Well-being in the UK 2022

The past few years have been a great leveller for humanity, as regardless of our wealth, status, identity or perceived reasons to be happy, we have all experienced common mental health challenges, most of which we never saw coming. In the wake of the pandemic, and in the midst of a political and economic crisis, it has never been more important to be cognisant of the challenges this represents for all of us. There is an ever-growing body of research that supports our own real world experience, namely that investment in prevention is almost twice as effective as solving the cure. If businesses are to survive this very difficult time, they need to urgently understand their own mental health landscape and respond before the hidden cost of mental health puts a potentially catastrophic strain on their human and financial resources.

Wellbeing in the workplace has never been more topical. In some industries, burnout is becoming an ever-growing problem, and the cost of living crisis is putting significant pressure on employees' financial wellbeing, which impacts their mental health. The pandemic has increased employees' expectations of the support that should be in place, and more budget is being brought into wellbeing. But over the past few months, a range of organisations have been cutting budgets due to the deteriorating economy, and this will damage them in the longer term. When it comes to improving wellbeing at work, it's not the snazzy apps and boring powerpoints that make employees well. It's having a strategy to ensure they have what they need to do the job sustainably, are managed like a human, feel safe to be themselves and have some appreciation for the work they do. Businesses also need a strategy to measure the impact on investment so it has a business case, make it easy to plan how to embed and evolve it over time, and know who is responsible for making it happen. Companies need to work on themselves and look to prevention, being proactive, and get feedback from their teams, as so many businesses do things, and the employees don't engage because they didn't know about it or it's not something they want or need. Talking about it and doing it are two different things. As far as challenges go, the financial wellbeing challenges are like a balloon being inflated, and it impacts all the other areas of wellbeing, including mental and social. Employees are expecting more, asking questions in interviews and are leaving if they feel they aren't being supported, and we are still in the early days of pandemic recovery and adjusting to new ways of working, in an environment that is highly uncertain. I predict this winter will be a tough time for many, working from home is really difficult for some employees, and some industries are on their knees. Expect more strikes, more discontent and people voting with their feet. But amid all this instability, if employers create the right conditions for wellbeing and flexibility, they'll have the talent knocking on their door.

The hybrid working practices that emerged from lockdown play a significant role in balancing mental health between home and work. As the cost of living crisis weighs down on us, so, too, does the financial and mental stress that many are silently carrying. Employers must show support through meaningful action, rather than lip service. Managers should be put on courses that enhance their emotional intelligence, empathy and the skills needed to spot the signs of stress and provide support when it’s needed, rather than when it’s too late.

Wellbeing came to the forefront when the pandemic forced us to stop and have a good look at ourselves and for the most part this was a shift in the right direction. Many people began to work on personal growth and explore better ways to wellbeing; exploring values and beliefs, looking at healthier routines, making more time for loved ones. On the other side we started to recognise significant increases in loneliness and isolation, and a number realised that their work no longer brought them joy. Redundancies, war, and inconsistency and chaos in government has made people unsettled and looking for more from life. Unfortunately due to the cost-of-living crisis, many employers are taking a ‘soft touch’ approach to wellbeing at work, training a handful of people in mental health first aid, but not digging into the cultural problems in the workplace that can lead to poor mental health, stress and absenteeism. They are reluctant to invest in their employees and more focused on profit margins. This has led to more people becoming self employed to find flexibility and freedom, leaving a wake of low-paid vacancies that employers can’t fill. Wellbeing should be a top issue for employers as it should be for individuals. Taking some responsibility for ourselves and our lifestyles would also relieve a lot of pressure on our beloved NHS. The biggest positive, though, is the collective raised awareness of mental health issues for both men, women, LGBTQ+ and children which has allowed more people to speak openly without fear of being ostracised by their peers. Together and with wider understanding, the future of the mental health crisis could be promising. As Aristotle said ‘knowing thyself is the beginning of all wisdom’. I hope we can continue to explore ways to wellbeing, upstanding more the the neuroscience that underpins this and communicate it to the public consciousness to create a happier, healthier community, where no one is left behind.

