How to change culture and keep the results coming

If you lay the foundation for wellbeing in your office, it won’t be long before you're watching the magic happen

What is a high-performance culture to you – is it dominated by ambitious executives, relentless focus on productivity increases, bigger profits and greater market domination?

We all know companies like this, but we probably chose to avoid them at some point in our career.

These are the enterprises that burn-out workers, often with serious health repercussions for the individual.

The feeling of being “chewed up and spat out” is to be avoided if you want to keep marriages, friends and even your sanity.

Simply talking about it isn’t enough

Conversely, a sustainable high-performance culture recognises that mental wellness is not a separate entity but an integral component of achieving peak performance.

Neglecting employee wellbeing leads to decreased productivity and increased absenteeism that undermines the goals of any high-performance culture.

For organisations seeking to incorporate wellbeing into the fabric of its culture, the first step requires a fundamental shift in mindset. To be an employer of choice today, the cut-throat approach doesn’t work, especially with Millennials and Gen Z.

Once foundations are laid, magic happens

Modern organisations increasingly recognise the importance of staff wellbeing and understand it's normal and acceptable to not always be okay.

A cornerstone to changing a high-demand environment is to establish psychological safety so individuals feel comfortable expressing themselves, raising concerns and even admitting vulnerability without fear of negative consequences.

Leaders must have the right type of conversation. Rather than jumping to conclusions, you must focus on empathetic listening, care and understanding to truly understand the issue.

Organisations need to teach people how to care properly and provide a framework for supportive listening, helping individuals develop empathy and manage difficult conversations effectively. When this happens, you move beyond simply raising awareness to equipping individuals with practical skills to support one another.

Once a foundation of psychological safety is laid, the magic happens:

New Leadership

You set the tone as a leader. By being a role model of mentally-healthy behaviours, such as setting boundaries, taking breaks and openly discussing wellbeing, you signal that mental health is a priority

Risk Factors

Leaders should proactively identify and address psychological risk factors in the workplace, such as high work demands, low control over work, lack of role clarity, poorly managed relationships and a negative feedback culture.

Support and Resources

Organisations should offer a range of mental health resources, including an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for confidential counselling and equipping employees with the skills to recognise and respond to signs of mental health challenges in themselves and colleagues.

Use the RealCare App

Our industry has its own wellbeing app, called Real Care. It has been developed by The Rise Initiative and is freely available from your favourite app store. Employees can even receive three free counselling sessions from Assure. That’s thanks to our sponsor Domain. All our businesses should actively promote Real Care.

Action Plans

Mental Health Action Plans (MHAPs) are designed to help staff to proactively identify triggers, implement coping strategies and receive support from management. Not everyone needs this assistance, of course. However, regularly reviewing these plans with participants builds structure around wellbeing conversations.

Flexibility

Be prepared to make reasonable adjustments to work arrangements to support employees experiencing challenges. This demonstrates a commitment to individual needs and is another factor in employee retention.

Gratitude and Recognition

Acknowledging and appreciating employees' contributions can significantly boost morale and reduce feelings of being undervalued.

Measure and Monitor

Regularly assess employee wellbeing through surveys and feedback mechanisms to understand the impact of implemented initiatives.

At The Rise Initiative, we believe a workforce that feels supported, connected and empowered to prioritise their mental health will be more resilient, engaged and high-performing. That’s when the magic happens!