Rajashree Srivastava (She/Her) PhD’s Post

😦 Workplace wellbeing programs don’t work 😦 That’s the conclusion of a recent study conducted by William Fleming at Oxford University. I’ve been designing and delivering wellbeing training and coaching for over 25 years. But you know what? I’m not at all shocked by this finding. How come? Because I know that most workplaces fail to take account of what works when delivering workplace wellbeing initiatives. In all my years in the health and wellbeing business, I’ve learned that to get results you MUST consider the following factors: 🗣 Health and wellbeing are impacted by BOTH individual and environmental factors It’s well known that several personal factors such as early life experience and lifestyle, have an influence on our wellbeing. But our environment is also massively important. Therefore, an employee could be the healthiest it is possible to be, but if their workplace is toxic, it’s likely they won’t be happy at work. This means that to support employee wellbeing effectively, workplaces need to implement a combination of measures targeted at both the individual AND the environment. Focusing on one without the other is a false economy. 🤗 Human wellbeing is diverse……. so one size DOES NOT fit all! As an employer, you just can’t deliver a stress management workshop and then pat yourself on the back. The reality is, workforces are made up of people with a range of unique experiences and needs. That’s why the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommend a tiered approach to employee wellbeing. This involves providing a range of support to suit differing need. 👩🔬 The best programs are backed by expertise and evidence 👩⚕️ You might not know this, but most workplace wellbeing providers, while well-intentioned, have no training or professional expertise in health and wellbeing. You wouldn’t get a weekend DIYer to build your house, so why are employers entrusting the health of their people to unqualified service providers? Moreover, a good proportion of the services delivered in this market are neither evidence-based nor proven to be effective. What that means is many of the wellbeing initiatives being delivered in our workplaces are not robust and are unlikely to get results. ❓ So should workplaces stop delivering wellbeing programs? I don’t think so. They just need to DO IT RIGHT!! #workplacewellbeing #healthandwellness #mentalhealthandwellbeing

Wellbeing Unleashed: The Proactive EAP Revolution When employers and leaders effectively utilise and promote Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) in their workplaces, they reap the rewards!! EAPs play a crucial role in supporting employees’ mental & emotional well-being, & it’s essential to ensure they are valued & actively used. How do employers & leaders do this? 1. Shift the Mindset: * Employees using your EAP program is a good thing - it’s a positive sign. It doesn’t indicate failure; instead, it shows that employees are proactive about their well-being. * EAPs are not just a checkbox; they are a strategic investment in employee health and productivity. 2. Take a Proactive & Preventative Approach: * We need to shift from reactive troubleshooting to a proactive & preventative mindset. * EAPs should focus on early detection, identification, & resolution of work-related & personal problems. * By addressing issues proactively, businesses create a healthier work environment. Benefits for Employees: * Free Access: Employees & their families gain confidential access to mental health services. * Work-Life Balance: EAPs help manage work-life balance, reducing stress & burnout. * Confidentiality: Employers don’t need to know who accessed the EAP unless disclosed by the employee. Benefits for Businesses: * Happier Employees: Improved emotional well-being & work morale. * Reduced Absenteeism: Addressing personal & work-related issues. * Enhanced Productivity: A healthier workforce leads to better performance. * Positive Impact on Workers’ Compensation: EAPs correlate with reduced claims. Long-Term Sustainability: * EAPs should be part of a sustainable program that delivers lasting, measurable improvements across all levels of the organization. * Business owners must recognize the long-term value of investing in employee well-being. Success Factors for EAP Programs: * Leadership Buy-In: Leaders should actively promote & participate in EAP initiatives. * Communication: Regularly communicate the availability & benefits of EAPs to employees. * Integration: Integrate EAPs into broader well-being programs. * Training: Train managers to recognise signs of distress & refer employees to the EAP. EAP as the Difference-Maker: EAPs can be the difference that makes the difference: * They prevent small issues from escalating into larger problems. * They foster a supportive workplace culture. In summary, EAPs should be proactive, preventative, & sustainable. Business owners & leaders play a vital role in shaping the perception of EAPs & ensuring their success. IMPORTANT: HINT: A Proactive and preventative EAP approach needs to linked to a Workplace Wellbeing Strategy. Do you have a Wellbeing Strategy? We help business owners design and create a Wellbeing Strategy & Plan.

