Employee wellbeing - what would really help?

[paralysedbyinertia]

I'm starting a new job soon, and one of my first priorities will be to address the issue of staff wellbeing, which I understand has suffered over the last year for a range of different reasons.

Obviously, once I get started, I will be consulting staff about what they think would make the biggest difference to their experience of work, but I'm keen to get a headstart on thinking about this if at all possible.

So, I'm really interested to know what workplace initiatives have made a significant difference to your wellbeing at work, and/or what you would like your employer to put in place in order to make your work life easier and more enjoyable.

I will have the power to make significant changes to working practices, but not much financial resource to play with, if that makes any difference to your answers!

Thank you in advance for your suggestions!

@paralysedbyinertia
Would you resent filling in a survey like this? Would you be cynical about it, or see it as a waste of time? Would you be honest, or would you worry about your answers being traced back to you?

Yes

Feedback and communication keep coming up. It's obviously key to get those right.

Same with the issue of workload - that's coming across loud and clear. There is no point in wellbeing initiatives that people have no time to access. I totally take that point.

I think upwards feedback is essential. I have worked under a really poor manager for 5 years and have no way to address the issues or let anyone else in the company know what's going on unless I raise a grievance with HR and its not serious enough to do that and would be career suicide.

She totally takes the piss, surfs the internet all day while delegating all the rest of the work to the overworked team. Takes all the kudos for our achievements when most of the time we are mopping up her messes or having to hassle her to do the parts of her job that only she can do.

She does it because she can. Her manager doesn't see what she does day to day, just the actual outcome which is excellent (and down to the team, not her).

If there was a system for providing feedback on managers, particularly if based around certain values such as supporting others, efficiency, clarity of communication etc. I'm pretty sure she would actually be motivated to do her job much better and the stress on the rest of us would be reduced massively.

Ensure that managers get training in management - too often people are moved into management because they are good at the original job, but just don't know how to do "being a good manager". A lotof bullying persists or takes hold because managers are too scared/untrained to address it from the beginning. Managers need to be skilled in dealing with conflict, instead of kicking things into the long grass or putting up some Staff Wellbeing posters.

But ultimately if you don't have the resources to ensure that your staff aren't overworked and burnt out, all the wellbeing initiatives in the world are doomed.

I actively refuse to complete surveys now because I think they are a box ticking exercise ‘look how we consult the staff, % responded”...well-being box ticked

@Oenanthe

More emphasis on what you can do, much less on what you are like.

In other words, reduce focus on 'behaviours' (aka personality), about which most of us can do very little.

Remember that only a robot brings its whole self to work. Recognise that the vast majority of people are exhanging their time and effort for a salary and the last thing they want or need is to 'live the company's values'.

I wish MN had a like button. This 👆

An annual review of line management- I left my previous role because me and my manager were not well suited. Nice enough guy but turned quickly, not supportive in difficult times, had totally different values in terms of children and childcare and made it clear that school holiday annual leave wouldn't be approved because he thought I should use holiday clubs (like he does despite my child being 5+ years younger). That last comment alone had me planning my exit. He also hadn't done my job for many years so had totally forgotten the realities of it, systems used, paperwork etc. I feel like if I'd had the option to 'save face' and not upset my manager but also say 'hey this isn't working for me as I'd benefit from a manager who is closer to my actual role' I probably would have still been there now.

A tight anti bullying and equality & diversity policy that actually works is also a must. I had many flippant hurtful comments when I came back from mat leave despite a horribly traumatic birth and poorly baby. Nothing in writing of course, just lots of comments about whether I was still as committed, how I shouldn't rush into another mat leave (still haven't 2 years later thanks), and lots of sly remarks. This again contributed to me leaving.

You can use anonymous survey tools online to survey staff. Unfortunafely each time we were surveyed was either in writing (easy to identify), using our online system with us logged in or returned via email so it all had to be super polite because your manager would read it and know it was from you. He even joked as much!

@AutumnBrooke

I think upwards feedback is essential. I have worked under a really poor manager for 5 years and have no way to address the issues or let anyone else in the company know what's going on unless I raise a grievance with HR and its not serious enough to do that and would be career suicide.

She totally takes the piss, surfs the internet all day while delegating all the rest of the work to the overworked team. Takes all the kudos for our achievements when most of the time we are mopping up her messes or having to hassle her to do the parts of her job that only she can do.

She does it because she can. Her manager doesn't see what she does day to day, just the actual outcome which is excellent (and down to the team, not her).

If there was a system for providing feedback on managers, particularly if based around certain values such as supporting others, efficiency, clarity of communication etc. I'm pretty sure she would actually be motivated to do her job much better and the stress on the rest of us would be reduced massively.

Thank you. Are you thinking about something formal like 360 degree appraisals, or something more informal?

I've always been keen to encourage upward feedback, but I reality, I think people can sometimes be a bit reluctant to say what they actually think. Obviously, it's important to try to create a culture where people can say what they think without fear of any consequences, but I'd be interested to know what would actually help with this.

@RedFrogsRule

I actively refuse to complete surveys now because I think they are a box ticking exercise ‘look how we consult the staff, % responded”...well-being box ticked

Fair enough. I get why people might feel like that, although it would actually be a genuine initiative from my perspective.

