What is the ethical issue?

Wellbeing, put simply, is about ‘how we are doing’ as individuals. It includes the physical and mental wellbeing of employees in a workplace, and signifies the importance of ensuring they are happy, healthy and motivated.

In 2015/2016, the official Labour Force Survey reported that the number of working days lost to stress, anxiety and depression reached 11.7 million. According to research by recruitment consultancy Robert Walters, 88% of professionals believe that employers have a responsibility to support and enhance employee wellbeing.

Organisations are also becoming more aware of the need to develop and embed effective employee wellbeing programmes. It is no longer adequate to simply add green plants to the office or offer weekly fruit deliveries.

Without a positive and progressive approach to mental health and wellbeing, organisations run the risk of not moving with the times. With younger generations more attuned to, and open about, mental health in the workplace, an obstructive or unhelpful approach within a company or its senior management could cause recruitment and retainment issues.

IBE Guidance

A summary of good practice

• Organisations need think holistically about employee wellbeing, and develop a wellbeing strategy that goes deeper than superficial initiatives and is informed by the company’s ethical values.
• Focus should be given to creating a culture of openness and support, which encourages employees to discuss concerns with line managers, while also providing opportunities for teamwork and enjoyment, such as sport, which creates a stronger working community.
• A supportive tone from the top, with a formalised position on wellbeing, sends a message to employees that their welfare and happiness matters. Organisations may choose to empower and train line managers to notice signs of faltering wellbeing and initiate early intervention, as well as introducing flexible working arrangements to meet employees needs.
• By establishing a supportive and happy culture, organisations are more likely to secure and retain the best talent. In turn, organisations can be rewarded with employees that want to uphold a culture of integrity which will prove intrinsic to the company’s long-term success.

Further resources