3 ways leaders can help improve their team's wellbeing

Willpower is an individual concept but leaders of teams play an important role

Last week I attended a great event hosted Champion Health for the launch of their latest Workplace Health Report*. The room was filled with the buzzing energy of individuals with a focus on human wellbeing.

I coach leaders, and found it interesting that:

82% of employees are motivated to improve their wellbeing, but
48% of them feel that the biggest barrier to making health changes is willpower.

Willpower might be an ‘individual' concept, but in our work, it's still heavily influenced by leadership. A huge part of a leader’s role is to create the conditions for others to flourish – which means them feeling in control and able to exercise their willpower.

So what can leaders do to help bridge the gap?

Here are some tips based on the challenges and patterns I see in today’s leadership community:

1. START WITH YOURSELF

We often forget that HOW we are as leaders is more important than WHAT we do: give yourself time and space to slow down and tune in so you can add the most value for your team. Wellbeing is not a nice-to-have if you want sustainable results.

2. DON'T FIX A PROBLEM THAT DOESN'T EXIST

Time may feel short but quick fixes are costly. Don’t second guess what your people need – talk to them to understand it better. When they have space to explore and identify their needs they can tell you what they are so you don't waste valuable time and money.

3. MAKE CHANGES BUT STAY AGILE

Create a dialogue with your teams so that lines of communication are open and you can adjust as time goes on. How humans feel is the #1 influencer of what they do, so you need to understand that in order to ‘get stuff done’.

Whether it's for wellbeing or more broadly, how do you see your role as a leader in helping others to harness their willpower and what are the challenges?

For more info on the report talk to the team at Champion Health, or for support in fostering a culture allows your team to flourish get in touch.

*The Workplace Health Report 2024, Champion Health 2024

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