Transforming Workplace Health and Wellbeing

As GPs of many years, we know the majority of longstanding health issues are dominated by 3 main areas- Chronic Pain, Metabolic Health and Mental Health. Often, they overlap with people commonly struggling with all three.  

From observing data and talking to HR leaders in businesses these 3 areas similarly dominate health and wellbeing at work, being the main causes of absence and poor performance at work (presenteeism). This is likely not news to anyone, but new insights into the management of all 3 of these conditions offers interesting new opportunities. There has been a growing realisation of the limitations of traditional medical treatments – like medicines, injections and operations. In its place new highly effective and sustained benefits can be found in non-medical approaches. The good news for businesses is it is cheap and easy to weave these approaches into internal wellness schemes 

Firstly, lets dive down into each of these areas: 

Chronic Pain 

Pain is actually the most common long-term condition in our society, with 1 in 3 of us suffering some degree of daily pain and 1 in12 living with ‘high impact pain’. Much of this is persistent joint or muscle pain, with low back and neck pain the most common. However latest insights show us that the experience of pain is most commonly associated with an over sensitisation of the pain system (stuck in over protection mode) rather than active tissue damage. It’s not that people are to blame or making it up, far from it, it’s miserable, but it does mean traditional pain killers are much less useful. New emerging understanding of sophisticated lifestyle and psychological approaches are proving much more effective. 

Metabolic Health 

This may also be a phrase less familiar to people, however our metabolism, or how we generate energy, is central to good health. Poor metabolic health underlies common conditions like raised blood pressure, obesity and type 2 diabetes, and ultimately the heart and circulation problems that cause strokes and heart attacks. Just like with chronic pain we are realising the limitations of traditional treatments with medications, discovering the power of addressing the root causes like diet, exercise, sleep and stress. Addressing these can quickly restore our metabolic health, rapidly giving us more energy and mental clarity. 

Mental Health 

Since the social isolation of the pandemic we have seen a further explosion of mental health issues, especially anxiety and depression. This is coupled with stronger appreciation of neurodiversity and post-traumatic stress. Again, the evolution of our understanding has shifted us away from medications like antidepressants, that have short term ‘numbing effects’ at best, towards more personalised support.  

A common approach to all 3 areas: 

Research and health care experience is showing us that a common style of support is useful across all 3 areas. The role the person takes in day-to-day self-care, and the skills knowledge and confidence to address lifestyle factors is seen as increasingly essential to good health and wellbeing. Traditionally we have relied on doctors and nurses with extensive scientific knowledge to tell us what to do, and prescribe pills, but this doesn’t work when it comes to lifestyle approaches. Even in workplaces we’ve often relied on education and advice to push us towards the latest diet or exercise regime. Being told what to do is far less impactful than being coached to discover our own solutions, that match our individual situation.  

So, the field of health coaching is emerging as a key set of skills and practices that support us in managing these 3 areas of illness. Coaches support us to develop a tailor-made approach that matches our personality and preferences. Often, they will help us make sense of medical information and a wide range of treatment options, but they won’t tell us what to do.  

The really good news for workplaces is that developing these skill sets within your own teams is relatively easy. It relies on a style of practice, rather than extensive knowledge. It can be learnt in a few days and then mastered in the workplace. It can build on established wellbeing roles and make them far more effective.  

This style of approach also supports a workplace culture that has performance enhancing effects beyond health and wellbeing, boosting appraisals, mentoring and teamworking. A coaching culture is a highly productive workplace culture.