WTW's Wendy Poiror co-writes article on employee wellbeing

WTW Global Wellbeing Leader Wendy Poirier has co-written an article for The Chief Executive which looks at how employers are investing significant time and resources in wellbeing initiatives but are not making meaningful progress on outcomes. It’s time for a reset, they say.

"Employers are investing significant time and resources in wellbeing initiatives but are not making meaningful progress on outcomes. It’s time for a reset," suggests Wendy.

"Unrealistic expectations, 24/7 emails, taking calls on holidays, managers and leaders who lack empathy - all these workplace norms adversely affect wellbeing," shares Wendy.

Pervasive challenges to be well

Employees face pervasive challenges to be well. The emergence of hybrid work is affecting quality and quantity of social interactions. Costs of living have increased significantly while real wages have been slow to catch up.

Affordability and access to quality health care has been a challenge. Retirement savings may not be enough to maintain adequate living standards. The seemingly sudden and rapid spread of generative AI is causing concerns about job security. Rising geopolitical tensions and climate change are raising sustainability concerns. And they all combine to create high levels of stress and anxiety.

According to Wendy, improving employee wellbeing outcomes requires a deeper understanding of how programs, policies, leadership and culture affect wellbeing – to employers’ advantage or detriment – and of which levers to pull and when.

These include:

Going back to basics
Cultural ambassadors – front line managers.
Engaging business leaders.
The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
Measurement.

Changing the approach to bring about real change

"We need to change the scope of our approach to bring about real change. We need executives to lead the charge. We need to objectively assess culture and business models. We need to cherish and support the role of the manager. And to start the process of laying a new and clearer path towards sustained employee wellbeing, we need to talk," explains Wendy.

Read the full article.