Covid has had a massive impact in the past 12 months, especially among those still working full-time or part-time from home. I am working with clients on their anxieties around feeling side-tracked, isolation, depression and grief. Covid may seem like it's no longer a big issue, but the after effects are very much still with us. Additionally, remote working has created an "always on" mode, which is increasing feelings of brain-fog and attention problems. Over 60% of my clients have said, in the past year, that they are worrying that they have ADHD. Workshops and education in the workplace are always helpful. These should be not just on how to deal and cope with issues, but how to set up healthy habits, structures and thinking patterns that can prevent mental health issues occurring in the first place. Recently, worries about the cost-of-living crisis are starting to creep into our sessions, and I can see this growing. Even if they are just worries at this stage, that can impact on anxiety and reduce sleep, both of which can lead to depression. Meanwhile, some people have very tangible worries about paying the bills which are increasing existing anxiety. Mental health isn't just about what's going on in your head but what's happening in your wallet, too.

Since lockdown ended, we've noticed a big shift in our most popular well-being products. For adults, whereas it used to be about gifting people who were struggling, we've seen a huge increase in the sales of self-care planners. COVID and lockdown forced people to reevaluate their lives so much, a lot of people have come out the other side with a definite interest in looking after themselves and prioritising their mental health. In contrast, we've seen a gradual increase in the number of parents looking for help with anxiety in children. Social anxiety and going back to school still seems to be a big challenge, with lots of children having self-esteem problems and worries about mixing in big groups. Post-COVID, work-life balance is much higher on people's agendas. Flexible working and working from home is something employees really want, and employers who struggle with this are going to be hitting speed bumps. We need to trust our employees to work unsupervised, and realise employees can be equally, or even more productive, when they're in a comfortable environment, and if that's home, so be it. We're all growing much more aware of the way our work impacts our mental health, so as employers, we need to ensure our employees' needs are acknowledged and catered for.

Recent research by Deloitte found that just over half of the polled employees believe that their leaders care about their well-being. Meanwhile, over 90% of CEOs believe their employees feel that they’re doing a good job when it comes to well-being. That's a serious disconnect. Many organisations have established support pathways for employees whose emotional wellbeing or mental health is in decline, but far fewer offer targeted, proactive and preventative support. What’s more, generic employee wellbeing programmes do not address the specific issues that are inherent during pregnancy and the post-partum period, an area we are really passionate about changing. The perinatal period is characterised by huge physical, emotional, psychological, hormonal and brain-based changes, in tandem with hugely significant environmental changes, shifts in role, responsibilities and identity. As a result, this period is a acutely vulnerable one for female employees. Indeed, recent research by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (2017) found as many as 4 in 5 new mothers experienced at least one episode of a mental health difficulty before or after the birth of their child. Three quarters of these mothers had never experienced previous mental health difficulties, prior to becoming a mother. This remains little understood and hence largely unacknowledged within workplaces, and is therefore rarely addressed as a specific need in terms of employee support packages. Returning to work after maternity leave is a period where women are generally exhausted and under huge pressure to ‘work like they don’t have children, and parent like they don’t work’. An employer who understands and acknowledges the challenges which are specific to the perinatal period and beyond and that offers specific preventative and needs-led provision to support parents during this crucial time, is arguably more likely to retain and attract talented staff, both mothers and fathers alike. In our own clinical experience, female employees who engage in an evidence-based programme to help them to emotionally and psychologically prepare for and cope with the challenges that are inherent to the transition to motherhood, are more likely to return to work with increased resilience, feeling prepared and skilled up for the challenges that lie ahead, including juggling their professional and motherhood roles and responsibilities.

