‘Smile, we only live once, but if we do it right…
…once is enough’ a saying repeated to me throughout my early career as I worked too many hours, strived for perfection and then realised you could have a ball at work, be healthy, still be successful and have balance. (I warned you before I was ‘of an age’.)
That’s why it’s so sad that all the hard work to improve staff engagement, staff happiness and wellbeing is going backwards. In 2025, a global study by Gallup shows that only 23% of the workforce is highly engaged. I get it, it’s tough times for all employers, no country, no sector is getting an easy ride but we do need to make our leaders aware:
– Some days 62% of employees are not engaged, meaning they show up but do not feel connected to their work..that impacts performance
– Only 30% of line managers are actively engaged in their work
Awareness, open adult conversations about how improvements can be made are what’s needed, we don’t need huge budgets, we don’t do weekly quizzes, we need to bring it to the top of the leaders agenda:
– Healthy work-life balance – boundaries, breaks, balance, be brave with prioritisation
– Make mental health part of the conversation – curious conversations, support and build team resilience
– Strengthen social connections at work -peer to peer training, collaboration, care and interest in each other
– Review and measure – review what’s working, what’s the impact, what are the positive changes, collaborate …constantly!
If you need any help and guidance reach out to the LGH team@letsgethealthy.co.uk