In a recent study, the percentage of employees who strongly agree their organization cares about their overall wellbeing tied to a record low of 21% in early 2024 and remains just above that mark. Some were accused of “carewashing,” where organizations provide superficial support for workplace wellbeing while neglecting the root causes of burnout. How is your organization avoiding this issue? According to the statistics, investing in corporate wellness will result in your employees being: 4.4 times as likely to be engaged at work 7 times as likely to strongly agree they would recommend their organization as a great place to work 73% less likely to feel burned out at work very often or always 53% less likely to be watching for or actively seeking a new job 50% more likely to be thriving in life mintea can help you design a sincere, effective program for the upcoming year for your employees. https://lnkd.in/dTis37dA

If you want to tackle employee well-being, you need to reconsider your strategy. Organizational changes > employee well-being interventions. $51 billion was spent by corporations on employee well-being initiatives in 2022. Burnout, work-stress and disengaged employee remains as prevalent an issue as ever. What needs to change: 🔁 Focus on the source of the issues. 🔁 Employee well-being programs may just be putting a band-aid over it. 🔁 Consider organizational changes. 🔁 Are your management properly equipped? Some quotes from the FT article which summarize this issue: “If there’s one thing that’s evidence-based and proven to have a negative impact on people’s mental health, it’s a toxic workplace culture,” “Not everybody is a people manager” "We’re rewarding behaviour that undermines people’s mental health, fuelling more of the same.” 💡 The 4 day work week is an example of an organizational change that aims to tackle the root of the well-being problems. By shifting a company's perspective from 'time spent' to 'output delivered', it paves the way for better employee well-being. If the workweek was capped at 32hr, employees would have more time for other activities in their own time that support their well-being. Employees working a 4 day week reported exercising x3 times more than those who worked a 5 day week. They also sleep more, spend more time with family, complete errands, spend time in nature or volunteering, when they work less. But the work still gets done. In fact, their productivity goes up, and their burnout, anxiety and stress, down. We're taking final registrations for our Global 4 Day Week Pilot Program, kicking off next month. We will support to in designing your shorter workweek over a course of workshops in the run up to the launch of the trial, which can begin when suits your organization best. If you're interested in hearing more about how the 4 day week can help your business grow, and your people flourish - DM us, and we will answer your questions.

𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐭𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐜 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 The first post I saw on LinkedIn this morning was from the inspirational Susan David, Ph.D. which stated that Harvard Business Review reports wellbeing has declined for 85% of employees. I was just about to do a different type of post on embodiment, when it got me thinking how these employees have embodied their toxic work cultures, and burnout is the symptom. I know because that's what I did too, and it's a similar story shared by many people I've spoken to who have experienced burnout. These 85% of employees are working so hard to fit into ways of working, that are not aligned to what enables them to do their best work. Instead the working practices in their organisations are focused on what leaders think is the most productive way to achieve desired profits. When burnout occurs in these types of organisations, because employees are expected to work excessively, this means self care goes out the window. 🤔 BUT what's the answer - as we really need the leaders in these types of organisations to sit up and take note, and prioritise employee wellbeing? 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞, 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐞𝐬. Whereby 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 - where leaders refer to employees in dehumanised terms such as: resources, talent, headcount, labour pool, dead wood, etc. They 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 - which places recognition and value on the employee experience. Looking at how each individual contributes uniquely towards the organisation, how to create an environment that enables individuals to do their best work. Where leaders refer to people by name and talking about "our people" or "the team" with pride. Because it's this type of organisation that would approach workplace wellbeing through the everyday care of their employees. Instead of taking a tick box approach to wellbeing, due to a lack of connection or care with employees as individuals with unique needs. An organisation that cares for their employees wellbeing needs everyday would have healthy working practices, regular check in's, training and support available. As this acknowledges that workplace wellbeing is part of the organisations continuous improvement, because as people age and navigate lifes ups and downs, both inside and outside the work environment, we have changing needs. The next question is - who will leaders really take notice of when it comes to changing the narrative around workplace wellbeing? #burnout #workplacewellbeing #employeewellbeing #businessleadership #management #humanresources #futureofwork

