Thriving at work

Making wellbeing work

Wellbeing at work is both one of the most important and least well understood topics in the workplace. Whether it’s over-simplified solutions, token gestures towards physical employee wellbeing, or wholesale adoption of fads, organisations can end up spending a great deal with little to no return.

Worse still, some interventions can actually have a negative impact on employee wellbeing, when they’re inaccessible, based on pseudo-science, or are offered without any consideration for the organisational context and actual employee needs.

To put it another, simpler way: why are you offering yoga classes when the root cause of absence is poor manager behaviour? Why are you organising another ‘step count challenge’ while your employees are dealing with unsustainable workloads?

Over the next few months, we’ll be publishing a series of podcast episodes, YouTube videos and blog posts focused on workplace wellbeing and how to improve it. Some of this will provide valuable insights for organisational decision-makers, while some will give individual employees another perspective on what they can do to boost their own wellbeing.

Wellbeing training

New course: Thriving with Psychological Flexibility

In addition to our existing wellbeing courses, we’re delighted to launch a new, wellbeing-focused course for 2024. ‘Thriving with Psychological Flexibility’ covers the key skills that contribute to enhanced psychological flexibility and teaches delegates how to apply them to boost their own wellbeing. The course is designed on a blended learning model, comprising self-directed e-learning, combined with a series of interactive webinars.

Delegates will learn how to think of their wellbeing in a more joined-up and holistic way. They’ll identify the improvements they want to make, and they’ll learn how to use the skills that boost our psychological flexibility to take the necessary steps to get there.

Find out more!

Our approach to wellbeing

We work with an inclusive and joined-up perspective on wellbeing. Firstly, workplace wellbeing isn’t just the absence of illness or injury. That, frankly, is the bare minimum organisations should be getting right. Rather, workplace wellbeing includes support for physical, psychological and social wellbeing.

As scientists, we emphasise putting the scientific evidence to work, creating solutions and interventions that actually have a positive impact. Decades of quality research have highlighted the factors that support human thriving at work. And while some – like effective job design – might not be trendy, they’re the key foundations of good work.

We’re all about getting the essentials right.

Our goal is to help people better understand wellbeing at work, be inspired to do something about it, and improve as many people’s experience of work as possible.

Key components of Wellbeing

Psychological Wellbeing

Employees’ psychological wellbeing is not simply the absence of diagnosable mental health conditions. Our psychological wellbeing at work is impacted by our opportunities to use our skills and feel an appropriate level of challenge in our work, to deal with a manageable workload, to receive actionable and timely feedback from colleagues, to understand the contribution we’re making and our connection with the bigger picture of our organisation. We need to see the value in our work and be able to bring our values to life in simple ways.

Our psychological wellbeing is supported when we learn how to effectively deal with the inevitable setbacks and challenges that come with work. When we’re able to balance the responsibilities of our various professional and personal roles and manage the boundaries between them in an intentional and sustainable way.

Social wellbeing

Humans are inherently social beings. We look to connect with those around us, and when our desired level of connection is absent, we experience loneliness and all its toxic consequences. Over time, loneliness not only impacts our psychological wellbeing, it also negatively affects our immune system.

Employees’ social wellbeing is improved by cultivating psychological safety in the workplace, encouraging and facilitating authentic connection and conversation, and making time for people to collaborate and support each other. How can we connect as humans when our interaction is simple a series of end-to-end online meetings? When chatting over the coffee machine is actively discouraged? When individuals’ needs for connection and conversation with their colleagues are ignored?

Physical Wellbeing

Frequently neglected when it comes to workplace wellbeing, a focus on our physical selves is integral to any wellbeing initiative. This isn’t about competing to win a race or participate in an endurance sport! Our psychological wellbeing is boosted by our physical wellbeing, and of course the inverse is true.

The bottom line is that work shouldn’t make us sick. Employees need to know how to take effective breaks from work, how to use their technology in healthy ways, how to invest in their sleep and recovery, and build movement into their work routines. This is especially important for employees working in shifts, in sedentary roles, or in highly pressurised environments.

How we can help you thrive!

Wellbeing coaching

If your goal is to make changes to boost your wellbeing, we’re here to help. No fads or fashions, no magic bullets. Just simple, evidence-based methods that help you overcome self-limiting beliefs, cultivate new and healthy behaviours, and achieve the goals that are authentic and meaningful to you.

We can help you develop healthier and more sustainable ways of coping with stress and setbacks. We can help you build your resilience to better deal with life’s challenges. We can help you re-prioritise your wellbeing and take action that makes a difference.

Find out more about our approach to coaching here.

Wellbeing workshops

For one-off or occasional wellbeing events, we can add real value and impact with a wellbeing-focused workshop for your employees. With a wide range of relevant and evidence-based sessions to choose from, attendees will gain valuable insights and actionable tips for boosting their wellbeing at work. Sessions can be delivered in person or via webinar.

Regardless of the medium, we’ll supply a full pack of digital resources so attendees can continue their learning and application after the event.

Wellbeing programmes

If you’re considering a wellbeing initiative for your organisation this year, talk to us! We can support in the design and delivery of programmes, from start to finish. Providing a truly blended learning approach, we offer modules on wellbeing topics as varied as sleep, emotional literacy, resilience, boundary management and social connection. Avoid the myths, side-step the fads. Let us build you an evidence-based, engaging and impactful wellbeing programme.

With the help of our own online learning platform, we can provide delegates with engaging digital content to bring them up to speed, interactive workshops to explore skills, and the space to practice apply their skills in the real world.

Wellbeing Resources

Thriving at Work videos

Thriving at Work blog posts