The Hidden Cost of 'Box-Ticking' Wellbeing (And How to Fix It)

Written By Rosie Edgington

The Keep Britain Working review calls out for employers to take genuine responsibility for their workforce’s mental health and wellbeing. Whilst some organisations are embracing this, others are merely ticking a box or ignoring the topic altogether.

It is understandable why some employers are skeptical. There are platforms and practitioners charging an absolute fortune while delivering very few measurable results, just as there are instances where the conversation feels misused. However, ignoring the issue is proving far more expensive. Employees taking sick leave due to poor mental health, or leaving their jobs due to a lack of support, is costing businesses massive amounts in lost productivity and staff turnover. According to the CIPD Health and Wellbeing at Work Report (CIPD, 2025), employers lose an average of £120 per day in profit from sickness absences, while replacing a single team member costs tens of thousands of pounds.

With 91 percent of adults experiencing high or extreme levels of pressure and stress over the last two years, wellbeing is no longer something businesses can afford to turn a blind eye to (Mental Health UK, 2026).

The High Price of Workplace Silence

Many leaders may have convinced themselves that mental health issues do not exist within their teams simply because managers are not hearing about them. Yet, the Burnout Report discovered that 35 percent of workers do not feel comfortable discussing high or extreme stress levels with their manager (Mental Health UK, 2026).

With this in mind, there needs to be an appointed person or an external partner who can work directly alongside management to resolve these internal challenges safely. For effective change to happen, we need honest conversations and a true acknowledgement that wellbeing is a business priority. In many cases, modern workplaces have unintentionally fostered environments governed by fear; fear of managers, fear of communicating openly, or fear of making a mistake. How can a workforce be content if they are riddled with fear?

The Keep Britain Working review notes that over time, workplaces have become increasingly procedural and risk-averse, treating employees as risks rather than as people to invest in (Department for Work and Pensions, 2026). Has our need to be efficient and heavily reliant on procedures removed an element of humanity that we so desperately need to get back in touch with?

When Procedures Replace Humanity

Look at this from a different angle: how often have you had a problem as a customer and felt like the company lacks genuine human interaction? How often have you basically been told "computer says no" or passed from one person to another because it is not within their job spec, leaving them fearful to take intuitive action?

As AI and technology take over more of our daily tasks, the need for genuine human connection in the workplace is only going to grow from both an employee and a customer perspective. Yet how can an employee, especially younger workers, foster genuine human connection with a customer if they are unable to experience that connection in their own workplace?

This human connection forms one of the core pillars for our Daily Rotations service. It delivers simple wellbeing prompts directly to employee inboxes every day, with each day presenting a different focus. For instance, Daily Conversations is tuned into sparking meaningful, face-to-face interaction in a world where we are forgetting how to converse without a screen. It is no shock that we are experiencing such high levels of anxiety and depression; we no longer have local physical communities in the same way, and even workplaces are becoming less social as more people work from home.

Moving From Fear to Genuine Prevention

The first step for businesses not currently supporting mental health is opening up these conversations. While larger companies often invest in Occupational Health (OH) or Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP), these external systems alone cannot create in-house human connection (Department for Work and Pensions, 2026). They rely on the employee remembering to log into an external system and speak with a stranger who does not understand the unique culture of that business. External platforms must form part of an active, ongoing plan executed across every level of the organisation.

The UK government encourages employers to focus on prevention. In my opinion, this should be delivered through a multifaceted approach, including steps such as:

  • Reviewing your current stance on wellbeing: Gather honest feedback from your teams. Outsourcing this step to an independent third party guarantees far more authentic responses, as employees feel safe giving feedback without fear of repercussions. This is something we do automatically when we onboard teams to Daily Rotations and provide workplace events, ensuring you get an accurate, honest snapshot.

  • Opening up conversations: Normalise discussions around mental health so support feels natural rather than taboo.

  • Training managers beyond Mental Health First Aid: Equip leaders with practical tools to manage their own stress, spot stress within their team, and feel confident offering meaningful support during challenging periods.

  • Hosting interactive workshops and classes: Bring teams together for live sessions that break down stress and encourage open dialogue. Make sure to get feedback before and after the sessions. Consider making these recurring rather than a one-off event to maintain momentum.

  • Embedding wellbeing into daily routines: Integrate small, consistent practices so wellbeing feels like a natural habit rather than a series of random explosions. This micro-habit approach is exactly what Daily Rotations is built upon.

  • Utilising dedicated external support: EAPs and Occupational Health have their place, but it can be far more beneficial to work alongside a local practitioner who can support your team in person or online on a regular basis.

  • Updating absence processes with empathy: Shift processes away from rigid management and toward genuine understanding. Linking this back to management training ensures that absence management stops feeling like a fearful process and starts acting as a supportive safety net.

  • Allocating a dedicated budget: Instead of viewing wellbeing as an expense, focus on the substantial financial savings created through improved staff retention and reduced sickness absences.


If you would like to explore how to bring genuine human connection back into your business culture and support your teams wellbeing, reach out today to book a free discovery call.



References

Rosie Edgington
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