Mental health is a hot topic at the moment and rightly so. It's estimated that poor mental health costs the UK economy a staggering £118bn a year with over 18 million working days lost.
Add to this the fact that 92% of the Gen Z talent cohort moving from college into the workforce expects robust mental health support from a future employer and a third will prioritise these companies when looking for their first position.
We take a deep dive into the strong humanitarian as well as business imperative for getting this right in our new release Inspiring Leadership (get your free-to-download pdf copy here).
So what is wellwashing?
Think of box-ticking exercises that:
- Address surface behaviour rather than underlying issues related to safety, belonging and recognition.
- Don’t answer what people need, when the matter hasn’t been explored in an effective, open and engaged way.
- Are inauthentic and don’t get to the core of wellbeing issues. Good intentions and token gestures aren’t enough.
Why wellwashing won’t reach the core of the issue
In order to recruit, retain and get the best out of the talent we need to achieve growth, it’s time to tune in to what rising generations expect and demand from the workplace.
But it goes further than this. What opportunities are we missing out on if we’re not doing enough to bridge these gaps? If we’re not creating a safe space for people of all ages to learn from each other? There is much to be gained from a depth of experience over the years but what about the value of fresh perspectives? Especially when these can drive innovation in how we use tech or change the way we work for greater engagement and motivation.
Surely everyone has the right to be valued, heard and supported?
What’s the answer?
Combining an honest and purpose-driven approach to ESG (or environmental, social and governance concerns) within a dynamic EVP (or employee value proposition).
In other words, you’re creating a rounded employee experience based on a transparent and honestly held set of values and ideals. There is no room for box-ticking.
Forbes states that ‘Employees who prioritize mental health can sniff out companies who simply talk the talk but don’t make any organizational change to support initiatives’.
On the other hand, companies walking the walk are in a ‘win-win situation. Businesses can benefit by recruiting top talent and workers benefit by having access to resources that will improve their lives.’
How to power up your EVP with ESG
We’ve dedicated a whole chapter to this in our new e-book Inspiring Leadership available for a limited time in pdf form by clicking this link.
It’s as much a practical book as a theory text and it’s designed to reignite trust in leadership at all levels. It’s a manifesto of change to give workforce morale and the economy a well-needed boost.
Your feedback is important to us, so we’d love to know what you think.