Wellbeing Design for Business

Join a Growing Number of Visionary Leaders

“Businesses exist specifically to make the most optimal contribution possible to the long-term wellbeing of all people and the planet.”
British Standards Institute PAS 808.

Why join?

The most successful organisations of the future will be those that focus on the wellbeing of people and planet. Organisations increasingly recognise wellbeing as their optimal organising principle and the British Standards Institute (BSI) PAS 808 reinforces this by declaring that “Businesses exist specifically to make the most optimal contribution possible to the long-term wellbeing of all people and the planet.” The International Organisation for Standards ISO 37011, currently under development, will likely adopt this same emphasis on wellbeing.

It is clear that public consciousness is changing and you can make a real difference to what matters for people and planet right now. Using a *researched based approach we can work together to deliver the following benfits to you and your organisation across the eight domains of wellbeing:

Governments and international organisations across the world, such as The United Nations, OECD, World Economic Forum and more, are wrestling with major social, cultural, environmental and economic challenges. In our modern world they too are increasingly recognising wellbeing as the best ‘organising principle’ capable of both tackling these complex problems but also realising opportunities to deliver a better future for all.

Organisations like yours across the world are facing these same challenges and Wellbeing Design for Business has been set up to enable private, public and third sector organisations to challenge their thinking through a wellbeing lens. At its heart Wellbeing Design for Business asks whether organisations should prioritise the greatest financial value or the greatest wellbeing for people and planet?

Of course these aren’t mutually exclusive, but if you’re prioritising financial value over wellbeing perhaps it’s time to think again.

To facilitate this change we offer two services outlined below.

Wellbeing Design for Business Mastermind Group

The Wellbeing Design for Business Mastermind Group unites visionary private, public, and the third sector leaders who commit to transforming their organisations through wellbeing-centred approaches. Our purpose is to create a collaborative space where leaders can:

• Pioneer innovative approaches to organisational wellbeing
• Share insights and challenges in implementing wellbeing initiatives
• Develop practical strategies for business transformation
• Build a supportive network of like-minded leaders
• Create measurable impact across all wellbeing domains

Monthly Session Structure

Each 2-hour online session will follow this format:

• Opening (20 minutes)
  • Member check-in
  • Key wins and challenges
  • Theme introduction
• Deep Dive Discussion (60 minutes)
  • Featured topic exploration
  • Case study presentation
  • Collaborative problem-solving
• Action Planning (30 minutes)
  • Key takeaways
  • Commitment setting
  • Resource sharing
• Wrap-up (10 minutes)
  • Next steps
  • Preview next session

Examples of Typical Key Discussion Areas

The group will agree on discussion points together, focusing on topics that offer the most value at that moment. However, some typical areas of discussion could include the following:

Environmental Sustainability

• How can we transition to regenerative business models?
• What strategies effectively balance profit with planetary boundaries?
• How do we measure environmental impact across stakeholder groups?

Sociocultural Transformation

• What practices best support mental health in high-pressure environments?
• How can we build truly inclusive organisational cultures?
• What leadership approaches foster trust and psychological safety?

Economic Innovation

• How do we measure success beyond traditional financial metrics?
• What business models support both profitability and stakeholder wellbeing?
• How can we create more equitable value distribution?

Member Criteria

• Senior decision-making authority
• Demonstrated commitment to organisational wellbeing
• Willingness to actively participate and share experiences
• Ability to attend monthly sessions
• Commitment to implementing learnings within their organisation

This structure creates a high-value environment for leaders to collaborate on wellbeing transformation while ensuring practical application and measurable results. We limit the group size to ensure every member can interact meaningfully and receive full value from the experience. If you would like to apply to join please contact David now.

Cost

£200 per month, paid up front quarterly, or £2,000 for a 12 month membership (or equivalent in your currency at todays exchange rates). For this you get:

• Access to monthly, professionally facilitated mastermind group sessions
• Networking opportunities with fellow group members
• A copy of The Age of Wellbeing – A new leadership model for a happier world
• Email and phone support from the facilitator between sessions.

Wellbeing Design for Business Workshop

I offer the Wellbeing Design for Business workshop materials free for any facilitator, consultant, or agent to use, whether they work within your organisation or as external partners. Of course, if you would like the assistance of a trained facilitator in delivering the workshop please contact us or call David on +44 (0)7753 430 557.

Who is it for?

Business and wellbeing leaders who understand that to navigate the major challenges and opportunities we face as a human race organisations will need to transform. Ideally the workshop will include attendees from each of the separate organisational functions. The workshop is equally as valid for non-profits, social enterprises and the third sector.

How long does it take?

This is a one day workshop but it can be tailored to suit your requirements. It can be held in person or online using video conferencing.

Workshop benefits

Systemic – Consider environmental, social & governance issues together with cultural and economic ones, across stakeholder groups.

Inclusive and engaging – Bring together and involve the different functions within your business around a common understanding of wellbeing.

Aspirational – Build on the UN SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) to move past sustainable development towards a world where people and planet can thrive.

Powerful – Provides a framework that works for personal, organisational, community and even national wellbeing. With greater alignment there will be greater understanding and engagement.

Flexible – If you have already developed a wellbeing strategy in your organisation the outputs will still fit with your approach and may encourage you to expand it.

Businesses of the future

The future of good business is to build greater wellbeing. Good businesses play an important role in building the wellbeing of individuals, communities, and nations. This means rather than focusing on profit-maximising and creating wealth, businesses will increasingly focus on profit-making or cash flow and creating wellbeing.

