Employee wellbeing is essential for a resilient and productive workforce. When people are genuinely supported and valued, they’re more engaged, motivated, and loyal.

Historically, most workplace wellbeing initiatives have focused on Support, offering help only once employees start experiencing challenges. While support is essential, we’re seeing that this reactive approach alone isn’t enough to create a resilient workplace culture. To make workplace wellbeing a reality we need to embed it into the core of our organisations – and we find our Prevent, Enable, Support model helps provide a continuous, structured approach to building a healthy workplace culture.

Why Invest in Workplace Wellbeing?

Higher employee wellbeing significantly boosts productivity, loyalty, and profitability, while reducing turnover – making it a key driver of business success. A large-scale meta-analysis of 339 studies involving 1.8 million employees across 82,000 business units found strong positive correlations between wellbeing and performance outcomes. Conducted across diverse industries, the research highlights that when organisations prioritise wellbeing, they see tangible improvements in their bottom line, reinforcing the powerful business case for investing in employee wellbeing.

The Prevent, Enable, Support Model

Our model breaks down wellbeing into three key stages, each addressing a different aspect of the journey:

Prevent: Building a Foundation for Wellbeing

Prevention is all about creating a healthy environment that reduces risks before they escalate. This includes:

• Skilled Managers: Managers play a crucial role in promoting wellbeing. They need strong people management skills as well as an understanding of mental health. Training managers in these areas can make a significant difference in team morale and resilience.
• Psychologically Safe Environment: Employees need to be able to express themselves without fear of judgement or reprisal, and to be comfortable discussing their wellbeing openly.
• Regular Practice Reviews: Routine evaluations of workplace practices help identify stressors and risks before they become major issues.
• Impossible Workloads: Monitoring and adjusting workloads helps prevent stress from accumulating, supporting a sustainable work pace and productivity.

A preventative approach addresses underlying causes, setting the stage for a resilient workforce.

Enable: Empowering Employees to Thrive

Once a solid foundation is in place, the next step is empowering employees to reach their full potential:

• Development Opportunities: Continuous skills development boosts confidence, which in turn enhances wellbeing.
• Focused Wellbeing Programmes: Targeted support, like resilience or stress management training, gives employees practical tools to manage their wellbeing proactively.
• Supportive Culture: Creating a culture that values growth and support encourages employees to bring their best selves to work.

When employees feel empowered, they’re more likely to stay engaged and motivated.

Support: Offering Help When It’s Needed

Even with the best preventative measures, some employees will need additional support. The Support pillar ensures that resources are there when they’re most needed:

• Targeted Interventions: Employees facing stress, burnout, or poor mental health benefit from resources like counselling, wellbeing days, or flexible working options.
• Continuous Support Systems: Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) and Wellbeing Ambassadors / Mental Health First Aiders, show employees that support is always available. These resources are often underutilised due to low awareness, so make sure employees are informed and encouraged to use them.
• Building Community: Encouraging open discussions around mental health creates a supportive environment, helping employees feel they’re not alone.

Accessible support ensures that employees can get help when they need it, reducing absenteeism and maintaining productivity.

Bringing the Model to Life in Your Organisation

Here’s how to start embedding wellbeing into your workplace with our Prevent, Enable, Support model:

• Assess Your Current Practices: Our Wellbeing Diagnostic offers insights into your organisation’s strengths and areas for improvement in wellbeing. It’s a free tool that gives you a comprehensive starting point.
• Equip Managers with the Right Skills: Managers are crucial in setting the tone for wellbeing. Investing in their training can make a profound difference across the organisation.
• Establish Clear Support Channels: Make sure employees know where to go for help, whether it’s HR, EAPs, or other resources. Transparent, accessible support is essential.
• Regularly Evaluate and Adjust: Wellbeing is an ongoing journey. Keep monitoring the impact of your initiatives and adapt them as your team’s needs evolve.

Ready to Begin?

Ready to begin?  Try our Wellbeing Diagnostic to see where your organisation stands and discover practical steps to create a thriving workplace culture.

Let’s Tackle These Challenges Together

At Willow & Puddifoot, we’re passionate about helping businesses overcome these common people challenges. Whether you’re looking to develop stronger leaders, improve employee wellbeing, or strengthen team dynamics, we’re here to support you every step of the way.

Check out our website at willowandpuddifoot.com to explore how we can help your organisation thrive.

About the Author

Louise Puddifoot is the founder of Willow & Puddifoot, a training provider for those seeking transformative learning and development experiences. With a vibrant learning and development career spanning over two decades, Louise’s expertise lies in leadership and management development. She is passionate about enabling potential and catalysing growth in individuals and businesses alike.