The focus on worker health and wellbeing is a relatively new one, but it has quickly become a “must-have” for organisations of all sizes. And it’s an investment that apparently reaps dividends, with research by Mercer suggesting that employers that create cultures of health have 11 per cent less employee turnover, while a number of studies points to increased productivity and a reduction in the risk of employee burnout.
Wellbeing programmes can differ from one organisation to the next, but many include options of meditation, Pilates, mental health counselling and even financial wellbeing supports.
According to Dr Ashley O’Donoghue, head of postgraduate business at the TU Dublin Graduate Business School, organisations have an ethical and legal obligation to provide employees with a safe place to work and this means protecting their physical and mental health.
“There are business benefits too, as research shows that employees who are happy, well and in a state of engagement are more likely to stay with the organisation and contribute to organisation performance,” she says.
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In a very hot talent market, wellbeing initiatives can be indispensable tools for employers seeking to retain their best people and recruit to fill crucial roles. “Employees have choices and employers recognise it, so ultimately, it’s about making the workplace as attractive as possible. However, it’s also instinctively better to work with motivated people who feel that their employer shows some responsibility towards them,” says Laura White, associate director of experienced hire recruitment at KPMG, which employs more than 4,000 people across its offices in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Belfast.
“Most people want to work with a satisfied, well-motivated set of colleagues and to feel the same themselves,” agrees her colleague, Paul Vance, head of resourcing at KPMG.
“We obviously can’t fix everything for people, but we definitely see the benefit in making strenuous efforts to be a really good place to work – we attract and keep people as a result.”
O’Donoghue warns, however, that employee wellbeing should be a holistic effort. “Many organisations fall into the trap of believing healthy eating, cycle to work or gym membership initiatives are all it takes to create a wellness programme,” she says. But she points out that these generic efforts will only go so far – creating a healthy workplace that enables wellness requires a “broad yet individual” approach.
O’Donoghue says there is a range of tried and tested good practice organisation initiatives and policies such as employee assistance programmes and flexible working policies that support employee wellbeing. Using employee data, however, is critical to identify areas within the organisation where wellness is struggling, usually indicated by employee sickness, absence and ultimately turnover and poor retention.
“This is where blanket organisation wellbeing initiatives will have limited impact. Instead, targeted research to identify challenges to wellbeing and designing tailored initiatives to address these issues is key,” she says. For example, resourcing or workload could be an issue within a particular function and these employees do not have the time to engage with organisation wellbeing initiatives such as lunchtime Pilates or mindfulness. “The irony is, they are probably the employees who need it most,” O’Donoghue adds.
Tailoring wellbeing initiatives to meet diverse needs of employees is also key; for example, while employees with caring responsibilities may value flexible working and work-life balance initiatives, some may place a higher value on developing social connections through activities with colleagues. “How do you know if your employees would love a carers support network, micro-snooze sleep pods or ping pong tables? Ask them,” she suggests.
KPMG, White says, reviews its own wellbeing offering on a continual basis. “We often refresh the supports we offer to take account of changing needs of people as they progress their career and encounter different, often challenging, life events.”
She also points out that, while there is “a lot of science around employee motivation”, common sense and experience are invaluable. “If you’re leading or part of a team where people feel they are being treated fairly and with respect, it’s much easier to ask them to go the extra mile.”
AIB’s head of people experience Denis Doolan agrees that, in recent years, the emphasis on health and wellbeing in the workplace has gained significant momentum. He believes workplace wellbeing initiatives are crucial for attracting and retaining top talent. “In a competitive job market, employees are looking for more than just a payslip; they want to work for organisations that care about their holistic wellbeing,” he says.
Throughout 2024, AIB delivered a range of bespoke wellbeing initiatives across the organisation supported by its network of advocates, Doolan says. “Our wellbeing calendar includes events, webinars, masterclasses and guest speakers on a range of trending topics.” While these cover mental, physical, social and financial wellbeing, mental wellbeing content, such as mental health advocate training, is “particularly impactful”, he says.
Feedback on AIB’s wellbeing offering has been very positive, with significant attendance at both online and in-person social wellbeing events, he adds.
Lydia Cope is a manufacturing engineer in MSD’s Biotech site in Swords, Co Dublin, and also the organisation’s wellbeing lead for Ireland. She explains that the pharmaceutical company has introduced several unique initiatives designed to enhance employee wellbeing across its organisation, covering fundamental areas such as mental health, physical wellness and work-life balance.
One of the standout programmes is the introduction of “mental health first aiders”. “These trained volunteers provide a vital support network for employees seeking someone to talk to about mental health concerns,” she says, noting that 4 per cent of all employees have been trained for this role. “Recognising the important role our leaders play in fostering a healthy work environment, we are also developing additional mental health awareness training for our managers to enhance their skills in identifying and addressing mental health needs, equipping them with additional tools to support their teams effectively.”
MSD’s Wellbeing Games is another example of an innovative approach to employee wellbeing. “This offers colleagues at each of our sites the opportunity to discover our wellbeing offering and supports through a creative and engaging board game format,” Cope says.
MSD has also recently launched a targeted Shift Team Wellbeing initiative, designed specifically for its 24/7 shift workers. “Recognising and addressing the unique challenges that shift workers face, this programme includes in-person and online sessions as well as a supplementary comprehensive digital resource booklet containing practical tips and tricks,” Cope says.
A recent speaker series focusing on wellness garnered a net promoter score (NPS) of 81 among employees. “This indicates a high level of employee satisfaction and engagement,” adds Cope. “Notably, 100 per cent of attendees expressed a desire to participate in future events, highlighting the effectiveness of our engagement strategies and reflecting our colleagues’ desire for ongoing wellbeing support.”
A robust wellbeing strategy is a critical differentiator in attracting and retaining top talent, according to Rebecca Marshall, who is wellbeing lead, people and purpose with Deloitte.
“At Deloitte, we go beyond surface-level initiatives, offering agile working models and a culture that prioritises outcomes over hours spent at a desk,” she says. “We are committed to empowering our people to make choices that prioritise their wellbeing because it is foundational to fostering a positive, productive and inclusive work environment.”
This systemic approach embeds wellbeing into all aspects of its people processes, focusing on mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing, Marshall says. And employee feedback is overwhelmingly positive – the organisation’s recent Engage for Change survey found that 74 per cent feel their “physical and mental wellbeing is supported by Deloitte”, while a similar proportion feel “comfortable openly discussing their physical and mental wellbeing with their team leader”.
“By fostering a healthy work-life balance and creating an environment where people feel valued, we have enhanced both our marketplace competitiveness and our ability to retain talented individuals,” says Marshall.