New report: L&D’s role in employee wellbeing

Recent years have been challenging for employees. From the uncertainty of Covid-19, to the current economic pressures, every organisation has had to support their workforce through difficult times.

Many organisations have responded by developing wellbeing policies which include helplines and mental health awareness training courses which have huge value.

The Open University (OU) wanted to find out if positive wellbeing could be fostered through an even wider cultural approach, by engaging staff in learning and development programmes to enhance their skills and career prospects.

Together with our partners at TrainingZone, the OU invited specialist culture and leadership consultant Blaire Palmer to investigate the links between learning and positive wellbeing. With a help of a new employer survey and The 5% Club, we reveal the strong correlation between the two and how continued investment in training is key engaging employees in your organisation’s culture and journey.

Survey findings are supported by expert viewpoints from OU researchers, and the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.

We see our members as best in class, a discerning group that overachieves, and over-delivers because they want to see a benefit to themselves and to the nation. They understand the need to skill their workforce. They believe in giving the UK the edge by investing in hard-to-reach talent pools in the post-Brexit, post-pandemic era.

We’re delighted to see that our members report more positive impact of training on employees’ wellbeing. Companies with a strong ESG agenda and L&D offering, will attract and retain employees - there is a commercial benefit to be had.
Mark Cameron
CEO, The 5% Club

Employers know that wellbeing needs to be addressed. That could be how they can help staff cope with cost-of-living crisis or personal challenges. Programmes need to be put into place to respond to a crisis, or a difficult time.

However, wellbeing also needs to be addressed at a cultural level within the organisation. Positive mental health goes hand in hand with an engaged and loyal workforce. Our new report shows exactly how training and career development can have a proactive impact on wellbeing in the workplace.
Phil Kenmore FCIPD
Corporate Development and Partnerships Director, The Open University