Yoga and smoothies won’t save you from burnout: how to build a real system to support employee well-being

In one of the episodes from Season 2 of the series Severance, after a major employee rebellion, the company “took action.” But no, they didn’t change the system or their management approach. Instead, they added new donut flavors and expanded the snack selection. And started actively promoting it.

This is a satire on how some HR teams and company leaders try to “buy off” employees instead of implementing real change.

Unfortunately, in many companies, well-being programs become just another form of these "donuts"—a superficial offering instead of a real solution. “Here are 150 activities—participate and be happy.” This often doesn't work and can even backfire.

That’s why today I want to talk more about what real well-being support looks like and how to make it the foundation of company culture and a truly human-centered approach.

From a set of perks to a system of well-being support

Just a few years ago, many companies viewed employee well-being as a collection of “nice-to-have” perks: free lunches, gym discounts, or a subscription to online meditation apps. These were one-off, reactive efforts—implemented because others were doing it, or because employees asked.

Now, in an era of high stress and complexity, companies are moving from isolated perks to a systemic approach to employee well-being.

A systemic approach means well-being becomes part of the company’s strategy, culture, and management practices.

This requires companies to:

• Conduct regular assessments of employee needs across different groups.

• Address multiple aspects of life, from professional to personal.

• Engage leaders in well-being efforts and turn them into ambassadors.

• Integrate well-being into all people management processes.

Real and lasting well-being begins with changes to the culture and leadership system.

Leadership culture: personal example and relationships

How a leader treats their team and how they approach well-being is the cornerstone of a caring culture.

In fact, relationships with one’s direct manager often impact mental health as much—or more—than family relationships. This is confirmed by research and the lived experience of thousands of employees.

If a company claims to value work-life balance, but managers reward overwork, employees will follow the unspoken rules. This leads to increased burnout and a decline in trust.

That’s why leaders must become champions of well-being. What helps:

• Training leaders on well-being and introducing them to human-centered and “employee happiness management” approaches.

• Practicing well-being in their own lives—leaders should lead by example.

• Coaching and mentoring, including personal support for well-being development.

• Training on burnout, empathy, and emotional intelligence.

• Incorporating one-on-one check-ins with a focus on well-being.

Culture is built by those who live it every day— by managers.

Psychological safety and burnout prevention

Burnout is one of today’s most urgent topics. According to Gallup (2023), 76% of employees experience burnout symptoms at least sometimes. It’s a global challenge, especially in hybrid and remote work environments.

The truth is: burnout can’t be solved on the individual level alone. “Teach them how to deal with burnout” simply doesn’t work—the system needs to change.

For example: if a company builds a great gym but doesn’t adjust workloads or schedules, employees won’t have time to use it. That only increases stress—now they feel they should go to the gym, but can’t.

Or, if a manager constantly violates boundaries, expects employees to always be online, and fails to give positive feedback—that also damages mental health.

Equally important is a culture of psychological safety. It should be normal to:

• Talk openly about burnout risks and symptoms.

• Discuss prevention methods.

• Address the systemic causes.

Open communication, regular feedback loops, and listening to employees—this is what creates a real culture of care.

I could recommend one episode of our Podcast Happy@Work with Sarah Siyani Chartered FCIPD to know more about it

Comprehensive well-being programs tailored to employee needs

The same program or benefit can be perceived very differently depending on the person. Some need childcare support, others care more about financial planning. One employee may need medical assistance, another values regular exercise.

That’s why leading companies adopt segmentation and personalization. One of the most relevant today is the employee lifecycle and profiling approach. In our projects, we use design thinking combined with quantitative data analysis.

If you’d like to learn more about our method—feel free to contact met.

Many companies also build programs that address different areas of the "wheel of balance". Popular areas include:

• Physical and mental health

• Career and professional well-being

• Financial well-being

• Social and relational well-being

You could use the Gallup model, but we adapt it to company context—for example, separating mental and physical health or adding other custom dimensions depending on employee and organizational needs.

A systemic approach means offering support in each of these areas, tailored to company culture, geography, and the demographic and family profiles of employees.

The role of communication in people-centric culture

When we talk about communications in the context of a people-centered culture, the focus on transparent and open communications is very important. Regularly informing employees about the strategy, changes that are taking place, being ready to answer their questions and discuss difficult topics. All of this contributes to a culture in which people feel comfortable working.

If we talk about special well-being program this is not enough to make it. It does not work without ongoing communication.

Effective communication must be:

• Customized (by channels and content)

• Regular

• Consistent

It’s not enough to send one announcement about great new perks. You need ongoing stories, examples, reminders, and practical tips.

Equally important is educational communication: many employees don’t know what well-being is, why it matters, or how to care for it. What’s obvious to experts may not be to employees. That’s why many companies run happiness marathons—something I’ve written about before on my blog.

How to know if your company is on the right track?

Ask yourself—and your company—a few honest questions:

• Do we truly want employees to recover and thrive, or are we just following the human-centric trend?

• Do we genuinely encourage vacation and rest, or is it silently punished with career stagnation?

• Can we talk about mental health openly—and can we bring it up with our manager?

• Do our leaders recognize burnout in their teams and model healthy behavior—or are they burning out themselves and expecting others to do the same?

Employees can feel it when “care” is just a façade.

And no amount of Headspace subscriptions can compensate for the sense that all this talk of “human-centeredness” is just PR.

That’s why the path to employee well-being and happiness should start not with fruit in the kitchen, but with revisiting leadership, culture, and behavior.