“Wellbeing is a collective responsibility”: Cultivating positive wellbeing in the workplace

Annual initiatives such as ‘World Wellbeing Week’, which happened earlier this summer, are crucial for highlighting the importance of promoting and supporting well-being, including in the workplace. The real unlock happens when organisations put the focus on well-being year-round.

Putting our colleagues at the center of everything we do including offering benefits and programmes that support their holistic wellbeing—be it their physical, financial or mental health, are key to how we provide colleagues at American Express with a compelling value proposition. Whilst it’s clear that employers can play a key role, every colleague within an organisation has the ability to influence and impact others and ultimately play their part in helping foster a positive workplace culture where well-being is a priority.

Here are my three suggestions for some simple steps that everyone within an organisation can take towards foster positive wellbeing in the workplace.

1. Don’t rely on a top-down approach - ensure that knowledge and ownership sits with each and every colleague 

It’s the responsibility of everyone to create a working environment where people feel able to speak openly about how they’re doing – both in the workplace and outside of it. We all need to do the work to foster this kind of culture—it can feel slightly alien initially so it’s something I make a conscious effort to model.

Having leaders talk openly about the importance of mental health is a big step to building a culture where colleagues feel comfortable asking for help. It’s even more impactful when all colleagues have a deeper understanding of the spectrum of mental health, know how to identify and initiate conversations with those showing signs that they need support. Having all colleagues feel equipped to have these conversations helps normalize and foster a supportive wellbeing culture.

At Amex we also focus on ensuring that all colleagues are aware of the wellbeing benefits and resources that are available to them and ensuring they stay top of mind.  For instance, our global Healthy Minds programme that provides industry-leading mental health counseling and support for all colleagues and their household members is something we regularly signpost to at timely opportunities.

2. Lean into the discomfort and ask for feedback

While it may not be the easiest thing to do, whether you’re giving or receiving, feedback is pivotal for promoting a healthy workplace culture.

Provided it comes with positive intent and is delivered thoughtfully, it’s hard to overstate the value of feedback. Over my career, I’ve learned to become more comfortable with asking for feedback, as it ultimately helps me to learn, build trust with colleagues and stay motivated – in turn helping me to improve and progress in my career. At American Express, we offer Feedback @ Amex, a comprehensive program with resources for colleagues to build everyday coaching and feedback skills and foster a culture of more frequent and ongoing feedback. Knowing the positive effect it has on my long-term well-being, because this is ultimately also about being able to be authentic at work, I make it a priority to take the time to give constructive feedback to my team as well as those I work with.

Whether it’s positive or developmental, feedback is something that can and should be given at the time and not only during review season.  For everyone to feel the full benefit and be able to act upon it all year round, feedback really needs to become a daily habit.

Also, don’t feel shy when it comes to highlighting the achievements of others. If a colleague has done something well, I will always try to be their cheerleader to highlight their achievements. In doing so, not only are you playing an active role in their development, but you’ll also be actively promoting a positive workplace culture which encourages people to learn from successes and celebrate them.

3. Communicate how you work best and encourage others to do the same

Working in a way that suits us individually is incredibly important for our own wellbeing. Not only does it help to make us more productive, but it also helps foster the idea of healthy work-life integration within the wider company.

I encourage my colleagues not to be afraid to communicate with their leaders if there’s an alternative way of working that can help them achieve their best result — whether that’s gathering their thoughts solo before joining a wider team meeting on a project or asking for a more detailed one-to-one brief on a task.

Self care, is also part of this equation. Sometimes it can be as simple as a walk around the block, setting expectations for yourself when it comes to time management, or communicating to colleagues where you need more support on a task.

As a leader, it’s so important to model this behaviour and lead by example. If your colleagues can see you communicating your own needs, they’re more likely to feel empowered to do this for themselves. And this advice applies to everyone in an organisation — we can all play a part in encouraging our colleagues to prioritise their wellbeing.