Many of the most common programs meant to support employee mental wellbeing are failing to move the needle, according to a recent study by William J. Fleming, a research fellow at Oxford’s Wellbeing Research Centre. Fleming’s survey asked 46,336 workers across 233 UK workplaces about 90 different kinds of programs aimed at promoting wellbeing, including mindfulness classes, free massages, time management training, mental health coaching, and apps that support better sleep and lifestyle change. Analyzing employees’ participation alongside their self-reported mental health, psychological distress, and perception of work environment factors like collaboration and belonging, he found almost no correlation—the only programs that seemed to improve mental wellbeing were employee volunteering initiatives.
Allison Gabriel, a professor of management at Purdue University and faculty director at the Purdue Center for Working Well, argues that the central question in promoting wellbeing—both physical and mental—isn’t about the perks available. Instead, she says, it’s the extent to which workplaces allow workers to make their own choices about how to invest in their physical, emotional, and mental health. We spoke with Gabriel about the best way to do that. Here is an excerpt of our conversation, edited for length and clarity:
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