We’ve become better at knowing what bad working environments look like, toxic bosses, discriminatory practices, unrealistic expectations – we see bad practice all around us (I’m looking at you Elon Musk). Do we know what good looks like when we see it? When looking for a new place to work, or trying to change your workplace into something that will be better for staff, do you know what your core ingredients are – how to check if they are present, and how to grow them if they are not?

We all know the old saying, culture eats strategy for breakfast, but do we know how to really grow healthy cultures?

We’re on a journey to learn as much as we can about what makes a workplace well, and we’re creating an ingredient list…

Purposeful working – whether its to make the best possible app, deliver a fantastic cup of coffee, or create excellence in healthcare, having a guiding north star is a foundation that underpins any workplace culture. For every decision you need to be able to ask ‘what is the right thing to do?’, and if you don’t know what really matters, you will get lost in the woods.

Have what you need – its Maslow’s hierarchy of need, but for the workplace. If you don’t have the basics right, you can’t thrive. Whether that’s an ergonomic chair, a realistic work plan, or a structured training approach, you have to map what you need to be able to do your job, and make sure you have it in place. Pay is a contentious issue, but I don’t believe a workplace can be healthy if they don’t pay the real living wage. No one should be in work and in poverty. Think about what you can do, from emergency loans for a crisis, subsidised support offers or free financial advice – and don’t assume you know who needs help.

Learning – our people are not job roles, and they don’t stand still. Any environment should be actively growing you for where you want to be tomorrow, as well as what you need to get done today.  Have a clear pathway for progression, and don’t limit it to a select few.

Relationships – the task, and the relationships required to get the task done are twin tracks in any workplace. You can’t focus on one to the exclusion of the other, but you ignore the relational at your peril. You can spend all your time trying to teach a team the skills they need, but if they don’t trust each other, communicate their concerns constructively, and stretch each other, performance will always falter.

And finally, kindness. If you don’t see kindness showing up everyday something is wrong. Small acts of kindness carry incredible impact, and can be utterly transformative. Be upfront about the value you place on this, and don’t misunderstand it. Its not kind to tolerate poor performance, or to leave someone to struggle. Don’t mistake compassion for something that undermines delivery, compassionate leadership is your greatest asset to strong performance.

What were some of our key learning points in the last year?

• Make it visible – say clearly what values and behaviours you do and don’t tolerate. A shared language makes it easier to check and challenge each other openly on whether this is right, and to talk about behaviours or decisions that feel expedient, that are simply not okay.
• ‘Wellness’ sometimes feels aspirational rather than inspirational, and can lead you to forget to do the basics. At times we noticed we had focused on mental health over physical. They are equally important and small changes can be impactful.
• Go for the big impact, rather than the optional extras. If you want people to be in better health yoga in the workplace might reach a few, but a change in physical environment (like standing desks or healthier food options) might reach all.
• Not all jobs are created equal – flexible working policies might not reach all job roles and things values in one role might not get any benefit in another. You must listen to all the voices, and understand what creating health might look like for them.
• Keep learning – track what difference you are making, know what data you want and connect with other people – there are amazing changes happening out there, and so many to learn from.
• You have to join the dots between wellness and purpose. We look after ourselves so that we can do our jobs better. Measuring this helps to demonstrate this isn’t a fuzzy or optional extra, but a crucial part of continuous quality improvement.

You can read Helen’s first blog ‘Psychological PPE’ here.

Helen Curr, Chief Executive

My role is to hold ourselves true to our values. To make sure our commitment to putting people at the heart of their healthcare journey is embedded in every decision and action we take.