Well-being programs: A waste of money and resources, or a smart business investment?
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The conclusions of a recent study underscore Aon’s data-driven, holistic approach to well-being in the workplace – and open the door to discourse about the future of work, the role of the employer, and why organizations need to set their sights on fostering human sustainability
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MUCH WAS made in news stories of a recent study by Oxford University that concluded well-being initiatives aren’t effective and are in fact a waste of an organization’s money. And it may surprise you at first to hear, “We agree,” says Erin Dick, assistant vice president, wellbeing services, health solutions at Aon.
“Standalone well-being programs may be ineffective for various reasons,” she elaborates. “They need to be implemented in a strategic and systematic way to be successful.”
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Aon’s research shows
87% of companies have well-being initiatives, but only 41% have strategies
“Disconnected programs cost organizations a lot of money, but they also cost a lot of trust because people don't feel like their needs are being met. Let's be part of this broader conversation that's happening culturally around resilience and the future of organizations”
Selma Lalji,
Aon
The data the Oxford researchers relied on wasn’t based on a direct survey, nor was it customized, and the measurement of “well-being program effectivity” wasn’t consistent. For example, participants were asked if a program was effective with no indication of a timeline of when that program had begun. Aon’s own research shows that knowledge retention of learning, without any subsequent follow-up, is difficult after 90 days.
It should also be noted that mental health care has evolved since 2018, when the last survey was taken in the Oxford study, and the significant improvement in mental health supports offered since then must be taken into consideration. It’s expanded to include best practices such as psychological safety training for leaders, incorporating employee well-being into leader performance management, virtual mental health therapy, well-being champion networks, increased paramedical coverage for mental health, improved paid time off/well-being days, and flexible work arrangements.
People know well-being is a priority, “but there's a real gap in terms of knowing the right way to promote it,” Lalji says. She points to a cultural conversation within organizations around how employees are faring, noting that the research and subsequent articles received so much attention because they highlight organizations’ concern that they’re not keeping up with what is essentially a metamorphosis of how people view work, where it fits into people’s lives, and how to deliver initiatives that have the desired effects on well-being and, ultimately, productivity.
The solution is to broaden the conversation. When looking at an employee’s experience, work and home life are not separate. Whatever they’re facing, whether it's a disease, caregiver responsibilities, or a personal mental health struggle, "There's no such thing as leaving your issues at the door at work,” Lalji says. Addressing employees from the perspective of the “whole person” evolves well-being programs to move beyond benefits programs that offer everyone the same type of insurance, for example. Employers are wondering what the next correct step is.
“Asking critical well-being questions about the needs of the organization and aligning them through key data points that we have [determined] are effective can actually move results in a very focused way,” Lalji says, noting that communication, engagement, and alignment are critical.
“Disconnected programs cost organizations a lot of money, but they also cost a lot of trust, because people don't feel like their needs are being met. Let's be part of this broader conversation that's happening culturally around resilience and the future of organizations.”
“The questions we need to be asking are, what is meaningful to our population, what is the need, and what is the context?” Dick explains. “Approach the situation with strategy and intention in order to support and target their investment in a way that will yield results.”
Programs and resources are only one piece of the puzzle, Lalji agrees, adding that her advice is for organizations to “reverse-engineer and rethink from that perspective.”
“If providing a yoga program or building a rooftop garden doesn’t have value to employees or is aligned with organization goals, it’s not going to move the needle – asking the question is what actually moves the needle,” she
“The questions we need to be asking are, what is meaningful to our population, what is the need, and what is the context? Approach the situation with strategy and intention in order to support and target their investment in a way that will yield results”
Erin Dick,
AON
says. “Oxford’s research sharing that standalone programs are not effective and the coverage it received beautifully confirms that issue.”
If you’re uncertain about your current approach and wonder whether you’re doing the right thing, measure and see – but the assessment needs to be intentionally designed so that it effectively builds a snapshot of the organization and can get the required answers. What policies, processes, and systems are in place that align with well-being, and which are missing? Leveraging its interconnected data approach to help clients gather relevant information, measure efforts against best practices, and inform strategies in future is something Aon excels at.
