8 insights into wellbeing at work from our market research - part 2

What is the real state of wellbeing in the workplace today? To find out we conducted a market research in collaboration with iVOX among more than 1,000 employees and 300 HR professionals in Belgium, asking them about their needs, expectations and barriers regarding wellbeing. In this article, we focus on the key insights regarding the role of managers and how you can successfully roll out wellbeing initiatives.  

HR is in complete agreement on one thing: 86% believe that wellbeing initiatives have little chance of success without managers. 

Yet employees see things differently:  

• Only 47% feel encouraged by their manager to take time for their wellbeing  
• 41% of respondents see wellbeing as a topic that is only relevant to those who are struggling 

There is a clear opportunity here: managers are the key lever when it comes to wellbeing at work, but are not yet being utilised to their full potential everywhere. This is not due to a lack of willingness, but rather to the absence of the right tools, such as (soft) skills, time and self-confidence to take charge of employee wellbeing alongside HR. 

When it comes to the format of initiatives, we see clear preferences: 

• Both employees and HR prefer an on-site approach or one that combines on-site and digital initiatives (= hybrid) 
• Fully digital solutions are far less popular 

At the same time, HR professionals recognise that digital tools: 

• Make wellbeing more accessible (68%) 
• Help to roll out wellbeing programmes more widely (68%) 

Technology therefore plays an important role, but remains a supporting factor. The impact arises from combining it with a broader approach. 

One of the most consistent findings from our research is that employees still too often view ‘working on their wellbeing’ as something that must be done outside working hours. To them, it feels like an extra task, rather than a natural part of the working environment. This intensifies the feeling of a lack of time. Social barriers also play a role, such as the fear of being judged by colleagues. 

Organisations also recognise this challenge. For instance, HR respondents indicate that, in practice, there is indeed insufficient scope for employees to actively engage with their wellbeing during working hours. Furthermore, they also expect low engagement with wellbeing initiatives, which is strongly linked to the perceived lack of time. The lack of support from line managers and (senior) management is also seen as a significant barrier. 

Wellbeing therefore does not yet seem to be embedded in the daily work context and is too often regarded as an additional task, rather than as an integral part of the work itself that should take place during working hours. This is, however, an essential condition, which must moreover be explicitly communicated by the organisation to employees, as they do not take this for granted. 

A major challenge when launching any wellbeing initiative is creating engagement. As discussed above, employees still too often perceive wellbeing as something that comes on top of their work. 

How you present and promote an initiative is therefore of great importance. This aspect of a wellbeing policy is still too often underestimated.  

According to the employees surveyed, the following do work to get them moving: 

• Communication via internal channels (46%) 
• Word of mouth via colleagues and/or ambassadors (42%) 
• Physical visibility in the workplace (26%) 

Successful initiatives therefore share a number of characteristics: they are simple, are integrated into employees’ daily lives, and are repeatedly brought to their attention. What can help here is an ambassador network: a community of colleagues who help support the wellbeing initiatives and bring them to the attention of other colleagues.  

The insights above highlight a number of challenges and, consequently, a number of opportunities. To make the most of these opportunities, we have two concrete recommendations. 

1. Adopt a multidimensional approach 

Do not limit yourself to a mere focus on the individual, but opt for a broader, integrated approach to wellbeing. The IGLO model (Individual, Group, Leader, Organisation) offers a robust and practical framework for this. By providing targeted interventions at each of these levels, you significantly increase the likelihood of a lasting impact. 

When wellbeing initiatives are rolled out in an ad hoc manner or in isolation from one another, important components of the IGLO model are often overlooked. This comes at the expense of effectiveness. A well-thought-out and coherent action plan is therefore essential. 

Our experienced consultants are happy to support you in developing such an approach. In doing so, they deliberately focus on hybrid programmes, in which on-site and digital initiatives reinforce one another. This not only increases the impact but also ensures you reach all target groups and levels within your organisation. 

2. Invest in managers as a lever  

Wellbeing at work is a shared responsibility between the employer, managers and employees. Managers are one of the most powerful levers in this regard, but they need clear guidance and support. 

It is essential that managers themselves recognise the importance of wellbeing. Only then can they credibly convey that message and actively support it within their team. Without that support, it becomes difficult to embed wellbeing in daily practice. 

Therefore, invest in strengthening their role: train them to conduct wellbeing conversations, recognise signs of burnout and create psychological safety. In this way, wellbeing evolves from a mere HR responsibility into an integral part of the working reality for everyone in the organisation. 

Fancy some more insights and advice? In part 1 of this article, we delve further into our market research.