Mind the Gap: Why Leaders Need Support to Drive Workplace Wellbeing
In today's workplace, leaders are increasingly expected to be champions of employee wellbeing, yet many lack the support and tools they need to fulfil this crucial role effectively. With mental health issues costing UK businesses £51 billion annually (Deloitte, 2024), organisations can't afford to overlook this critical gap in leadership development.
The Expanding Role of Leadership
Today's leaders aren't just responsible for delivering results – they're expected to be coaches, mentors, and guardians of their team's mental wellbeing. This expectation has intensified since the pandemic, with 68% of employees now wanting more wellbeing support from their managers (UKG Global Survey 2023). However, this raises a crucial question: Who is supporting the leaders themselves?
The Domino Effect of Unsupported Leadership
When leaders are thrust into the role of championing wellbeing without proper training or support, it creates a dangerous cascade of consequences:
First, leaders face an increased risk of burnout. They're attempting to support their team's mental health while potentially struggling with their own wellbeing challenges. This double burden can lead to exhaustion and decreased effectiveness in both areas.
Second, without proper tools and frameworks, leaders may avoid wellbeing conversations altogether, fearing they'll say the wrong thing or make matters worse. This hesitation creates a silence around mental health that can be more damaging than having imperfect conversations.
Finally, well-intentioned but unfocused wellbeing initiatives often fail to create meaningful impact, leading to cynicism about workplace mental health programmes and wasted resources.
Bridging the Gap
The solution lies in equipping leaders with practical tools and frameworks specifically designed for workplace wellbeing. Effective leadership development in this area should address three key elements:
Personal Wellbeing Mastery: Leaders need to understand and manage their own wellbeing before they can effectively support others. This includes recognising early warning signs of stress and burnout, and having practical strategies to maintain resilience.
Strengths-Based Approaches: Rather than focusing solely on problems, leaders need tools to identify and leverage individual and team strengths. This positive approach creates sustainable improvements in both wellbeing and performance.
Practical Implementation Skills: Theory isn't enough. Leaders need concrete frameworks for having wellbeing conversations, designing targeted initiatives, and creating lasting cultural change.
The Business Case for Change
When leaders are properly equipped to support wellbeing, the benefits extend far beyond reduced absenteeism and turnover. Teams become more resilient, engagement improves, and performance naturally follows. Moreover, organisations build a reputation as employers who genuinely care about their people's wellbeing, becoming more attractive to top talent.
Looking Ahead
The role of leaders in supporting workplace wellbeing will only grow in importance. Forward-thinking organisations are already recognising that investing in dedicated wellbeing leadership development isn't just about meeting current demands – it's about future-proofing their leadership capability.
Through structured programmes like the Leadership Wellbeing Ambassador Programme (Goldcrest Training - download info here), leaders can develop the confidence and competence needed to create truly healthy, high-performing teams. This investment in leadership development pays dividends not just in reduced costs from mental health issues, but in building more resilient, engaged, and productive organisations.
The message is clear: If we expect leaders to champion wellbeing, we must first champion their development in this crucial area. The cost of not doing so is simply too high to ignore.
For more information on our Leadership Wellbeing Ambassador Programme get in contact.