What’s hot in workplace wellbeing for 2024

We’ve all returned from our festive breaks and settled into back our work routines now, me included.  We’ve seen massive progress in becoming more comfortable talking about the uncomfortable and starting to ask the questions that really matter and bring, but there is so much more to still be done.

This got me looking forward to what will be the hot topics in workplace wellbeing this year…….

Leadership and Wellbeing

With more organisations really leaning into their ISO45003 certifications, there is a growing movement for a more holistic approach for training for people leaders and developing leadership skills.  Starting with recognition and acknowledgement of their own work habits and how they model wellbeing behaviours, and walking their talk (in some cases very literally).

It’s great to see that well-rounded development programmes include emotional intelligence, stress management, mental wellness, and creating inclusive cultures alongside atypical content such as finance, operational management, managing change, project management, talent management, risk management and marketing.

A great culture of workplace health and wellbeing begins at the top, being driven by the actions, attitudes and words used by the leadership teams. We know that organisational attitudes to wellbeing are guided and influenced by the language and behaviours modelled by leaders.

It is within these behaviours that we will begin to see a greater focus on proactive and prevention measures rather than the traditional reactive measures combined with free fruit, yoga and discounted gym memberships.  More on this later…….

Psychological Safety

For most of us, we’d rather not to admit it, but, almost everyone one of us has been affected by stress at work at some point in our working lives.  Consistently high-stress levels negatively impact both professional and personal wellbeing and can contribute to mental and physical health concerns.  Psychological safety is more than stress in the workplace, it’s about feeling safe enough to ask bold, challenging and uncomfortable questions without fear of being punished or alienated.  Workplaces are much better places when these questions are asked and time is taken to answer them, even if it might be a bit uncomfortable.

Dig into your data, this is where you’ll discover your organisational gold, it might be uncomfortable to read, but this should tell you enough in itself and that positive change is needed.  There is loads of great external support out there if you’re not sure where to begin.

Occupational Health

The evolution and recognition of the true value of occupational health to almost any business is here, thanks to a growing recognition of the value of health at work, and the initiative launched by the UK Government to tackle work-related ill health and absence.

Our OH professionals can bring real value to understanding and managing health risks in the workplace; alongside providing health surveillance where there is a risk of work-related ill health.  Crucially, the real gems in the OH world are being able to support employees with health conditions and complex needs with their reasonable adjustments, functional assessments and early interventions.

Flexibility and Work-Life Balance

A healthy and happy workforce that has a reasonable level of choice and empowerment over how and where their work is delivered will continue to flourish throughout this year.  Like it or loathe it, a hybrid working approach is here to stay.  For many, this is now a non-negotiable when searching for new roles.  Recognising the engagement value in employee-led autonomy in the delivery of work will continue to grow.

Life is difficult enough, work shouldn’t make it harder.

Connection

Each of us is still rebuilding and restoring our personal cups after the pandemic, regardless of whether we are consciously aware of this or not.  It was a deeply traumatic experience for us all.

Pandemic life fundamentally changed our lives, we are more connected than we’ve ever been, but also the most lonely and isolated.

We’re all craving connection at various levels, personally, I love the growing network of lunchtime clubs and activities to help bring joy, togetherness and shared connections through a common purpose.

And finally,

Obviously, this list isn’t endless, other topics that nearly made it to my list for the year were increasing workplace education about finance for our various life stages.  The other almost topic was about connection and purposeful work, not just the humdrum we’ve always done this and will continue to do so, but actually being able to make a difference and feed into the wider ESG programme and to tackel the great resignation movement.

A bit about me & my background

Before I became a Women’s Health  Specialist….
I was an MBA-educated Senior Leader.  I’ve worked in several technically complex and operationally diverse industries that present numerous challenges to keep people healthy, safe and well.  I have a proven track record of delivering exceptional results in many different areas.