2. Design workplaces that support wellbeing:
How a workplace is structured can directly impact employee wellbeing. Employees need clearly defined roles, fair workloads, and flexibility to balance their professional and personal lives. Putting flexible policies into practice—such as hybrid or remote work options, compressed work schedules, and mental health programs—can empower employees to effectively manage daily stressors while maintaining productivity. Such policies can also allow employees to better manage personal responsibilities, such as caregiving, and reduce routine stresses caused by extreme weather or unreliable transportation.
Attention should also be paid to the physical work environment which can play a significant role in promoting employee wellbeing. Spaces such as quiet zones, prayer rooms, and relaxation areas provide opportunities for employees to decompress, reset, and manage stress throughout the day. By designing workplaces that foster both mental and physical wellbeing, organizations can seek to address a broader spectrum of workplace stressors more holistically.
Wellbeing policies or relaxation spaces will not reduce burnout alone. Such initiatives are only successful if employees are aware of their existence, trust their effectiveness, and feel comfortable using them. Organizations should underpin their efforts with an evidence-based wellbeing strategy, informed by wellbeing maturity assessment tools. This can help them to identify the current status of their wellbeing initiatives, including what is working effectively, and any areas requiring improvement.
Such data-driven wellbeing programs, tracking the impact of wellbeing initiatives over time and enabling continuous improvement, can help to embed good wellbeing practices into corporate culture. They become even more powerful when backed up with people-driven support. This might include creating “Wellbeing Ambassadors” and networks of peer support sharing knowledge across teams. This helps to ensure that wellbeing remains a shared responsibility by all employees working toward a healthier, happier organization.
3. Celebrating and including employees:
Employees who feel valued bring their best and whole selves to work. Recognition is not just a morale booster; it’s a proven driver of engagement and retention. According to one study, employees in the United States who received meaningful recognition were 45 percent less likely to leave their jobs.5
Employee recognition is relatively easy to do but is often hard to make meaningful to the individual. Simple, consistent efforts like peer shoutouts, team celebrations, and formal awards can help boost morale and reinforce appreciation. Having the freedom to practice mindfulness, take breaks, and set personal limits are also small but powerful ways stay healthy at work.
Today’s workforce is, however, more complex. It often spans multiple generations, each with different expectations around feedback and motivation, and each with unique work schedules and practices. Such a workforce brings diverse experiences, communication styles, and perspectives. As employees move through different life stages, they face unique, generation-specific challenges that might require more tailored support. Caregiving responsibilities or the management of health-related transitions like menopause can often be masked or overlooked, adding to an individual’s stress.
Inclusion is critical to wellbeing. Organizations should aim for more targeted recognition which is meaningful to all employees, allowing them to feel seen and valued. When employees feel they belong and trust that their voice matters, they’re more engaged, resilient, and less prone to burn out.
A truly inclusive workplace not only recognizes burnout but aims to prevent it. Individuals who are prompted and empowered to take charge of their own wellbeing find they can manage their stress better. Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)6, open discussion forums, regular engagement surveys and inclusion training can all help employees feel they are not only well supported by their organization but are taking charge of their own wellbeing too.
4. Take collective action to bring about change:
Addressing common workforce issues also requires a collective approach. Governments, academic institutions and activists can all play a role in workplace wellbeing, giving employees a voice that is heard. Even small actions, like micro-feminism initiatives, where employees support and uplift female colleagues in meetings, can help foster a culture of respect and psychological safety. When the right support is provided, wellbeing in the workplace becomes a collective success.
- Governments can help drive meaningful change by establishing policies that promote wellbeing in the workplace, enforcing fair labor practices, and providing economic stability measures that help reduce employee stress. Looking after employee welfare also ensures compliance with labor laws and ethical business practices.
- Academic institutions are also crucial in educating individuals about mental health and wellbeing, equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to foster a supportive environment both in the workplace and in their personal lives.
