HR Talks in Amsterdam – Wellbeing at work: the role of HR and L&D leaders

The debate around mental health, wellness and wellbeing at work has never had as much attention as it does today. For HR and L&D leaders, it is particularly relevant. Perhaps due to our hectic, always-on approach to work, or maybe due to the visibility that initiatives promoting a better work-life balance have gained recently, the truth is that those issues can no longer be ignored.

That’s precisely the key issues that HR and L&D leaders had a chance to debate in Amsterdam, during  an exclusive round table discussion hosted by Headspring, the corporate education joint venture of the Financial Times and IE Business School. Hosted in the headquarters of Dutch multinational ING Group, the event was led by Headspring educator Dr Steven McGregor, a world-class professor in leadership and author of Chief Wellbeing Officer, and FT journalist Helen Barrett, who for years was the editor of the FT Work & Careers section.

The idea of nurturing a culture of purpose, happiness and wellbeing at work has been widely endorsed by studies over the years. The impact on productivity and outcomes is also widely recognised – so why companies are so slow in embracing a new culture? What are the underlying challenges and how can HR and L&D leaders help break those barriers?

Among the topics discussed was the relationship between performance and wellbeing, as well as the organisational and the employees’ responsibility for wellbeing. Preventive action for the avoidance of burnout and generational trends were also covered, with guests mentioning the fact that younger employees expect that their employer will take care of wellbeing.