Authenticity Over Optics: Psychosocial Hazards and Workplace Wellbeing
Aside from a few bottles of wine or a pizza on a Friday once a month, one of the best places I’ve worked at seemed to have barely any investment in wellbeing at all. Not a yoga mat or mindfulness teacher in sight. No wellness days. No free smoothies. Nada.
You might be wondering why I am talking about them then.
Because, despite the lack of wellness support, our wellbeing was nurtured. On a very limited budget, they invested heavily in ensuring that the people felt connected first.
And we did.
I’ve thought a lot about why that workplace just ‘worked’ over the years and I think it comes down to three things:
1. They hired carefully: The hiring managers seemed to have an uncanny knack of ensuring that all of the staff would get along really well. We weren’t all the same. We were from different countries, different ages, different stages of life, but our personalities just clicked, and I am sure that this wasn’t a fluke.
2. Our purpose was clear: We had a shared mission, but beyond that, our day-to-day purpose was easy to understand and the feeling of burden or unclear expectations was minimal almost all of the time.
3. Psychological safety was high: The leadership team had created a culture where anything can be said at any time. They were in charge, yet there was no hierarchy. It created a safe place where people could share authentically and vulnerably. We all did our job, but we knew we had a caring team to back us up if we needed it, where genuine care and compassion reigned.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the other aspects of wellbeing, like being proactive about our health flowed easily with this foundation of connection.
We set up our own after hours sessions of rock-climbing, went salsa dancing on Wednesdays, had picnics and dinners out together weekly, shared recipes, laughed and joked together, and became strong, bonded friends, as well as colleagues. I know this was a unicorn of a workplace, but I don’t think it happened by accident.
What it showed me is that if you create a culture high in psychological safety and take care of the fundamentals, like role clarity and having a caring and inclusive environment, the other ‘wellbeing stuff’ is almost a byproduct.
When a team feels connected and psychologically safe, and their psychological health is taken care of, they’re going to be able to look after their wellbeing, and their wellbeing will be looked after.
This is why many organisations have to be careful of what wellbeing initiatives they put together, lest they fall into the trap of "wellbeing washing" – the superficial promotion of wellbeing initiatives that lack substance or genuine impact. While the intent may stem from a good place, the damage caused by inauthentic efforts can erode trust, disengage employees, and expose the organisation to reputational risks.
This is not to say that a good wellbeing strategy shouldn’t include all those wonderful initiatives like free fruit and mindfulness sessions. These offerings are marvellous and can have a very positive impact on someone’s health and wellbeing. The trick is, not to make those things the aim. You have to go deeper and make it meaningful.
Wellbeing washing often stems from:
Token gestures: Introducing yoga classes or fruit bowls without addressing systemic issues such as workload, poor leadership, or toxic culture.
Over-promising and under-delivering: Announcing grand initiatives that fail to materialise or neglect to measure their effectiveness.
Neglecting inclusivity: Focusing on trendy wellbeing perks that may not resonate with all employees or address their diverse needs.
These missteps highlight a gap between intention and execution. Employees aren’t fooled by empty promises; they demand authenticity and action.
AVOIDING WELLBEING WASHING
To avoid wellbeing washing, and support your organisation with psychosocial hazard management, organisations need to develop a strategy grounded in genuine care, comprehensive planning, and measurable outcomes:
Start with Listening:
Conduct employee surveys, focus groups, or anonymous feedback sessions to understand the real concerns. For example, if stress is a clear issue (it often is), look for the root causes – is it excessive workload, unclear expectations, or a lack of resources?Embed Wellbeing in Culture:
Wellbeing shouldn’t exist as an isolated program. Integrate it into core values, leadership training, and daily practices. Leaders and managers should exemplify wellbeing behaviours, such as respecting boundaries and promoting work-life balance. In fact, if leadership aren’t on board with your wellbeing strategy, you’re going to be pushing a boulder up a mountain.Understand and Address Psychosocial Hazards:
Get a clear picture of the systemic issues like workplace bullying, discrimination, job design, and role clarity that are relevant to your organisation. Ensuring employees have well-structured roles, clear expectations, and manageable workloads directly impacts their mental health and engagement. This is the first place you can start - but remember, getting the right information will be a challenge, unless you have psychological safety in place.Build for Diverse Needs:
Wellbeing is not one-size-fits-all. Consider the varying needs of employees based on age, role, cultural background, and personal circumstances. For instance, while one group might appreciate financial wellness programs, another might benefit from mental health support with a focus on suicide prevention. Knowing your people is essential here.Incorporate the Fluffy Stuff:
Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water! There are many effective strategies that assist employees to improve their wellbeing. Just don’t throw them at people without checking if and how they are needed. Mindfulness classes are a good example of a wellbeing strategy that has proven physical and mental benefits. If it is integrated to the right people in the right way, it could have tangible benefits.
Measure Impact and Iterate:
Set clear goals and KPIs for your wellbeing strategy, such as improved engagement scores, reduced absenteeism, or higher retention rates. Regularly review the effectiveness of initiatives and adjust it to respond to the growing and changing needs of your workforce.
Meaningful MOVES OVER WELLBEING WASHING
Flexible Work Policies: Depending on the industry and role, give people the autonomy to work when and where they want, giving them a better work-life balance.
Mental Health Support: EAP access is important and under-utilised, but you can also provide mental health days, and manager training to identify and support employees in their mental health journey.
Financial Wellness Programs: Offer tools and resources for budgeting, saving, and financial planning to alleviate financial stress.
Recognition and Appreciation: Regularly acknowledge employees’ efforts through awards, shoutouts, or personalised thank-you notes. The acknowledgement doesn’t have to be monetary. Small gestures can have a big impact on someone’s day.
Job Design and Role Clarity: Ensure roles are well-defined, responsibilities are clear, and workloads are reasonable. This should be the fundamental action you take to create a stable foundation for your people.
Authenticity vs. Wellbeing Washing
While authentic wellbeing strategies require investment and effort, the returns are invaluable. A genuinely cared-for workforce is more engaged, productive, and loyal. On the other hand, wellbeing washing can lead to higher turnover, decreased morale, and long-term reputational damage.
Eventually it was time for me to move on to a more challenging role and I left that organisation, but it still remains one of the best places I worked in. There were no fruit bowls. No yoga mats. No forced wellness events. Just a lot of connection, camaraderie, and trust - essential ingredients for a happy workforce.
If you are a people leader, ask yourself, am I willing to invest in our people beyond surface-level gestures, or am I happy to simply give the illusion of care?
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