Workforce wellbeing
The importance of workforce wellbeing and the benefits for employers and employees.
Last updated: 4 October 2024
Introduction and resources to support workforce wellbeing for organisations and individuals
The environments where we work can have a profound effect on our wellbeing. This has never been more important than now - greater numbers of Surrey residents of all ages are experiencing more pronounced mental health problems and related negative impacts. Some people feel unable to address their wellbeing needs due to stigma or limited access to support.
Work can be a powerful force to drive positive changes in wellbeing. The work we do can often give us a sense of purpose, security, and opportunities for social connection. To achieve this, employers and employees must work together to make sure wellbeing becomes everyone's business.
For employers
- Download the 'How Are You?' framework for medium and large organisations (PDF)
- Organisations that implement wellbeing programmes are likely to have a healthier workforce, reduced sickness absence, higher productivity, and reduced staff turnover.
- To support businesses, Surrey County Council and partners have developed the 'How Are You?' Workforce Wellbeing Programme: an opportunity for small, medium and large organisations to improve their wellbeing strategies.
- 'How Are You' offers a Framework and Toolkit for self-evaluation and development of tailored wellbeing strategies.
- Surrey County Council can offer expert support in the process of designing your organisational action plan.
Why it's important to have a healthy workforce
In 2022/23, work-related stress, depression, or anxiety led to the loss of 17.1 million working days, accounting for over half of all working days lost to work-related ill health, according to a report by the Health and Safety Executive. Furthermore, every year, about 300,000 individuals with long-term mental health conditions find themselves out of a job. The presence of stigma within the workforce contributes to a reduced tolerance for work sickness absence, hindering career advancement opportunities and increasing the likelihood of unfair dismissal.
Positive findings from a recent study highlighted an increase in workforce happiness can lead to a significant boost in productivity, with a reported 13% rise. This underscores the critical link between employee well-being and organisational performance, emphasizing the need for supportive workplace environments that prioritise mental health.
How to have a healthy workforce - resources and support available
Developing and supporting a healthy workforce doesn't need to be complicated. If you are an employer or senior organisational lead, consider taking the following steps, with your organisation's context in mind:
- Developing and supporting a healthy workforce doesn't need to be complicated. If you are an employer or senior organisational lead, consider taking the following steps, with your organisation's context in mind:
1. Understand the current picture: Determine the present health of your workforce and map your organisation's current wellbeing strategies. It may be that your organisation already has initiatives in place and just needs to fine-tune certain areas. - Identify opportunities: Once you have an understanding of your workforce's needs, identify areas where your organisation could better support your workers through strategies and interventions.
- Take action: Alongside your workforce, design an action plan to address any gaps and opportunities you have identified. Assign clear responsibilities and goals, with short-term milestones along the way.
- Evaluate and refine: Have clear, measurable goals to help you improve your strategies as you go along. Always keep employee feedback and voices at the forefront, to inform and influence the process.
'How Are You?' Workforce Wellbeing
To help you accomplish this, Surrey County Council has partnered with local mental health charities and organisations to support organisations in their journey towards improving the mental health and wellbeing for their workforce. We have develop the free 'How are you' Workforce Wellbeing Programme which will provide you with an evidenced based framework and toolkit which includes resources, training, and signposting to expert sources which will support you to assess the health and wellbeing of your staff and develop an action plan to address any identified needs.
All organisations and businesses in Surrey with over 10 employees are invited to participate. Organisations who enlist in the programme will receive:
- Access to our full framework relevant to the size of your organisation or business
- Access to our online tool and individual guidance to carry out your own organisational self-assessment
- Tailored materials and focus groups to support insight gathering from your workforce.
- Evidence-based recommendations for action.
- Support in the co-design process of your organisation's Wellbeing Action Plan.
- Membership to become part of Surrey's Workforce Wellbeing Collaborative.
- Be first in line to become an accredited 'How Are You?' Workforce Wellbeing organisation as part of an upcoming accreditation scheme to be launched later in the year.
The 'How Are You?' framework: six pillars of workforce wellbeing
How Are You? is underpinned by an evidence-based set of standards, organised into the six pillars of wellbeing. The six pillars provide a framework to assess your organisation's wellbeing practices, and develop a Wellbeing Action Plan to address any gaps. The six pillars of workforce wellbeing are:
- Effective strategies. Health and wellbeing are incorporated into your core organisational strategies. This includes systematically assessing needs and implementing organisational plans to address wellbeing priorities. Efforts are made to reduce stigma around mental health issues.
- Protected employees. A safe workplace that is supportive and compassionate, considering the context of new ways of working. This includes an understanding of what 'good work' is, establishing clear job roles, and protecting job security with living wages. Health and wellbeing risks are identified and minimised.
