Wellness-washing involves promoting a wellbeing culture or intervention without achieving positive wellbeing outcomes. The goal is to enhance corporate reputation and employer branding with minimal effort and investment.
Research shows only a third of employees find workplace mental health support adequate, despite public employer support for awareness events. More than a third (35 per cent) of businesses are wellbeing washing. Reports suggest wellbeing washing is increasing as companies prioritise wellness publicly but not financially supporting their workforce internally.
Claro Wellbeing’s research discovered that 71% of workplaces celebrate mental health awareness days, but only a third of organisations rate their employer’s mental health care as good or outstanding. The study of 1000 employees also revealed discrepancies: while 35% of employers promote mental health awareness on social media, only 30% of employees feel their employer genuinely considers their wellbeing. This echoes findings by MHR, where three in five employees feel their employer neglects mental health, with more than half hiding their concerns.
Words from Simon Blake
Simon Blake, CEO of Mental Health First Aid England, emphasises the need to prioritise employee mental health, accelerated by Covid. While progress is commendable, more action is necessary.
As a result, only 44% were offered counselling from their employers, 49% were offered a helpline and 39% had access to a mental health first aider.
Andrew Filev, a chief executive, and founder of Wrike, previously told People management it was “critical that organisations set out detailed support strategies”, adding that they must “make mental health a priority” by promoting work-life balance and ensuring employee workloads were manageable. It is crucial that employee wellbeing is embedded in an organisation’s culture. Organisations have a duty to support employees through times of crisis, but poor mental health can also severely affect productivity and performance.
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