Legal & General Group Protection’s Wellbeing Advisory Board has launched an initiative to combat burnout, which centres on a wellbeing partnership between employers and employees.
This shared responsibility model puts the need to address workplace culture as a priority, before considering the introduction of services, interventions or insurances.
The model also looks at the relationship between employers and employees, with the need for each party to take care of each other.
The partnership means sharing the responsibility for wellbeing; going beyond traditional roles, allowing for both parties to benefit from healthier rights, while holding each other’s responsibilities to account.
Legal & General UK Protection chief medical officer, Dr Tarun Gupta, said he had first hand-experience of the fact that if workplace culture remains negative, then no burnout interventions or wellbeing strategy will be effective.
“So, addressing the negative culture first is paramount.”
Additionally, the Wellbeing Advisory Board said this new collaborative approach provides intermediaries with a roadmap for a process that aims to help clients reduce and prevent burnout, while improving wellbeing.
To support this, the board designed and launched a range of guides, checklists, summaries and a lived experience on the topic of burnout prevention through shared responsibility.
Legal & General Retail group protection claims and governance director, Vanessa Sallows, said: “Mental health issues in the UK are continuing to rise, impacting both sickness absence and economic inactivity - and, disproportionately, the younger generation.
“In other words, there’s never been a more urgent time for us, as an industry, to take a systematic approach to the support and advice we give to clients; an approach that considers the role of good work in health and wellbeing.
“That necessitates looking at all elements, including workplace culture, in the prevention of workplace stress - and, ultimately, burnout - not just introducing new services or insurances.”
This announcement comes at a time when the UK is reportedly on the verge of becoming a “burnt-out nation” with 91 per cent of UK adults saying they experienced high or extreme levels of pressure and stress at some point in the past year.
Additionally, 49 per cent of UK working adults say their employer doesn’t have a plan in place to spot the signs of chronic stress and prevent burnout in employees.
tom.dunstan@ft.com
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