In the past 12 months through our work with a variety of organisations across the UK, we have seen wellbeing rising up the priority list for both employers and employees. Employers are increasingly recognising their duty of care to provide mental health and wellbeing support for employees and employees are actively seeking out employers who care. Among companies, there is a an increased need for managers and those in leadership positions to be mental health literate and skilled in conducting supportive wellbeing conversations with staff, and acting on these appropriately. There is also a growing tension between the wellbeing benefits of working from home and the need to be in the workplace for the social support that comes from in-person contact from colleagues. On the whole people feel working from home is better for their wellbeing but despite this are increasingly reporting rising stress levels, feeling disconnected and unsupported. Recent research shows that financial pressure is now the leading cause of stress outside of work, outranking parenting, relationships and bereavement. Being in a poor financial situation is having a direct detrimental effect on people's mental health, producing physical and psychological symptoms such as loss of sleep, poor concentration and reduced motivation. People aged 25-34 are most likely of any age group to cite financial pressure as a source of stress, and more women are affected than men. There is an increasing onus on employers to support staff in relation to this issue. Through our experience of working with employers to improve employee mental health, wellbeing and resilience we would recommend: firstly, understanding and addressing the specific sources of stress within the organisation. This can be done with a wellbeing survey, which will provide baseline data against which to measure the success of wellbeing interventions; developing a staff wellbeing strategy based on data produced within their own organisation. It is important for this to be tailored to respond to the unique challenges faced by their employees; implementing a stepped approach to wellbeing support. This is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and should include a combination of organisation-wide approaches including information provision, supportive work environment, psychological safety, compassionate leadership and signposting to external sources of support. For managers and leaders, training in mental health and how to have conversations with employees who may be struggling is vital. For individual staff, targeted support for those who may be struggling, who have or may be at risk of poor mental health. Looking forward, we anticipate continued high levels of anxiety due to ongoing workplace, national and global uncertainties impacting job and financial security. We also expect to see continued challenges to mental health and work-life balance associated with the negative impact of increased home-working on access to social support, feelings of connection and belonging. Introducing more flexible working patterns, such as the 4-day week has the potential to be positive for both organisations and employees. However, such initiatives need careful planning and preparation. Without a systematic approach to ensure staff wellbeing, connection and support are not adversely affected, they may instead exacerbate stress, anxiety and uncertainty for employees. In our experience, employee mental health and wellbeing is too often addressed in a piecemeal fashion and does not address the real challenges faced by employees. This is both a waste of time and money for all concerned as the underlying sources of stress and anxiety remain unaddressed and employees lose confidence that their employer has their back. In our experience, many organisations have provided Mental Health First Aid training to a self-selected group of staff as a “magic bullet” for managing mental health and wellbeing. However, without adequate role description, accountability or ongoing professional support for these individuals this initiative may not have the desired effect. Indeed employee mental health and wellbeing needs to be addressed across the whole organisation and at multiple levels rather than being delegated to a few individuals who do not have the professional training, support and expertise to deliver.

It may now be behind us, but the pandemic and the changes in people’s lives and circumstances have affected their emotional wellbeing in a variety of ways. Some are enjoying the benefits of remote working and having more time to spend with family and less effort and costs on travel. Similarly, people speak of having a space and permission to slow down and get perspective on their values and interests away from influences of work or people around them, taking action and steps in a direction that’s more important to them. However, many of the health professionals I work with express ongoing and increased pressures in their work, on top of feeling physically and emotionally fatigued after navigating the pandemic on both a personal and professional level. Employers have an increased responsibility to care for staff, with jobseekers being more mindful of a company’s attitudes about mental health and their initiatives to help them to sustain or improve their emotional wellbeing. These differ on an individual basis, with some people enjoying mindfulness activities during their working day, whereas others may find regular social events important. Socialising opportunities might be more relevant to those who have moved away from their home network of family and friends and should be considered given the increased reports of loneliness. The most prominent challenge for balance between work-life and mental health will be the economic circumstances that will affect everyone both personally and professionally. Company directors will have more concerns about their finances and meeting targets for investors and such pressures will likely cascade down to every staff level. This may heighten work-related stress and raise questions about job security, whilst employees are also having to navigate their financial circumstances in the home and varying demands across family life. Mental health and emotional wellbeing is related to a variety of factors and will differ from one person to the next. Maslow introduced his Hierarchy of Needs concept back in 1947 to help illustrate the various factors that influence human motivation. This idea also illustrates that wellbeing is based across a variety of needs; with an individual’s basic physiological and safety needs, such as food and warmth, needing to be met first before a person is able move onto considering any psychological needs, including friendships, careers and job satisfaction. Given the cost-of-living crisis, with worries about keeping up with mortgages and heating homes, people’s emotional wellbeing will be tested, requiring them to tap into their resilience to weather the storm. I encourage my clients to consider what factors across their life might be within their control. Although people might not be able to change ‘The World’, we have opportunities and an ability to change our world and that of our loved ones.

There has been a steady downward trend in happiness and satisfaction since the COVID-19 pandemic. Rates of burnout, anxiety and stress are up and now, with the cost of living up, we are walking into a national wellbeing crisis. Employers should take these ONS statistics seriously and invest in practical wellbeing support through programmes such as financial education and coaching. The payback is not just happier employees, it is higher rates of retention, loyalty and productivity. It makes good business sense to prioritise employee wellbeing.