Any mandatory training has allocated time assigned during the working day (for them to actually complete it without any distractions).

@Notagain20

Ensure that managers get training in management - too often people are moved into management because they are good at the original job, but just don't know how to do "being a good manager". A lotof bullying persists or takes hold because managers are too scared/untrained to address it from the beginning. Managers need to be skilled in dealing with conflict, instead of kicking things into the long grass or putting up some Staff Wellbeing posters.

But ultimately if you don't have the resources to ensure that your staff aren't overworked and burnt out, all the wellbeing initiatives in the world are doomed.

Good point about management training. It's often the wrong people who are promoted, or else they don't get enough support to transition effectively to their new roles.

And yes, I agree regarding the point on workload/resourcing. I don't yet know how staff feel about this, but will make it a priority to find out.

I think something like a (truly) anonymous survey where you rate your manager numerically against certain values, have a space for other comments, and also a space for things that you appreciate about your manager. People won't say what they really think if there is any chance it will be traced back to them.

Really appreciating what workers do, saying thank you, recognising good pieces of work, reducing emails, reducing stress and anxiety in the whole service /company so it doesn't end up being pushed downwards all the time. Managers having a real understanding of how long things take , banning the phrase 'it's only', 'it's just ' when talking about change or adding new tasks, try to cut out dead wood from process and procedures not just add another layer on top. I can go on and on and on ....

Yes, I agree that people won't be honest if they think things will be traced back to them. Tricky in a smallish organisation, I guess, but anonymous internet surveys would at least give people an opportunity to express their views, I suppose.

Oh I’d forgotten about surveys. We had one recently that was apparently confidential but the initial few questions were so specific we could easily have been identified! And the fact that those who hadn’t completed it had a follow up email was also a bit of a giveaway.

As far as the appraisal system goes it is very much focused on career development and progression. Which is great for those who want it but when you’ve been in your role for many years, are happy and good at your job then it is mainly irrelevant. It’s also a bit galling when there is no career development for your role, no internal courses, no funding for external training so unless you actually leave you can’t progress!

Making sure IT systems are fit for purpose to reduce repetition and wasted time

Amused (sort of) by how many of us commenting appear to work for the NHS...

Thank you. Interesting that IT systems are coming up quite a lot. Clearly a source of frustration for many.

I note the point re appraisals.

We have an anonymous survey done twice a year. Managers don't know who has said what as we use an external company to collate the data. Definitely look at inclusion and reasonable adjustments for those who need them.

@nocoolnamesleft

Amused (sort of) by how many of us commenting appear to work for the NHS...

Certainly seems that way!

Just to clarify, my new role will not be in the NHS! Nevertheless, a lot of the points are relevant to any workplace, so please keep them coming!

@Mabelface

We have an anonymous survey done twice a year. Managers don't know who has said what as we use an external company to collate the data. Definitely look at inclusion and reasonable adjustments for those who need them.

Thank you, that's helpful.

Senior management team, and managers in general, that actually walk the walk rather than just talk the talk on wellbeing, especially when it comes to workloads and working hours.

In my organisation there’s loads of nice talk about employee wellbeing, the need for manageable workloads, and the need for reasonable working hours. There are also a hell of a lot of managers who regularly send emails at 11pm or 6am, or who you can see have been working on a document at 3pm on Sunday etc

Manage! It often seems to me that managers are either afraid to let anything happen that they haven't personally approved; or that they are terrified of managing in case somebody thinks they are "interfering". Managers are supposed to manage. That is why you get paid more. Always listen to people, but in the end, if a decision must be made, it isn't a democracy. If you think that something has to be done one way, own it and do it. And take responsibility for your decision, whether you made it alone, or it was a decision jointly arrived at - don't blame anyone else, because as the manager the buck stops with you.

And please don't go down the "mental health first aiders" trend. Quite apart from the fact that few staff want to disclose their problems to colleagues, in my experience the people who volunteer to train do so because they have an interest in metal health issues - and often first hand experience. Which is nice until you realise that the group of staff struggling the most with XY and Z are the mental health first aiders!

An open door policy- the fact that I can literally walk to my manager or any of the other managers when I have a question or a problem.

Including the team in finding a solution to the problem. We are probably more aware of what can realistically work and what can’t at an operational level- it’s all well and good putting things in place but when they don’t work it’s adding extra strain.

Would you resent filling in a survey like this? Would you be cynical about it, or see it as a waste of time? Would you be honest, or would you worry about your answers being traced back to you?

In smaller organisations you can always tell who certain responses have come from, even in anonymised surveys. People know this and are rarely honest.

One very simple way to measure employee wellbeing is to have a sort of exit survey as people leave - take a ping pong ball and drop it into a box, either 'I've had a good day today' or 'today has not been good for me'. Somewhere not everyone can see where they are dropping the ball. Tells you a lot about the overall feeling.

Simple reward system for people who are nominated by other employees, not 'employee of the month' done by managers (never works) but people being able to say a 'thank you' through a system that will send the recipient an email saying they've been appreciated without saying who nominated them. Everyone who gets a thank you goes into a monthly draw for a little recognition by the company, such as a choice of going home early one Friday, a free lunch, a £10 voucher etc.