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Introduction 1. How managers impact wellbeing: the data 2. Creating connection in the workplace 3. Building manager relationships 4. Confident conversations: useful downloads 5. Key skills and signposting 6. Reshape your culture with manager insights 7. HR policies that support managers 8. Three ways to increase engagement Summary and quiz

Even the best-planned initiatives can struggle to reach the people who need them most.

Once you’ve won that initial investment — be it in a new EAP, health cash plan or on-site gym — you’ll need to get buy in from colleagues to increase their engagement (and your value for money).

Many new workplace initiatives struggle with uptake, but that doesn’t make them any less needed. It’s common for employees to experience barriers to change, so you’ll need to repeatedly reach out to encourage participation. This is where managers can help.

Managers provide a vital link between HR, leaders and colleagues, which makes them well positioned to increase engagement with your wellbeing support. Even after you’ve launched your new initiative, it might not occur to employees to seek support for themselves, so managers can help you reach out and get them on board.

Click to explore three tips to help your managers increase engagement with wellbeing in the workplace:

Create community

Harness the power of social proof by tapping into sub-communities around the workplace.

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Whether it’s a company netball club or a 10-minute stretch in the daily stand-up meeting, taking a social approach to wellbeing has lots of benefits. Managers could:

  • Chat to their team about any wellbeing activities, hobbies or sports that they take part in.
  • Integrate wellbeing into departmental events or regular team meetings.
  • Work with employees to create new communities, such as a Couch to 5k running club or a working parents support group.
  • Openly share when they’ve used the company’s wellbeing support, using the opportunity to signpost and boost uptake.

Role model

Managers can help promote health habits by leading by example.

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Leaders and line managers should strive to demonstrate healthy behaviours in their own working lives. These proactive steps can set a positive example for employees to follow:

  • Managers could try to take more regular breaks, reduce overtime or take part in wellbeing activities across the business to encourage employees to prioritise their work-life balance.
  • Managers play a key role in setting the ’cultural tone’ of the workplace. Manager workshops or check-ins with department heads can help you share the right messaging for them to pass on to their people.
  • Embed health and wellbeing into your company culture by making it part of your day-to-day procedures. This might include encouraging managers to set aside time for wellbeing each week.

Communicate consistently

Make sure managers are informed about what’s on offer and how to access it.

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A joined-up approach across departments will help messaging reach colleagues in a consistent and timely manner. These suggestions can help make wellbeing part of your ‘business as usual’:

  • Introduce new starters to your wellbeing initiatives as part of their onboarding process. You could offer a specific ‘wellbeing induction’ to encourage the use of your health benefits.
  • Share information where people will actually see it. If some of your employees don’t have regular access to email, you could also display posters in the workplace. If most of your team is working remotely, your managers might have to be proactive about signposting to your wellbeing initiatives during virtual calls.
  • Try offering an incentive. While vouchers are an obvious choice, incentives don’t have to be costly. A fundraising hike or weekly step challenge can generate buzz and boost engagement with health and fitness.
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