Keeping workplace wellbeing at the top of the agenda
When employee welfare is not at the core of how a business operates, the results can be disastrous. Eman Al-Hillawi, CEO at business change consultancy Entec Si, explains how leaders can develop a healthier workplace culture, to ensure transformations succeed.
Earlier this year, Entec Si was named as one of the UK’s Best Workplaces and, more recently, we were recognised as the ‘Best Company for Health & Wellbeing’ at the Birmingham Business Best Places to Work Awards. I have always had a clear vision for our organisation, and winning these awards has validated this, demonstrating our consistent focus on putting people at the centre of how we operate.
For businesses today, investing in teams and prioritising people is more important than ever. The success of new initiatives, such as AI projects, digital transformations and other change programmes, ultimately hinge on the people within organisations. Employees are increasingly facing pressure due to skills shortages and change fatigue, whilst being under strain due constant reorganisation and new policies, such as hybrid working. Consequentially, across industries, the focus on wellbeing in the workplace is shifting from being perceived as a bonus, to an essential, core investment, and the expectation from employees for organisations to support their mental wellbeing continues to grow.
Despite the growing importance of workplace wellbeing, it can become easy for culture to fall down the priority list as businesses face rapid technological change, economic uncertainty and growing customer demand. Balancing these geopolitical, economic and workforce pressures is not easy, but it’s essential for any business that wants to thrive in 2026 and beyond.
Leadership plays a crucial role in creating healthier workplaces. Organisational culture is often shaped by the behaviours and messages that leaders promote, and being intentional about this can help foster a more positive work environment. When leaders encourage open and honest conversations, they will be better positioned to identify staff concerns, resolve issues and create an ongoing dialogue that keeps their team feeling listened to and supported, even during times of pressure. That kind of two-way relationship also allows organisations to understand what culture means to their own staff, and how it can be improved to create genuine value.
Behaviour as a driver for change
This goes beyond material perks and one-off initiatives. Culture and employee welfare needs to be integrated into how a business operates at its core. Especially during change projects, monitoring staff wellbeing is essential; effective capacity planning, proactive risk management and realistic schedules are not only project management tools, but also ways of protecting the wellbeing of your workforce.
Naturally, change journeys can be unpredictable, but leaders can ensure consistent and effective management of their teams by fostering a well-established, healthy culture – one in which employees feel listened to, and open and honest conversations are encouraged rather than restricted.
When businesses invest into the people behind the work, the work itself also improves. Positive workplace wellbeing can generate high levels of engagement, productivity and retention. When staff feel valued and recognised, they’re more likely to contribute ideas, collaborate with others and remain committed to the organisation and what it stands for.
As we look ahead, employee welfare and company culture are likely to become even more important as organisations navigate an increasingly complex and fast-changing business environment. Flexible and hybrid working patterns, digital transformation and advancements in AI are reshaping the workplace.
These types of developments bring new opportunities, but can also prompt new hesitancies, uncertainty and added stress. Now is the time to proactively bring wellbeing towards the forefront, to ensure businesses that are growing and investing in new areas are also continuing to prioritise their people. Those that maintain this focus will be able to attract more talent, maintain productivity and build more resilient teams in the long-term.
