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The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented changes to our daily lives and the way we work. With the ongoing challenges posed by the pandemic, it is more importance than ever to prioritise our mental health and well-being.

At ³ÉÈËÓ°Òô, employees are at the forefront of what we do, so creating a programme that places mental health and wellbeing as a priority was a no brainer. LNUK Thrive was established to promote physical, mental, financial and community wellbeing so that we can more than ever enjoy and embrace a healthy workplace culture.

We spoke with Kendall Turner Lennon, HR Business Partner, and Thrive Wellbeing Programme Lead, to find out her tops tips for creating a culture which places an importance on mental health and wellbeing. As well as key steps firms should be taking to reduce burnout and pressure on employees. 

Taking a holistic approach to mental health and wellbeing

The LNUK Thrive Welling programme was established in 2017. The programme takes a holistic view of wellbeing and has 4 pillars:

1. Energise your body
2. Recharge your mind
3. Shape your finances
4. Connect with your community

We ensure our offering is varied because there is no one-size fits all approach. This enables us to consider how we support overall wellbeing, to be proactive, providing support to both our employees and management teams and to create a sustainable high-performance culture.

Since launching our Thrive Wellbeing programme, we have expanded the programme from covering the basics such as nutrition, mental health and the basics of finance; To more taboo topics, including fertility, baby loss, suicide, and menopause, with the goal to reduce the associated stigma. The programme itself incorporates interventions, providing access to information and support on-demand.

In addition to the offerings, we work with our leaders on how to ensure wellbeing is central to all aspects of work. This goes back to the basics of how teams are structured, work is allocated, objectives are set and how we communicate.  

Creating a culture which places an importance on mental health and wellbeing

It’s essential for all levels of the organisation to have a basic understanding of mental health. Mental health is equally important and inseparable to our overall health. We all have it, and without it, there is no health.

However, despite progress there is still a need for change, particularly in the UK. Unfortunately, people are more likely to say they have been off sick due to a stomach bug or flu, than a bout of anxiety or depression, and that needs to change. People need to be encouraged to feel they can open up, working towards removing the stigma surrounding mental health.

Having leaders talk openly about Mental Health is a great place to start.  At ³ÉÈËÓ°Òô UK we have trained over 180-line managers in mental health awareness, equipping them with a better understanding, and the necessary skills to identify signs of poor mental health, the confidence to have the conversation and signpost to internal and external support. 

Creating a cultural of wellbeing is about going back to the basics. Ask yourself is your organisation structured in a way that people can effectively do their job and thrive? You need to be sure your firm is designed so individuals can communicate and perform their jobs successfully, by providing clear goals, deadlines, objectives, and resources. This is vital to creating a culture where mental health and wellbeing is prioritised.

Do your staff know where to turn to for advice when they are struggling? This is crucial to ensure they are encouraged to speak up and can then receive the right help and support. Within your business establish a mental health community, where people are trained and can use their expertise to support each other, reaching out to the experts when you need to.

Striking the balance

Achieving work-life balance is something everyone strives for. It’s a continuous journey of self-awareness, and adaptation, however it has shifted significantly since COVID-19 brought work into our homes.

Work is just one aspect of our lives and as an organisation we strive to create a meaningful place of work where individuals can achieve their career goals, be challenged, make connections, and have fun along the way.

We want to avoid burnout and ensure that if people are feeling the pressures of work, they can speak up and make changes. Organisationally, we aim to equip leaders with the skills to have purposeful conversations that balance wins, successes, challenges and also what is happening in the individual’s personal life circumstances that may have an impact on work.  Encouraging autonomy and agency, encouraging enables them to reach their career goals but also stay well.

Harnessing technology

Working apart has meant firms have invested heavily in tools to streamline their workflow, improve response times, and collaborate more efficiently. Legal tech has emerged as a valuable resource and when used mindfully and strategically technology can play a role in promoting a healthy work life balance.

While legal tech has the potential to improve mental wellbeing for lawyers, it is important to acknowledge that technology alone is not the answer, and for some it can increase stress levels and trigger a ‘no off-switch’ mentality.

Providing staff with tools that allow them to be more efficient is the goal and with new generative AI tools coming to the marketplace, it will only make our work quicker and slicker. When it comes to tech use, autonomy and individual needs are crucial, and employees should feel encouraged to disconnect from these tools where required to focus on deep thinking work, ticking tasks off and prioritising their workload effectively. This helps promotes a working environment that pushes individuals to reach their full potential and thrive.

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