Rewriting our responsibilities to our people

Key takeaways from day 3 of the Work:Reimagined Festival

Since the beginning of lockdown mental wellness has rightly leapt to the top of the nation’s agenda; and businesses are rethinking and prioritising how best to support employee wellbeing.

Wednesday at the Work: Reimagined festival was all about wellness. Across three events, we focussed on the mental wellbeing of employees and the responsibilities of employers.

Here’s a round up of Day 3 of the Work Reimagined Festival.

• Let’s talk about mental fitness. Mental fitness is something to be invested in, in the same way as we invest in our physical fitness through sport. The metaphor goes further, says one of News UK’s Creative Directors, “if you think of sports, it often involves community or a team. Taking mental fitness seriously is fundamental to the success of any community, whether that’s a family or business’.
• We can be proactive, and not just reactive. There are moments in life when we are likely to be under more stress than usual - these are ‘life-quake moments’. They could include moving house, returning after having a baby, starting a new job or even homeschooling during a pandemic. Whilst most businesses are getting better at supporting their people after an incident, we can do a better job at pre-empting these moments and being ready to offer the right support at the right time.
• With support we can adapt our mindset. Rubens, Head of Spells at Abracademy, used magic in the afternoon to open us up to the idea of embracing the unknown. Uncertainty can evoke feelings of anxiety and stress, but with the right mindset can equally evoke curiosity. We can learn to embrace different mindsets with the right support. At Bupa, for instance, employees have access to free CBT sessions, to help build healthy ways of thinking.
• Everyday rituals can be mindful. Asking open ended questions like ‘how was your weekend?’ instead of, ‘Hope you had a good weekend’ is a simple way of building connection. Likewise, daily rituals like Stand Ups (where teams typically list their daily work tasks) can be adapted to also include activities each member of the team plans to do for their mental wellbeing, like going for a walk over lunch.

There’s lots of work to be done: according to a CIPD survey in 2020, 90% of us would lie about the reason for a day off, if the real reason was mental health related.

• We need a balanced approach. ‘We’re not robots and there isn’t a one size fits all’ says Dr Anastasia Dedyukhina, bestselling author and founder of Consciously Digital. Technology has no doubt played a huge role in keeping people and businesses connected during the pandemic, it’s unlikely one mental health-related app is the answer. We need to build a suite of resources to support the differing needs of employees.
• Nobody knows you better than yourself. Taking personal accountability for mental fitness gives a better and more personalised outcome. Lisa Bent, Author and HR professional, says ‘no one knows you better than you know yourself; where and when you work best, what gives you energy, and when you need that human interaction.”
• Leaders need to champion employee wellness initiatives. At Microsoft, employees are making time to share their mental health stories. As one Microsoft employee shared, “many of our leaders have stepped up and started sharing their personal experiences, helping remove any stigma.” The company’s mental health initiative, Microsoft Cares, offers in-person, digital, and telephone counselling as well as support groups and workshops for all employees.

The conversation about mental wellbeing has progressed well as more businesses have come to recognise its importance. There’s no doubt businesses are engaging with their people more around the topic and grappling with how to continue to take care of employees during a period of sustained change. As we move into the new hybrid world of work, we’ll have to continue to adapt so our work lives and home lives can find a new balance.

Thanks to Jassi, Gemma and Team Work:Reimagined.