Why wellbeing should be part of your people strategy

Wellbeing, as part of your people strategy, creates a significant leadership advantage, but all too often business leaders overlook it as a simple ‘perk’. The female leaders that I speak to often talk to me about the difficulties they face. Not just in leading well but staying well. The pressure to show up for everyone else can be so all-consuming, that they find it difficult to make time for themselves. So why is wellbeing such an overlooked part of people strategy? Let’s get into it.

Why wellbeing matters

Let’s be honest - in many workplaces, wellbeing is still treated like an afterthought. A bonus. A nice-to-have. Something that is conditional on getting your work done.

Your business might have things like a mindfulness app, a wellbeing webinar or even a semi regular yoga session. Those things aren’t bad. They’re just…not enough. Because when I talk about wellbeing, I’m not just talking about bubble baths and breath work.

I’m talking about whether leaders can think clearly, lead effectively, and sustain their level of performance without falling apart.

And here’s the truth I’ve come to know through coaching incredible women in leadership:So many of them are holding things together on the outside, while quietly unravelling on the inside.

My own experience

When I was pregnant, I was still running sessions, still coaching, still taking on all the things. I didn’t take maternity leave - I worked right up until the day I gave birth. And six weeks after having my baby, I launched a podcast.

Was I proud? Yes.Was I well? Not even close.

I was on autopilot. Exhausted. Running on adrenaline and expectation. But I thought, "If I just push a bit more, it’ll settle down." Spoiler: it didn’t.

What I learned at the time was this: you can’t lead well if you’re constantly running on empty. And pretending you’re fine isn’t resilience - it’s self-abandonment.

Why the old leadership model doesn’t work anymore

The model so many of us grew up with - the one that celebrates burnout as a badge of honour - is broken.

It rewards visible busyness. Constant availability. Leaders who push through no matter what.Especially for women, there’s this quiet pressure to do more, give more, hold it all - and look good while doing it.

But that model isn’t sustainable. Not for individuals. Not for teams. And definitely not for organisations trying to lead into the future.

Stress is no longer a chronic condition – it’s an acute crisis

Here’s where the science comes in.

For years, we’ve talked about chronic stress - low-level, ongoing tension. But right now, many leaders are no longer experiencing slow, background burnout.

They’re in acute stress - the kind that impacts sleep, blood pressure, memory, and emotional regulation. The kind that hijacks decision-making, creativity, and empathy.

This isn’t just “being tired.” It’s a full-body, full-brain shutdown. And we can’t afford to ignore it.

Because no leader can think strategically, lead others, or hold space for innovation when their nervous system is in survival mode.

The business case for wellbeing in your people strategy

As I’ve said before, wellbeing shouldn’t be viewed as just a ‘nice to have’ – companies that take wellbeing seriously, can see real, measurable results when they apply it as part of their people strategy.

Backed up by numbers, let’s take a look at some of the benefits you could expect.

Lower Turnover & Absenteeism

Poor health at work is costing UK businesses around £138 billion every single year - mostly through lost productivity. Happier employees take less time off than their unhappier peers. Equating to approximately two weeks off per year. That makes a huge impact on attendance and team stability.

Higher Engagement & Productivity

Research from the UK shows that just a one-point increase in employee happiness can lead to a 12% jump in productivity. That’s not a small bump - that’s a game-changer for performance.

Better Problem-Solving & Innovation

When people feel supported, they perform better - and they take smarter risks. Aon’s Global Wellbeing Survey found that improving employee wellbeing can boost company performance by 11% to 55%.

Leadership Retention & Trust

When leaders take care of their own wellbeing, they create psychologically safe teams. That trust fuels collaboration, retention, and innovation.

Why? Because when people feel supported, they perform better.When people feel safe and seen, they take risks.When leaders feel well, they lead well.

It’s not just personal. It’s strategic.

What needs to change

So, what should businesses actually do with this?

The first step involves getting honest about what’s not working. Having some difficult conversations internally, about workload, expectations, and culture.

Asking things like:

• What does sustainable capacity look like in our team?

• Do our roles allow for recovery and clarity?

• Are we building systems that support people - or silently exhausting them?

• And what kind of leadership are we rewarding - the loudest and most visible, or the grounded and most thoughtful?

What sustainable leadership looks like

Through my work, I’ve seen what it looks like when leaders start doing this differently.Not perfectly - just differently.

Here’s what it looks like:

• Noticing the early signs of depletion and acting before crisis hits

• Building rhythms of rest, not just working until collapse

• Modelling boundaries so the rest of the team feels permission to do the same

• Redefining success - not by how much you do, but by how present, clear, and aligned you are

When leaders thrive, everyone benefits. Not because they’re superheroes - but because they’re human, and they’re leading like it.

Where businesses can start

If you're leading a team or running a business and wondering where to begin, start here:

Step 1: Identify the causes of stress - not just the symptoms

Look beyond surface-level signs like fatigue or quiet quitting. What’s really driving it?Is it unclear priorities? Unrealistic timelines? Back-to-back meetings with no time to think?Ask your people what’s draining them - and actually listen.

Step 2: Build capacity into planning

We need to stop planning work around idealised humans - the ones with no distractions, no illness, no school pick-ups, no mental load.We plan projects and strategy - so why not plan for energy too?

Step 3: Make wellbeing a leadership conversation

It’s not HR’s job to “fix” stress after the damage is done.Wellbeing needs to be built into leadership development - the way we talk about boundaries, capacity, clarity, and recovery.It’s about equipping leaders to lead sustainably, not just endlessly.

Where leaders can go from here

If you're thinking, “This all makes sense, but where do I even begin with my team?” — that’s completely normal.

You don’t have to have all the answers. But you do need to be willing to ask better questions.

And sometimes, the most effective thing you can do is bring in someone from outside the day-to-day - someone who can help spot what’s hard to see when you’re in it.

Whether it’s a coach, a facilitator, or a wellbeing consultant - external support can:

• Offer a fresh lens on the pressure points in your culture

• Create a space for honest, constructive conversations

• Support your leaders to reconnect with themselves and their teams

It’s not about fixing anyone - it’s about creating the right environment for people to do their best work without burning out in the process.

Even one conversation, one session, one pause to reflect - can shift the whole tone of how a team works together.

So, if you’re holding too much right now, or you can sense that your team is stretched too thinly, don’t wait for things to break down. That’s the old way.

The new way is to lead before crisis hits. To be proactive, not reactive. To get support before it feels urgent.

Because sustainable leadership is never a solo job.

Lead differently

This isn’t about lowering standards. It’s about making success sustainable.A burned-out leader can’t inspire. But a grounded one? A well-supported one? They can transform an entire culture.

You don’t have to be superhuman. You just have to be honest - about what you need, and how you lead.

Because wellbeing isn’t the soft stuff. It’s the stuff that makes everything else possible.

If this blog sparked something in you, share it with someone in your team or your leadership circle. Let’s make these conversations normal - not just necessary.