Passwords such as”Mental wellbeing”, “mental health”, “wellness”, The concepts of mental health and a healthy work environment are increasingly used by companies, however, what is presented externally often does not reflect the internal reality. As the saying goes, “the fish spoils from the head” or “the example goes from above.” Large corporations have proven time and time again that they can impress with their marketing campaigns — impressive, thoughtful and containing all the most important slogans. Some of them promoted equality, others diversity, and still others mental health. However, despite the excellent PR of these brands, reality often deviated from the built image. What happened behind the scenes left much to be desired, especially in the context of creating the healthy work environment that employees deserve. One example is a well-known transport company, which in its declarations talked about a supportive and inclusive work environment while bypassing labor law or not properly solving the problems of so-called platform workers, about which we wrote more in the article Platform work - the new EU directive.
How to recognize well-being washing?
Poles are among the busiest societies in Europe. Data from the Preply analysis, based on Eurostat, show that the average working time in Poland is 40.5 hours per week — 3 hours more than the EU average. Another report, People at Work 2022: A Global Workforce View, shows that, on average, 5 hours and 48 minutes a week, employees do after-hours work — and that's for free. Faced with such statistics, it is worth asking the question: what effect does this have on the psychophysical condition of employees? Which tools related to well-being can be helpful, and which are only apparent solutions?
If a company offers a benefits package that includes, for example, a gym pass, but at the same time expects to work after hours, there is little chance that such a benefit will be fully used or will prove to be adequate. Sometimes, instead of adding more “perks”, such as the already famous “fruit Thursdays”, it is better to focus on reorganizing working hours. This task is more difficult and demanding, because it requires the involvement of the management, but its effects are more lasting and more positive.
Well-being washing involves masking the internal problems of the organization with additives that do not solve the actual ailments of employees. Although access to psychological help is important, the source of employee frustration is often the work system itself. It is also a problem to use empty slogans, for example about the “importance of mental health”, in the absence of concrete actions to support this aspect.
Individualization
Modern psychology emphasizes the individual, which often shifts the responsibility for solving problems to an individual employee. Of course, some issues can only be solved independently, however, in the context of work, many problems arise from malfunctioning organizational structures. To improve the well-being of employees, it is not enough to add yoga classes, breathing workshops or access to a psychologist to the benefits package if there are systemic problems in the organization. Such actions are only a waste of the company's resources and employees' time, leading to a vicious circle of growing difficulties.
Evaluation
In order to have a good understanding of the situation in the company, it is worth conducting regular evaluations. Without the right tools to measure employee satisfaction, it is difficult to implement an effective strategy. For example, it is a mistake to correlate job satisfaction only with the number of visits to a psychologist as part of a benefit package or not to analyze the relationship between employee turnover and their sense of psychological security. The key word is verifying. Just because a certain solution works in one company does not mean that it will be effective everywhere.
Marketing
The most serious mistake is to use well-being washing as a marketing ploy — creating an image of a company that cares about employees without taking real action. Not only is this unfair, but in the long run it damages the company's image, undermines the trust of both employees and potential customers and business partners.
In summary, a genuine commitment to employee well-being requires courage, a strategic approach, and a willingness to address systemic issues. Everything else is just a facade that will collapse sooner or later.
summary
Well-being washing is a common mistake made by companies that brings losses to both employees and the entire organization. Loss of trust and superficiality of activities make the company lose credibility and employees do not receive real support. Being prepared to solve systemic problems is a real challenge, but taking it can bring surprisingly good results for the entire organization.
In the next article in the wellness washing series, you will find detailed information on data and analytics, as well as tips on how to build an organizational culture that authentically supports employee well-being.
At Jobs Door, we cherish a tradition of caring for our own work environment and promoting good outdoor practices. We publish content based on the latest reports that present different perspectives — both employees and employers. In addition, you will find job offers tailored to your needs, which can be the beginning of a new career path! Sources:
- https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/article/1803077/third-businesses-wellbeing-washing-study-shows
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidmorel/2024/08/06/how-to-avoid-wellbeing-washing/
- https://whowillsavetheplanet.pl/2023/05/23/sprawdz-czy-twoja-firma-uprawia-wellbeing-washing/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
- https://reba.global/resource/claro-wellbeing-report-how-wellbeing-washing-hurts-an-organisation-and-its-people.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com
- https://www.hintsa.com/insights/blogs/7-sins-of-wellbeing-washing/
- https://www.hrpa.ca/hr-insights/wellbeing-washing-hurts-your-people-heres-how-hr-can-avoid-it/