It's such an exciting time to be working in workplace wellbeing. Employers are learning that happy staff are more efficient, take less time off sick and are more likely to stay with their employer. And employees are no longer satisfied with just high wages; a positive working environment is also high on people's agenda when looking for a new job. This doesn't just apply to the high-flyers in any organisation. All working people deserve to feel valued and appreciated for the work they do. I often find that HR departments and senior management are well aware of this, but the message gets lost as you move down the chain to middle management and the frontline. For me, there are two key areas to improving employee wellbeing. The first is to enable employees to feel a deeper connection to their job, so that they know their impact on both service users, customers and their colleagues. A sense of meaning and purpose is essential to a happier life, and we should feel that our job is more important than just paying our bills. The second lies in the work / life balance. Flexibility is key here, and with modern ways of working it should be available to almost all workers in almost all industries. Good organisation and time management, both of individuals and groups, increases efficiency while reducing stress and anxiety. These are skills that anyone can and should learn, both for their personal and working lives. Employers need to know that they don't need to be mental health experts and they don't need to go it alone. There are plenty of experts offering workshops, material and advice. Businesses also need to get over the idea that investing time into your staff - allowing them to take part in short yoga classes or wellbeing sessions during work time, for example - is not detrimental to productivity. It is absolutely not a waste of time and money and they will reap the benefits of low staff absence and turnover in the long run.

Mental health is often seen as a taboo topic and should be discussed more openly in order to break the stigma surrounding it. In the workplace, mental health can often be overlooked or ignored. This needs to change. Companies need to create a culture that is more open and accepting of mental health issues. This will help to create a more supportive environment for employees who are struggling with their mental health. Progress has been made but in many of my coaching sessions people speak about being scared of letting others know how they are feeling. This is a fear that needs to be addressed. Employees should not have to fear disclosing their mental health issues for fear of losing their job or not getting a promotion. A study by Harvard Business School found that creating a psychologically safe workplace can have a positive impact on employees' mental health. Psychologically safe environments are those in which employees feel comfortable expressing themselves without fear of judgement or retribution. This kind of environment is crucial for maintaining a healthy workplace, as it allows employees to openly discuss issues and concerns. When managers set the tone for openness and honesty, it encourages employees to do the same. This creates a space where everyone can feel comfortable talking about their mental health without fear of judgement or stigma.

The subject of well-being and mental health was brought to the fore by the pandemic. People became acutely aware of the impact on their lives of changes to their experiences, restrictions on their movement and the positive impact of connections with others. The pandemic is mostly now behind us, but how much have we learned from it? It is so important that the lessons we learned about employee wellbeing are not forgotten. In order to ensure productivity, employers should be mindful of their employees' mental health. Providing employees with opportunities for self-development, a feeling of making a difference and of being involved in decision making about their roles, can have a great impact on their wellbeing. Companies need to have a culture of caring, where wellbeing is promoted at all levels. There is a lot of worry and anxiety among the public regarding the difficult winter that lies ahead. Food prices are rising, fuel prices are high, and families are having to choose between heating or eating. These worries have an inevitable impact on mental health. There have been concerns regarding the stability of our economy and what that will mean to mortgage interest rates, job prospects and life in general. There are additional worries regarding the war in Ukraine and what the long-term impact will be on us as a country. The financial pressures will provide increased difficulties for those who are already lonely and isolated, such as the elderly, those with learning disabilities and those with chronic health needs. They will not be able to afford to go out, increasing their isolation, which as we discovered in the pandemic has a significant impact on mental wellbeing. There needs to be clear mental health strategies throughout the country to provide support for those at the highest risk of depression arising from isolation and financial hardship. Working within the health and social care sector, I have seen that individuals with learning disabilities have been particularly disadvantaged by the current financial difficulties. Staff within the sector are generally very poorly paid, which has resulted in many staff not being able to continue to afford to work. Travel and childcare costs make the role not financially viable for many. This has increased staff shortages further restricting the support for individuals with learning disabilities. These individuals are faced with greater isolation, higher costs of living and a resulting impact on their mental health and wellbeing. There are positive examples of opportunities for connection and increasing wellbeing. For example, places of welcome and warm places which are being opened up for the most vulnerable by churches and community groups. Just yesterday I heard of a dementia choir that is starting in my local area, Tamworth, UK, for those with dementia and their carers, in order to offer support, a place of warmth and the therapeutic aspects of music. For individuals with learning disabilities in some areas there are Community Book Groups, led by the Charity Books Beyond Words. Just as in the pandemic there is a need for us to increase our sense of community supporting the most vulnerable. There is an added benefit in that altruism also has a positive impact on our own wellbeing.