Wellbeing in Our New Hybrid World: A Rethink for Employers

As we reach the half-way point in 2021, most employers feel dual pulls: to forge ahead with business plans and continue the focus on wellbeing from lockdown days. Many employers, managers and indeed employees and are keen to use offices and collaborative space to rebuild team culture. They also have changed expectations about work, blending onsite working with focused remote working in a new hybrid model. The backdrop to this surge of activity includes the long-term health and mental health impacts of covid and of the lockdowns. This is a critical moment for employers to get it right: practically, culturally and emotionally. How do we regenerate culture, refocus on business plans and also nurture mental health? In this lively discussion, we will unpick what actually works to support wellbeing for the workforce at a time of transition, when the focus is on both productivity and on re-engagement. We will draw particular learning from experience with front-line workers. Our panel will examine practical wellbeing strategies from a range of angles: • What does a robust wellbeing strategy include for a hybrid workforce? • With a clearer focus now on home life, what can employers do to support the wellbeing of working parents with the summer ahead bringing more holidays as well as concerns about educational catchup? • What should employers do to recognise employees’ new and ongoing caring responsibilities after a time of trauma and change for many? • What can we all learn from what works for staff wellbeing in a front-line setting such as the NHS? Presented by · James Marsh, HR Manager at Planet Organic and former Editor of HRreview · Karen Adewoyin, Deputy Director of People and OD, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust · Karen Harbisher, Head of HR Business Partnering and Performance, Bright Horizons · Jennifer Liston-Smith, Head of Thought Leadership, Bright Horizons