Rethinking Wellbeing at Work

Workplace wellbeing has moved beyond gym discounts and fruit bowls. While these perks are nice additions, organisations are realising they aren't enough to create genuine wellbeing for diverse workforces.

We're witnessing a fundamental shift from superficial perks to inclusive, people-centred wellbeing approaches. This evolution is crucial as teams become more diverse, work becomes more distributed, and mental health concerns continue to rise across industries.

Forward-thinking organisations now recognise that wellbeing isn't just a box-ticking exercise – it's a strategic priority that impacts everything from productivity to retention.

What Is Inclusive Wellbeing?

Inclusive wellbeing means creating support systems that work for all employees – regardless of age, role, background, location, or ability. It's an approach that recognises people have different needs, preferences, and barriers when it comes to their wellbeing.

This goes deeper than just accessibility. It's about creating a sense of belonging and relevance for everyone in your organisation. When employees see wellbeing programmes that reflect their realities and respect their differences, engagement naturally follows.

Traditional wellbeing programmes often contain unintentional gaps that exclude certain groups:

• Physical challenges that are too intense for some team members

• Time-specific activities that exclude shift workers or carers

• Digital-only approaches that leave out field or frontline workers

• One-size-fits-all solutions that don't account for diverse needs

• Culture-specific activities that don't translate across global teams

Addressing these gaps doesn't require starting from scratch – it means thoughtfully evolving your approach to include everyone.

Key Pillars of Inclusive Wellbeing

Flexibility

Flexible wellbeing initiatives adapt to different schedules, energy levels, and preferences rather than forcing everyone into the same mould.

This might look like:

• Asynchronous challenges that can be completed at any time

• Choice-based activities where people select what works for them

• Varied intensity options that accommodate different fitness levels

• Opt-in, opt-out approaches that respect personal boundaries

Flexibility doesn't mean compromising on impact. In fact, our experience shows that when people can engage on their own terms, participation and completion rates actually increase.

Cultural Sensitivity

Inclusive wellbeing recognises that concepts of 'health,' 'success,' and 'motivation' vary widely across cultures, backgrounds, and individuals.

Practical approaches include:

• Avoiding assumptions about what a 'healthy lifestyle' looks like

• Using inclusive language that doesn't centre one cultural perspective

• Featuring diverse representation in wellbeing content and communications

• Acknowledging different cultural attitudes toward mental health discussions

When wellbeing initiatives reflect and respect cultural diversity, they create space for authentic engagement rather than compliance.

Psychological Safety

For many employees, wellbeing activities can feel exposing or intimidating. Inclusive approaches prioritise psychological safety – creating environments where people feel comfortable participating without fear of judgement.

Essential elements include:

• Clear communication that participation is truly optional

• Protection from comparisons that might shame or discourage

• Private options for tracking sensitive information

• Team norms that celebrate effort over achievement

When psychological safety is present, employees are more willing to engage authentically with wellbeing initiatives rather than hiding struggles or disengaging completely.

Accessibility

Accessible wellbeing means designing with the full spectrum of human abilities in mind – both physical and cognitive.

This encompasses:

• Mobile-friendly tools that work across devices and locations

• Simple, intuitive user experiences that don't require technical expertise

• Neurodivergent-friendly formats with clear instructions and minimal sensory overload

• Alternatives to app-based tracking for those with limited digital access

Accessibility isn't an add-on feature – it's fundamental to ensuring everyone can benefit from your wellbeing initiatives.

Why Inclusive Wellbeing Drives Better Results

When wellbeing programmes genuinely include everyone, organisations see tangible benefits:

• Higher participation leads to greater programme impact and better ROI

• Team connections strengthen as colleagues support each other through shared experiences

• Morale improves when everyone feels considered and valued

• Trust in leadership grows as employees see commitment to genuine inclusion

• Wellbeing becomes embedded in culture rather than feeling like an external initiative

Inclusive wellbeing recognises that wellbeing isn't just an individual responsibility – it's shaped by systems, environments, and relationships.

Getting Started: Questions to Ask

To assess how inclusive your current wellbeing approach is, consider these questions:

• Who might be excluded from your current wellbeing initiatives, either explicitly or implicitly?

• Is participation truly optional, flexible, and varied enough to accommodate different needs?

• How do you gather feedback from both participants and non-participants to understand barriers?

• Do your wellbeing communications use inclusive language and diverse imagery?

• Are your digital wellbeing tools accessible to everyone in your organisation?

• How do you accommodate different physical abilities, schedules, and preferences?

Even small adjustments in these areas can significantly improve the inclusivity of your wellbeing strategy.

Build a Culture Where Everyone Feels Well

Inclusive wellbeing isn't a passing trend – it's a strategic advantage in building resilient, engaged teams. As workplaces continue to evolve, the organisations that thrive will be those that support wellbeing in ways that work for their entire workforce.

You don't need to overhaul everything at once. Start by identifying the most significant gaps in your current approach, gather feedback from diverse voices in your organisation, and make incremental improvements.

Small changes in how you design, communicate, and implement wellbeing initiatives can create profound shifts in how employees engage with them.

We encourage you to review your wellbeing strategy with an inclusive lens. Are you reaching everyone? Could your approach be more flexible, culturally sensitive, psychologically safe, or accessible?

When wellbeing works for everyone, everyone works better.

Contact us