Here's how to make workplace well-being programmes better

Maximising a programme's impact requires careful attention to not only the content but also how it's implemented.

- Jolanta Burke

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has just published alarming statistics showing that employee mental health issues result in a US$1 trillion (S$1.3 trillion) loss in productivity each year. The WHO has called on employers to take urgent action by introducing comprehensive well-being programmes to tackle the escalating mental health crisis in the workplace.

But the problem is that many workplace well-being programmes don't work.

A British study which looked at 46,336 employees from 233 organisations found there was no evidence that a range of common workplace well-being initiatives - including mindfulness and stress management classes, one-to-one mental health coaching, well-being apps or volunteering work - improved employee well-being.

So, despite companies investing over US$60 billion annually worldwide in well-being programmes, they appear to make little impact.

There are a number of reasons why these programmes don't work - and understanding them is the only way companies will be able to make these programmes effective.

MOTIVATION CRUCIAL

Organisations often opt for easy-to-implement initiatives, such as hosting well-being talks or offering mindfulness or yoga classes. They then complain that employees don't attend or don't appreciate them.

Many employees say they don't attend these activities because they find them irrelevant, unhelpful, or they don't value them enough to attend - meaning their workplace has failed in identifying their needs.

Understanding what motivates people to participate in well-being programmes is crucial in improving their effectiveness.