Avoid wellbeing washing with hybrid work

Aug 31, 2023

Post-Covid, many companies are making an effort to show they care. Better hours, working from home, lunchtime yoga classes – and stats suggest that employees value these initiatives. IWG’s Hybrid Talent Magnet study found that 88% of HR executives believed they would reduce staff turnover if they offered more appealing wellness benefits. And more than two-thirds (68%) have experienced applicants turning down a job because of a lack of such benefits.

But business leaders need to deliver more than surface-level perks to create a genuinely healthy work environment. A term gaining momentum in the corporate lexicon is “wellbeing washing”, referring to companies that seem to champion employee well-being but lack substantial, action-oriented plans to back it up.

A survey by Claro Well-being suggests that 38% of employees need clarification about their employer’s commitment to actual wellness initiatives.

Recent IWG research is part of a growing body of evidence that flexible, hybrid work models can directly boost employee happiness, productivity, and overall well-being. Unlike superficial wellness initiatives, hybrid working represents a fundamental shift in work culture, according to the organisation.

A report by McKinsey Health found that there has been “unprecedented investment” in employee mental health and well-being over the past three years. This includes efforts like meditation app subscriptions, well-being days, and training on time management and productivity.

“But, while these are commendable, even laudable actions, genuine commitment to employee well-being involves addressing more systemic issues. Workplace burnout often stems from factors such as overload, lack of support, and the need for greater work-life balance. Hybrid working can help address these concerns,” says Joanne Bushell, MD of IWG Plc. South Africa.

According to IWG’s Hybrid & Healthy study, hybrid workers are healthier, happier and more productive as a result of working closer to home. The average hybrid worker is now getting 4,7 hours of exercise a week, compared to 3,4 hours before the pandemic. They’re sleeping longer (the equivalent of three days’ worth of extra sleep a year) because they don’t have those long commutes, and they have more time to cook nutritious meals during the week.

There are other upsides, too, like the ability to work from an office that suits personal preferences, whether that’s in location, design or the type of meeting rooms available, and the ability to collaborate effectively in flexible and modern meeting spaces.

According to Stanford economics professor Nicholas Bloom, productivity increases can be as much as 3% to 4%, which adds up significantly over time.

Plus, hybrid working could save organisations more than R200 000 per employee a year on average, according to Global Workplace Analytics.