The Debate: Should bosses dictate wellbeing policies?

Wellbeing policies are all the rage – but are they being dictated by the right people? Our columnists battle it out.

The Debate: Should bosses dictate wellbeing policies?

Yes: Businesses should be the protectors of their people and take responsibility for their welfare

We are a modern, progressive business with a diverse, global workforce, and while there is no doubt that a one-size-fits-all approach to employee wellbeing is unsuitable, I think it’s important that employers remain in control of devising wellbeing policies to ensure consistency and fairness across the whole workforce.

If wellbeing programmes are left to the individual to initiate, they will likely be inconsistent and perhaps unfair. Everyone has a view on what wellbeing looks like, so where do you draw
the line?

I strongly believe that businesses – and the leaders who run them – need to be the protectors of their people, and from a wellbeing perspective businesses must be set up appropriately to ensure all individuals are catered for and feel valued. Employers have a responsibility to prioritise the wellbeing of their workers – and not put the responsibility on employees to be in charge of their wellbeing at work.

Challenges will inevitably arise if, despite duty of care to your employees, an employer is seen to be uncaring.

Every business is different and will be impacted by external decisions such as this week’s Employment Rights Bill. Such decisions not only impact the way businesses are able to hire talent, but how they retain it by keeping individuals motivated, which is why wellbeing should be led from the top so that businesses can remain agile in response to external influences.

While wellbeing is a constantly evolving area in line with changing employee needs, the fact remains that employers must be the owners of these valuable initiatives and take responsibility, to ensure their people have everything they need to succeed.

JP Caffery is founder and CEO at RAMP.Global

UK companies will be told this week to give their employees the “right to switch off”. The Employment Rights Bill, to be announced today, will address a number of rights for UK workers, including the right to disconnect outside normal working hours.

It has thrust the discussion about employee wellbeing into the limelight – and as a business owner on a mission to revolutionise employee wellness programmes, I think it’s about time.
Employee wellness initiatives have come to the forefront of HR policy in recent years. Protecting the wellbeing of staff has become essential for not just looking after your people but for having a hugely positive impact on the success of the business.

However, progress has slowed to a crawl and employees’ wellbeing has become another task to tick off the list.

In many cases, wellbeing initiatives have become a dictatorship.

They’re too prescriptive and too focused on ‘what’ they offer, rather than ‘why’. You know the ones – gym discounts, fruit bowls in the kitchen, pizza Fridays… The ‘why’ is neglected – the need to provide real support, for real people, with varied wants and needs.

You can tick the boxes, but can you say you really support your employees on an individual level?
Instead, involve employees in the decisionmaking process so they get to choose which benefits support them best, rather than dictating benefits that just don’t resonate – this will ensure your employees feel supported, and that they’re not merely surviving but thriving.

Rethinking employee wellbeing programmes is how HR teams can transform employee engagement and have a huge impact on business success as a result.

Steph Hind is co-founder of Heka

The Verdict: What is ‘wellbeing’ anyway?

Once upon a time there was no such thing as wellbeing – although that time was quite a while ago, predating 1948 when the WHO thought it up. What is it? “Pizza Fridays” according to Hind, are insufficient and top down – but it’s not clear exactly what she thinks will do the trick. Her argument for a collaborative approach to choosing wellbeing makes sense so you don’t waste money.

Caffery’s argument – that employers should take responsibility for how they treat their workers – is hard to argue with, though it does come across a little patronising. And what is responsibility? Can an employer not be responsible at the helm of a democratic wellbeing initiative?

Caffery’s thesis that wellbeing policy should be consistent is convincing in part – group experiences like said pizza night can foster meaningful connections. But if ‘wellbeing’ refers to mental health etc, presumably there will have to be some tailoring.

Ultimately it’s hard to argue bosses shouldn’t think about wellbeing, but beware not to ‘wellbeing wash’. A decent salary, facilities and treatment at work should all take precedent over any compulsory axe throwing trips.