Investigating the drivers of workplace wellbeing and productivity

What is the issue?

Although there is evidence supporting the links between workplace health and wellbeing, employee engagement and work performance, we have less evidence to show that single workplace health interventions by themselves improve each of these areas.

New research could consider whether certain combinations of practices are more effective than other combinations, or effective for some types of organisations and not others.

How did we help?

RAND Europe and the University of East Anglia were commissioned by the Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC) to explore the factors underpinning the implementation of health and wellbeing practices that foster higher levels of productivity, staff engagement, health and wellbeing in organisations.

A central concept of the research was to study the interplay between productivity, wellbeing and high-quality work – that is work characterised by, for example, workers having a say in how they do their work, clear roles and performance expectations, manageable work demands, supportive co-workers and job security.

Specifically, the project objectives were to:

• Provide answers on which sets/combinations of practices are best implemented, considering, for example, whether they are more suited to types of individuals or specific organisational contexts.
• Determine how organisations implement health and wellbeing practices that are effective for improving workplace health, wellbeing and indicators of performance.
• Generate actionable knowledge, in the form of tools, briefings, direct engagement with organisations and/or intermediaries and other means of dissemination, to assist organisations in their efforts to improve workplace health, wellbeing and performance.

Key Findings

Our research shows that the most significant influence on wellbeing comes from the overall psychosocial quality of the work environment, rather than isolated interventions. While targeted measures can help, the broader and more sustainable impacts on wellbeing and productivity arise from job quality and a supportive workplace culture. Key factors include:

• Job design that promotes flexibility and autonomy
• Effective line management and leadership training
• Proactive, transparent communication from management
• A culture that values wellbeing, inclusion, and psychological safety.

The research underpinning these findings is summarised in a website of free, evidence-informed workplace wellbeing outputs.

Visit the Evolve Workplace Wellbeing website

This includes a cost effectiveness calculator that estimates the benefits of different types of wellbeing initiatives via improved employee wellbeing and boosts to productivity, using data from Britain's Healthiest Workplace Survey.

Explore the Evolve Wellbeing Business Calculator

Project Team