WHY LEADERSHIP NEEDS TO FOCUS ON WELLBEING

As Mental Health Awareness Week approaches next week, it's an opportune moment for the C-Suite to reflect on their role in shaping workplace wellbeing. Many studies have highlighted that mental health is not merely a personal concern but a critical business issue impacting productivity, retention, and overall organisational performance. So, I’m taking a look here at some interesting insights into the impact that leadership can have on the wellbeing of their employees…

90% of C-Suite Executives Believe Their Company Promotes Worker Well-Being: Here’s the biggie, courtesy of Fortune… While the vast majority of senior execs believe that their organisations are supportive of mental health and wellbeing, only 60% of their employees agree. The stats come courtesy of the Deloitte Workplace Well-being Report, which also reveals that 84% of leaders believe their workers’ physical health is “excellent” or “good” and 78% believe their mental health is “excellent” or “good”. When it comes to the employees themselves, only 68% agree about the state of their physical health and 57% agree about their mental health. You can read more analysis of the report here - https://fortune.com/well/2024/06/21/worker-wellbeing-executive-knowledge-gap/

The Power of C-Suite: Boosting Employee Wellbeing and Corporate Success: Writing for Maddyness, Wellhub’s VP of UK & Ireland Luke Bullen claims that, as a team leader, the most important thing he can do is support his employees’ wellbeing, motivation and health. He discusses a report his company conducted, which surveyed 2,000 HR leaders from around the world. It found that the average employee participation rate in wellness programmes jumps to 80% when 70% or more of the C-Suite are actively engaged. When C-Suite leaders are disengaged from such programmes, he says, employees notice. “When leaders are visibly and actively involved in wellness programmes, it validates these initiatives and encourages widespread participation, leading to a healthier, happier, and more productive workforce.” You can learn more from Luke here - https://www.maddyness.com/uk/2024/06/25/the-power-of-c-suite-boosting-employee-wellbeing-and-corporate-success/

The Role of Leadership in Promoting Employee Wellness: Another article, this time from HR Director, which highlights that leaders set the tone for organisational culture. By modelling healthy behaviours, implementing supportive policies, and fostering a positive work environment, they can enhance employee morale, engagement, and retention. Such leadership practices not only benefit employees but also drive organisational success. “As the business world continues to evolve, the importance of leadership in promoting employee wellness will only grow, making it a key factor in achieving sustainable success.” The article includes some useful guidance, and highlights the benefits of leadership-driven initiatives. You can read more here - https://www.thehrdirector.com/features/employee-engagement/role-leadership-promoting-employee-wellness/

Hope: The Missing Ingredient in Leadership and Workplace Wellbeing: Hope is identified as a fundamental leadership trait that significantly impacts employee wellbeing, according to this analysis of the recent Gallup Global Leadership Report: What Followers Want by ChannelEye. It claims that Gallup’s research reveals that hope is directly linked to wellbeing: “When leaders combine hope with trust and either compassion or stability, thriving rises to 43%. These findings reinforce a simple truth: great leadership isn’t about power – it’s about uplifting those we lead.” It’s an interesting perspective, and you can learn more here - https://channeleye.media/hope-the-missing-ingredient-in-leadership-and-workplace-wellbeing/

New Data Reveals The Critical Importance of Mental Health Leadership at All Levels: And finally, a new report published just two weeks ago by the not-for-profit organisation One Mind At Work underpins the importance of C-Suite promoting wellbeing across the board. The report provides four key findings: C-suite support for mental health isn’t cascading. Executives are signalling that mental health matters, but many aren’t modelling healthy behaviours or holding others accountable; Managers are pivotal—but need support. They shape the daily experience of employees, yet few are equipped to personalise and champion mental health at the team level; Boards are lagging behind. Despite their oversight role, most boards are not meaningfully engaged in workforce mental health strategy; Employee leadership is untapped. Workers can be powerful change agents, but their insights and influence remain largely underleveraged. You can download the full report here - https://mentalhealthindex.org/2025-annual-report/

Don’t forget that the games industry has the brilliant Safe In Our World organisation which provides tools and resources to support both leadership and individuals in their wellbeing. Learn more here - https://safeinourworld.org