$51 billion is no small amount to spend in an attempt to resolve issues of toxic stress and employee burnout issues. 💵 Without change, it will be extremely difficult to improve employee well-being, retention, and productivity. 😵💫 Do you think a shorter #4DWW could most effectively solve these issues? Check out the article from the Financial Times below to learn about new workplace findings, what needs to change, and testimonials from other techniques. 👇 #employeewellbeing #worklifebalance #4dayworkweek

Recent FT article on employee well-being: Wellbeing programs are booming, but so is employee stress and burnout! - Despite billions spent on initiatives like mindfulness apps and workshops, employee wellbeing is suffering, raising questions about their effectiveness. - Many companies struggle to measure the impact of wellbeing programs. - There's a lack of evidence-based approaches, and employees often don't utilize the available resources. - Focusing solely on "perks" won't cut it: Systemic issues like toxic workplace culture, poor management, and demanding work practices need to be addressed first. - Supporting well-being requires a cultural shift: Companies should prioritize selecting and training managers with strong interpersonal skills and create an environment where employees feel supported. “Not everybody is a people manager with the skills to manage supportively"

Today I was fortunate to be able to attend The Resilience Project’s Workplace Wellbeing Webinar, hosted by Hugh van Cuylenburg. Leaders in the Wellbeing space for Medibank Erin Gooey, Qantas’ Brooke Dwyer and NAB’s Mel Wainwright were panelists that spoke about more than just what wellbeing is and why it’s important for the workplace, but provided overviews of some of the successful initiatives that have been incorporated throughout the businesses and some of the learnings along the way. *My core takeaways:* 📝 Understand staff needs. E.g. via surveys. My note on this - must ensure a psychologically safe environment where feedback is genuinely valued and acted upon - it seems that NAB, Medibank and Qantas are doing this given the feedback they receive from staff. 🗣 Maintain an ongoing dialogue about wellbeing to foster a supportive workplace culture. 👂 Demonstrate openness to feedback, showing a willingness to listen and make necessary adjustments based on staff input. ⚠ The critical role of leadership in exemplifying wellbeing practices. 📈 Upskilling for leaders and potential leaders, particularly those with technical backgrounds, to develop their people management skills and authentic connection. NB: Ensure potential leaders are willing participants on the leadership trajectory. *Key initiatives included:* 🗓 Medibank, in collaboration with Macquarie University, is halfway through a 6-month trial of a 4-day work week, aiming to enhance productivity and work-life balance. -> The trial faced challenges in identifying and eliminating low-value tasks without affecting other business areas. -> A significant reduction in the number and duration of meetings has been observed, emphasising the need for purposeful meetings. -> Interim results show positive outcomes: increased work engagement, reduced staff turnover, a 13% boost in overall health, more employees exercising, and better work detachment. 🔆 Medibank has appointed wellbeing champions in all business sectors to facilitate the spread of wellbeing practices and learning. 🧘♂️ Initiatives like '2 min moves' and 'Wellness Wednesday' offer bite-sized wellness tips and exercises. 📱 For Qantas (& NAB/MB) learning is customised to suit different employee types and availability, ensuring relevance and application of feedback e.g. ‘micro-learning’ for front-line staff. ⛔ NAB has implemented a no-meeting window on Wednesday mornings to allow for uninterrupted work time and focus on other needs e.g. own development. Front-line staff have other benefits during this window. 🧡 A 'Wellness Bank' provides resources for physical, social, financial, and mental wellbeing to employees at any time. 🧠 Training programs such as 'Discovering Resilience', 'GEM', 'Authentic Connection', and 'Understanding Bias' being rolled out to staff (Qantas & NAB). Finally: 😂 Incorporating joy and fun into learning and work can significantly enhance employee engagement and satisfaction.