- Engaged and active leaders. Wellbeing strategies are embedded in leadership through manager training and accountability. Senior managers take an active role in supporting employee wellbeing, identifying challenges and taking steps to overcome barriers.
- Engaged and active employees. Wellbeing strategies and interventions are embedded throughout the workforce by promoting ownership and communication. Employees views are consulted and incorporated into strategies. Systems to support engagement are in place, such as staff networks and protected time for employees to engage with interventions.
- High awareness of healthy living. High awareness across all employees self-care and resources available to support healthy living. Multi-component programmes are in place to support the health and wellbeing of staff. Employees are encouraged to adopt healthy behaviours such as physical activity, social engagement, healthy eating, and access to health checks and smoking cessation tools.
- A culture of wellbeing. A safe and supportive culture of wellbeing is promoted, by ensuring line managers understand their role supporting wellbeing of the workforce, and opportunities exist for employees to give input. Strong policies on equality, diversity and inclusion are in place and enacted. Peer support opportunities, (such as 'buddying' schemes and networks) are in place.
Download the 'How Are You?' framework for medium and large organisations (PDF). The Framework describes the Six Pillars of Workforce Wellbeing and breaks down the corresponding standards. It also offers useful resources for your organisation to embed the standards into your wellbeing strategy.
To get more information or learn how to sign up to the programme, please get in touch by emailing workforce.wellbeing@surreycc.gov.uk
For employees
- For many people work can have an overall positive impact on wellbeing, providing security, a sense of purpose, and an opportunity for social connection.
- It is important to recognise changes in yourself and others to be aware of your wellbeing and those around you.
- Incorporating some simple actions into your work can have a big impact on your wellbeing.
Protecting your wellbeing at work
On average, working age adults in the UK spend approximately one third of our waking hours at work. Therefore, work can be a great place to start towards improving your health and wellbeing. Work itself can be a protective factor for your wellbeing when the conditions are right, by providing security, a sense of purpose, and an opportunity for social connection. Moreover, having access to the right tools and support at can make a big difference to your experience of work and its impacts on your health.
It is up to you and your employer to have the right tools in place to support and protect your wellbeing. However, as an individual, there are steps you can take on your own, or with your colleagues. Even small actions and habits can have a big impact.
The Five Ways to Wellbeing is a useful place to start. Consider the six steps and how you might apply them to your work on a regular basis. Set small goals for yourself and build habits gradually.
To identify what keeps you well at work, what causes us to become unwell, and ways to address your wellbeing, consider the following questions:
- What helps you stay mentally healthy at work? For example taking an adequate lunch break away from your desk, getting some exercise before or after work or in your lunchbreak, light and space in the office, opportunities to get to know colleagues.
- What can your manager do to proactively support you to stay mentally healthy at work? For example regular feedback and catch-ups, flexible working patterns, explaining wider organisational developments.
- Are there any situations at work that can trigger poor mental health for you? For example conflict at work, organisational change, tight deadlines, something not going to plan.
- How might experiencing poor mental health impact on your work? For example you may find it difficult to make decisions, struggle to prioritise work tasks, difficulty with concentration, drowsiness, confusion, headaches.
- Are there any early warning signs that someone might notice when you are starting to experience poor mental health? For example changes in normal working patterns, withdrawing from colleagues.
- What support could be put in place to minimise triggers or help you to manage the impact? For example extra catch-up time with your manager, guidance on prioritising workload, flexible working patterns, consider reasonable adjustments.
Tips for wellbeing
Mind offers a list of top tips which you can follow to protect your wellbeing at work, which include:
- Develop good relationships with colleagues so you can build up a network of support
- Talk to someone you trust, at work or outside, about what upsets you or makes you feel stressed
- Say if you need help
- Be assertive – say no if you can't take on extra demands
- Be realistic – you don't have to be perfect all the time
- Try and get away from your desk or situation for a few minutes
- Write a list of what needs to be done; it only takes a few minutes and can help you to prioritise, focus and get things in perspective
- It can also feel satisfying to tick items off once they have been done
- Try and take a walk or get some fresh air during the day
- Exercise and daylight are good for your mental health as well as physical health
- Try not to work long hours or take work home with you. This may be alright in the short term, if the work has a specific purpose and is clearly defined – a team effort to complete an urgent project may be very satisfying. However, working longer hours on a regular basis does not generally lead to better results
- If you are provided with opportunities to have some input, particularly in decisions that may impact you, then take advantage of those opportunities
- If you are working from home, make the most of opportunities for contact
- Maintain a healthy work-life balance - nurture your outside relationships, interests, and the abilities your job does not use
- Make sure you drink enough water and that you eat during the day to maintain your energy levels.
If you are a Surrey resident, there are a range of resources available to support your mental wellbeing. For more information visit the Mental Wellbeing page on Healthy Surrey.
One You Surrey offers a range of services to support you in living a healthier life, including support to stop smoking and losing weight.