Blue Monday: the mismatch between employee and employer on wellbeing

In fact, Claro Wellbeing found that despite seven in 10 workplaces ‘celebrating’ mental health awareness days – less than half of these companies actually offer adequate mental health support. What’s more, for multinationals there is the issue of different cultural approaches to mental health. Towergate Health & Protection says employers need to  adapt their approach to the wellbeing support they offer depending upon the cultures and countries in which employees are based.

Employees demanding change

The Robert Walters poll shows 70% of professionals now expect more (for instance, benefits, working culture and empathetic leadership) from their employers compared to 18 months ago – with less than a fifth stating otherwise.

What’s more, when asked, over half (58%) of managers thought their employees had become more outspoken in the workplace over the last three years.

Findings from the poll also revealed that almost two-fifths (39%) of managers feel that employees are becoming more vocal when it comes to getting their needs met – with a further quarter (26%) claiming that employees are actually taking matters into their own hands.

When asked how employees were ‘taking matters into their own hands’ in order to manage their own wellbeing in relation to work,  some of the most popular methods were:

• picking the days they are in-office (56%)
• setting their own work hours (24%)
• pushing back on workload (10%).

Chris Poole adds: “For professionals in an increasingly hybrid world, having autonomy in deciding the days they are in the office and setting their own work hours can help them avoid burnout – which right now, is enemy number one in terms of productivity and satisfaction levels.

“Whilst we are definitely seeing more of a push to return to the office, caution must be taken as to whether this is a positive or negative move for employees’ mental health and work-life balance.”

When asked, over a quarter of employees stated that wellbeing had become a priority for them over the past year – however, almost two-fifths didn’t believe it had become one for their employers.

Poole states: “Upscaling wellbeing interventions can be as easy and inexpensive as flexible work arrangements, improving access to mental health resources, setting up mental health employee resource groups (ERGs), offering paid sabbaticals, or even adding plants or introducing more natural light into the workplace.”