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Consultant wellbeing is a vital component of a positive workplace and a prerequisite for any organisation aiming for long-term success.
Creating a culture of wellbeing builds a workplace where consultants feel comfortable, safe, and supported, cultivating a feeling of camaraderie and trust. Oh, and it also makes good business sense. Productivity increases when wellbeing is prioritised, and nearly half of employees in UK and US offices believe wellbeing needs to be improved.
So, how can leaders foster a supportive culture of wellbeing? Every organisation is unique, but significant improvement can be achieved by addressing two key aspects – culture and accountability.
For consultants to feel empowered to prioritise their wellbeing, an organisation must undergo a fundamental cultural shift that begins at the top.
This widespread cultural change takes time and requires an organisation to define their future people-focused goals. For example, an organisation seeking to support and retain the same group of consultants as they grow into their roles and deliver strong results over the long term must establish a culture that ‘steers the ship in the right direction’.
Key elements of a wellbeing strategy that drive cultural change, include:
Even if not explicitly demanded, any team member working long hours sets an unspoken expectation for others, increasing the risk of burnout and long-term performance issues. Leaders need to encourage and model healthy work habits and boundaries.
Some of the sharpest consultants think differently from neurotypical individuals. Recognising and accommodating their needs allows them to perform at their best, contributing valuable insight and innovation.
Prioritising mental health ensures consultants feel supported and equipped to manage challenges effectively. Creating an environment that acknowledges and addresses mental health needs fosters resilience, productivity, and long-term engagement.
Frequent check-ins between leaders and consultants provide the opportunity to assess wellbeing and reward effort as well as results. This creates a feedback loop that reinforces the importance of wellbeing and ensure consultants feel heard and supported in their wellbeing needs.
If consultants feel safe raising issues and leaders are willing to listen and act, this fosters a continuous wellbeing improvement cycle.
Consultants taking regular, scheduled breaks from demanding projects can greatly reduce the risk of burnout and enhance overall productivity.
To truly embed wellbeing into the culture, it is critical to integrate wellbeing metrics as a key component in performance reviews. This ensures that consultants’ overall health and work-life balance are considered when evaluating their performance, reinforcing that their wellbeing is as valuable as their output.
Not all these elements will apply to every organisation, but they are a great starting point for evaluating and assessing an organisation’s approach to wellbeing.
Without accountability, wellbeing can take a back seat. It is easy to envisage how pressing client work can take precedence over internal employee matters if it isn’t recognised as a priority.
In actuality, a focus on wellbeing is and should always be seen as important. According to 54% of UK HR professionals, burnout is a significant issue within their organisation, along with 36% who believe the past 12 months have seen a further decline in the mental wellbeing within their workforce – a higher proportion than the previous year.
An organisation’s leadership must play an active role in creating, enhancing, and maintaining a work environment that prioritises consultant mental, emotional, and physical health. To do so, leaders and managers should:
Define goals for consultant output, working hours, and KPIs, taking wellbeing factors into account.
Embody the values and behaviours they want to see reflected in their consultant teams.
Create a safe environment where consultants feel comfortable expressing concerns without fear of negative repercussions.
Establish wellbeing metrics to track progress and identify areas for improvement. Examples include monitoring retention rates of high performers compared to overall turnover, utilisation of support services, and burnout indicators. Conduct regular surveys, such as workload perception surveys and consultant self-reported wellbeing scores, to assess the effectiveness of wellbeing strategies.
Value consultant feedback and ensure it leads to meaningful changes and improvements.
Offer accessible resources such as counselling, flexible working arrangements, and wellness initiatives.
Leadership development is critical for sustaining a culture of wellbeing. Training programmes focused on emotional intelligence (EQ), mental health awareness, EDI sensitivity, and resilience equip leaders to support consultants effectively.
Building a culture of wellbeing requires proactive effort, not complacency. Cultural shifts and leadership accountability are key to ensuring both consultants and organisations benefit from improved workplace wellbeing.
At Elevation Learning, we help organisations support their consultants’ wellbeing to unlock their full potential. For more information on how we can help you improve consultant wellbeing, feel free to get in touch at info@elevationlearning.co.uk or Contact Us.