Canada has a national standard for psychological health and safety in the workplace to ensure employers are both promoting psychological safety and preventing psychological harm. The research and articles that have followed from that standard focus on initiatives that promote psychological well-being, but do not look at interventions that affect the latter. Aon’s Global Wellbeing Survey shows burnout is the number-one well-being issue among Canadian workplaces, followed by mental and emotional health at number two, and no standalone program will solve a systemic issue. Again, this underscores the idea that a solely initiative-based approach will fall short: employers must view the workplace as one giant operating system that works to prevent harm on a day-to-day basis.
“We know from our clients that it's easy to get caught up in various elements from offerings to programs to initiatives to strategy, while having a fair amount of confusion on how to set it up structurally to be effective,” says Lalji. “Having the support to look at all layers of the organization is key to better decision-making. We encourage companies to take a step back, lean on the research, and redirect their investment in well-being initiatives into a more connected approach.”
engaged, they're healthier, and they're happier,” Lalji says. “That kind of well-being contributes to the broader conversation, and we’re seeing organizations start to dig into that, asking where the opportunities are to thrive sustainably. We’re here to help them figure that out.”
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Part of a broader conversation
Fostering human sustainability
Published April 8, 2024
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Data integrity is critical
wasn’t based on a direct survey
Data the Oxford researchers relied on
wasn’t customized
measurement of “well-being program effectivity” wasn’t consistent
a perspective of authority and in the name of education, Aon has a voice in this discourse – and they want to use it to cut through the noise.
“Aon’s research shows that 87 percent of companies have well-being initiatives, but only 41 percent have strategies – and that gap is what hampers progress,” says Selma Lalji, director, wellbeing, human capital solutions at Aon. “The conversation around Oxford’s findings stems from asking critical questions, which is always encouraged, but let's be clear: Our data shows that a program that is intentional, data-based, has clear directionality and is tied to strategy, and is partnered and aligned into the organization can create fantastic results.”
“It’s critical to look at how data is used and understand limitations of applicability – what is this data saying and not saying?” Dick explains. “From Aon’s point of view on data integrity, it’s important to look at an academic resource and see what’s being measured and reported on.”
Limitations of the data
The knowledge gap
While Aon aligns with the sentiment that access to resources alone doesn’t improve workplace well-being, doing nothing has a negative impact on retention and performance. Toxic work behavior is the greatest predictor of negative workplace outcomes across the globe, and organizations feel pressure to deliver programs on short timelines so they can say they’re offering services – any services – as opposed to taking the time to provide something meaningful.
For any initiative to be successful, organizations first need to look at the needs of the workplace and the needs of employees. Before overlaying an app, instating a program, or sending people for training, employers need the whole picture, Dick says, because ultimately any well-being program is layered on top of the foundation of an organization, and if that foundation has cracks, the program won’t be as successful. Is the problem that you’re not offering the right app? Or do managers have no sense of how they speak to their people, and respectful workplace policies aren’t enforced to correct that behaviour? That’s what Aon does well – helps organizations redesign what’s broken in their approach by identifying the root cause of problems and determining where opportunities lie.
There’s a large focus in the industry on well-being, but how is it defined? For Aon, it requires a multifaceted lens and a holistic approach, including a human sustainability view that looks at the whole person. Because that’s where the future of work lies – in creating a workplace that weaves easily together with employees’ whole lives, providing them with the psychological safety that underpins true well-being. That’s where people’s best work stems from, and that’s what employers should be looking to tap into by creating workplaces that support and sustain it. And while Aon is happy to contribute to this conversation, “we also want to lead the way forward,” Dick says.
“Organizations with an interconnected strategy are more likely to see results in thriving individuals, and we know thriving employees are more productive, they’re more
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Copyright © 2024 KM Business Information Canada Ltd.
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Best in HR
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Copyright © 2024 KM Business Information Canada Ltd.
RSS
Advisory board
Authors
Enquiry
About us
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External contributors
Privacy
Contact us
Advertise
Newsletter
News
Focus Areas
Resources
Best in HR
Subscribe