inclusive Leadership Level 3 and Inclusive Leadership Level 5