Often I am asked by employers, what are the benefits to them offering employees access to an employee assistance programme (EAP)?. Here’s a small number of things to consider - 1. Improves Employee Wellbeing 🧘♂️ EAP’s offer confidential support for employees dealing with personal or work-related problems. This can include stress, anxiety, depression, family issues, substance abuse, and financial troubles. By providing access to professional help, you can improve overall employee wellbeing. 2. Enhances Productivity 👷♂️ Employees dealing with personal issues can be distracted, less focused, and less productive. EAP’s help employees address and manage their problems, leading to improved concentration and productivity at work. 3. Reduces Absenteeism 👩⚕️ Personal and mental health issues can lead to increased absenteeism. EAP’s help employees resolve their problems more quickly, reducing the amount of time they need to take off work. 4. Decreases Turnover Rates 📉 Employees are more likely to stay with a company that demonstrates concern for their well-being. Providing access to an EAP can increase job satisfaction and loyalty, reducing turnover rates and associated hiring and training costs. 5. Supports Mental Health 🧠 Mental health issues are increasingly recognised as critical to overall health. EAPs provide access to mental health resources, which can help prevent more serious health issues and promote a healthier work environment. 6. Improves Workplace Morale 😁 Knowing that their employer cares about their wellbeing can improve employees' morale and foster a supportive work culture. This positive environment can enhance teamwork, communication, and overall job satisfaction. 7. Compliance and Risk Management 🗃 Offering an EAP can help organisations comply with occupational health and safety regulations. It can also mitigate risks associated with employee wellbeing, potentially reducing the likelihood of workplace accidents or legal issues related to employee grievances. 8. Cost-Effective Solution 💰 While there is small a cost associated with providing an EAP, the return on investment can be significant. Reduced absenteeism, lower turnover rates, increased productivity, and fewer workplace conflicts can lead to substantial cost savings. 9. Attracts Talent 🙋♀️ Offering comprehensive benefits, including access to an EAP, can make your organisation more attractive to potential employees. It demonstrates that you are committed to supporting your employees' overall wellbeing. In conclusion, offering an EAP is a strategic investment in your employees' health and wellbeing that can lead to a more productive, satisfied, and stable workforce. If you would like to discuss this in further detail, do reach out to me and we can certainly schedule in a short call to talk through your options and costings associated with this support. 📧 Email – [email protected] 🔗 Alternatively send me a direct message via LinkedIn. 

A Workplace Wellbeing insights talk/session for London North Eastern Railway .....done 🎉🎉 Yesterday I had the pleasure of talking to the executive leadership group across Finance, Audit/Risk, Audit, Legal, Operations, and Technology at LNER as part of their People & Strategy session. Delivering a 45-minute talk around mental health & well-being in the rail industry, and provide up to date insights, trends, behaviours into workplace wellbeing. So they can ensure as leaders they are on track 🛤 (ok, pun intended!) to keep driving (and again!) forward their culture. As employers go, LNER is a great place to work. They're a top-class employer who are prioritsing employee mental health & wellbeing. With lots of regular, consistent initiatives with a proactive approach to keep listening and improving. James Downey - big thanks for the invitation to do this talk. Looking forward to keeping in touch with you and the team! When it comes to workplace wellbeing, I read a lot. I speak to lots of people. I hear the good - the not-so-good, and the downright horrible/toxic. I listen. I learn. Then look to share knowledge/best practice. So if you're having a finance team or broader leadership group session and want some wellbeing insights/trends that can help you on your workplace wellbeing journey then let me know! About me: "Beyond Recruitment" I'm a finance recruiter recruiting roles across Accountancy, Finance, Audit, Tax and Treasury. My finance recruitment company, Fide, is the only agency in the UK that gives each company/team I recruit for their own wellbeing budget (given as a % out of my recruitment fee). I'm also an MHFA England® instructor who does the role of a finance recruiter along with raising mental health awareness through my very own non profit. Through my non profit I: - Deliver Mental Health First Aid training - Provide one on one, pro-bono support to accountants struggling with their mental health. I also deliver sessions, workshops, talks & Q&As for finance teams, leadership teams and wider workplaces on any mental health, workplace wellbeing, Neurodiversity or people-related topic. Each tailored to every sector, team and workplace 👏 All subsidised or pay as you feel 👏 Did you know? Even if you don't have a role for me to recruit now, whatever you pay/donate to my non profit for a wellbeing workshop or talk, you can take it off a future piece of recruitment. So it technically it is free :) My companies: Fide - Ethical Finance Recruitment F=@#! Mental Health CIC #workplacewellbeing #wellbeingintheworkplace #ethicalrecruitment #mentalhealthawareness