In today’s workplace, leaders are increasingly feeling the pressure to add ‘therapist’ to their job descriptions. This comes from recent research by Inventium on the latest workplace trends impacting organisations, leaders, and teams across Australia.
Dr Amantha Imber of Inventium highlights a growing concern: “Employees are not getting the support they need — and how can they when their manager is most likely not a trained therapist? Managers feel out of their depth, yet they can’t say no to employees needing emotional support. This is really problematic”.
Progressive companies have encouraged employees to “bring their whole selves to work,” adding complexity to managerial roles. Leaders must now support their teams not only professionally but as whole individuals with complex lives outside of work. As Brian Kropp, chief of research at Gartner, explains, “We’re moving toward someone who has to be almost like a social worker or school counsellor to support their employees. If you’re not going to be there to support them, odds are you shouldn’t be a manager”.
There is a growing expectation from leaders and employees alike for organisations to support employee health and wellbeing. However, there are significant gaps between employee and executive perceptions. Research by Deloitte found that in 2023, most employees’ health worsened or stayed the same from the previous year, yet over three out of four executives believed their workforce’s health had improved.
Considering these challenges, here are three strategies leaders need to prioritise to support employee wellbeing:
Research from the University of Oxford published in January this year showed that nearly all wellbeing interventions, including resilience training and online coaching, did not benefit employee wellbeing, with volunteering being the sole exception. Organisations must move away from the ‘addition bias’—the tendency to add new initiatives rather than remove existing stressors. A more effective strategy is to reduce workload and demands, as heavy workloads and long hours are the top hurdles preventing employees from achieving their wellbeing goals.
Beyond this, a survey by Gallup and Bentley University found that the top three workplace policies workers say will help their wellbeing are limiting work outside typical hours, implementing a four-day work week, and incorporating mental health days.
Organisations need to proactively define the role of leaders in employee health and wellbeing, clarifying what is not within a manager’s remit. For example, demonstrating care for employees by checking in on their wellbeing in weekly 1-on-1s is appropriate (“How are your energy levels at the moment?”). However, stepping into a role where leaders are solving challenges that their people are facing outside of work may not be. Instead, leaders may ask questions to determine how their people are getting the support they need outside of work (“Have you got someone to speak to?”, “Who’s helping you through this challenging time?”).
Employees are bringing their whole selves to work, which can be challenging for leaders. It is critical that leaders match this by demonstrating their own authenticity, especially in challenging times. While it can be tempting to put on a mask of absolute confidence, employees are expecting transparency and authenticity from those who lead them.
Organisational psychologist Paul Mitchell recommends a ‘Goldilocks approach’ to authenticity using the “4P’s”:
By recognising the limits of current wellbeing initiatives and exploring more sustainable ways of supporting employees, clearly defining leadership roles in employee health and wellbeing, and promoting authenticity in leadership, organisations can better support employee wellbeing in today’s complex work environment.
Like what you see? You can read more by downloading Inventium’s Future of Work white paper here.
Charlotte Rush is an organisational psychologist and head of growth at Inventium.
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Charlotte is the head of learning at innovation consultancy Inventium.