To do this, organisations will need to transform. We will move from incremental improvement to a totally new way of working. This will involve businesses reaching out more to engage with educational institutions and the community to research and co-create better solutions that deliver benefits across the eight domains of wellbeing. 

In fact, if businesses do not deliver a net positive benefit to wellbeing, we will question whether they should operate at all or ensure they put in place measures to quickly turn things around. Linked to changes in education, we will shift the mindsets of future workers from solving problems to become both problem and opportunity focused, using greater imagination and creativity.

Organisations of the future will be more trusting of employees and other categories of workers. Current habitual processes such as inflexible working, the 40 hour working week, and office-based work will be challenged and transformed, where this is viable. Rather than feeling drained and controlled, workers will feel energised and trusted.

This will be enhanced by the accelerated introduction and embracement of AI and automation to reduce the requirement for people to perform mundane and repetitive tasks. AI and automation will move from a focus on cost reduction to value creation in line with the mindset changes from problem to opportunity focus. Managed wisely, this technological transformation will lead to a new age of good work and improved quality of life. However, if managed poorly, there will be a greater risk of widening divisions in skills, wealth, and wellbeing.

There will be fewer employees and a greater mix of freelance, temporary, and contract staff bringing unique skill sets as and when required. This will, in turn, enhance the flexible sharing of work across a broader spectrum of people. In essence, work will begin to fit with the worker. Organisations will become flatter, more agile, and will empower workers.

Work will become more ‘spiritual’ in several ways. Firstly, there will be clearer links between the purpose of an organisation and its contribution to wellbeing. This increased visibility and understanding will provide workers with greater belief, pride, motivation, and engagement. Secondly, workers, through improved wellbeing focused education, will be more self-aware of their personality, character, strengths, and weaknesses. As a result we will have more workers doing jobs that they are actually suited to and passionate about. Third, employers will be more focused on the growth of workers as people, not just for technical skills. 

The workplace of the future will also be more egalitarian. People will better understand that large discrepancies in relative pay lead to resentment and under performance. Work will become more ‘we’ rather than ‘me’ with a much greater emphasis on teamwork and collaboration rather than star performers and competition.

This greater understanding of our interdependence will lead to ‘fairer’ levels of pay for all with more worker ownership. Wealth will begin to be re-distributed with the workplace playing a key role. The contribution of people to wellbeing, outside of the usual workplace, will receive increasing recognition both from an understanding and financial perspective. Parenting will be elevated in importance with greater time off, plus financial and educational support to ensure that efforts leverage the changes to education.

Get in touch

If you’d like to find out more about Wellbeing Design for Business book a free initial consultation. Alternatively get in touch or call David on +44 (0)7753 430 557.

*Compelling Evidence

Mental & Emotional Wellbeing

Leaders who prioritise emotional and mental health see significant performance benefits. Research shows that emotional leadership positively impacts employees’ job performance through emotional contagion and enhanced positive emotions¹. High-performance work systems and transformational leadership styles show direct correlations with reduced emotional exhaustion and improved employee wellbeing².

Physical Wellbeing

The relationship between physical wellbeing and leadership performance is supported by multiple lines of evidence, showing how physical activity and fitness contribute to enhanced focus and decision making, stress management capabilities,^3,4 engagement levels,⁵ and overall effectiveness. The discipline required for physical fitness mirrors essential leadership qualities like perseverance and adaptability. Leaders who maintain physical wellness demonstrate greater stamina and resilience in their roles.

Spiritual Wellbeing

Spiritual leadership fosters improved organisational outcomes through enhanced employee life satisfaction and productivity⁶. Studies show that spiritual leadership positively influences task performance, knowledge sharing, and innovation behaviors⁷. This leadership approach creates meaning and purpose, driving stronger organisational commitment.

Social & Cultural Wellbeing

Leaders who focus on creating connection and belonging see improved team performance. Research indicates that when employees have a sense of wellbeing, they demonstrate higher engagement, creativity, and job satisfaction. Cross-cultural studies reveal that ethical leadership positively impacts employee wellbeing and work engagement, with varying strengths of association across different cultural contexts⁸. Leadership that prioritises safety consciousness and creates a positive safety climate significantly improves organisational performance. Responsible leadership acts as a crucial moderator in maintaining safety performance, particularly when environmental safety conditions are challenging⁹. Leaders who focus on building institutional trust and positive organisational culture create environments that foster both academic and professional success¹⁰.

Environmental Wellbeing

There are clear connections between spatial environments, planetary consciousness, and leadership effectiveness. Sustainable leadership practices show significant positive relationships with employee wellbeing and organisational resilience, particularly in turbulent environmental conditions. Leaders who embrace sustainable practices demonstrate improved ability to maintain employee wellbeing and organisational performance¹¹. The quality of physical environments significantly influences human behavior and leadership potential^{12, 13}.

Economic Wellbeing

Employee engagement, when supported by wellbeing-focused leadership, shows a strong correlation with improved organisational outcomes, including increased productivity, reduced turnover, and enhanced job satisfaction. Leaders who prioritise wellbeing create environments that foster sustainable high performance and employee retention¹⁴. When leaders fail to prioritise wellbeing, the consequences are significant. Abusive leadership styles severely impact employee mental health and psychological wellbeing, leading to decreased productivity and increased presenteeism¹⁵.

Summary

The evidence clearly shows that leaders who prioritise holistic wellbeing – across mental, emotional, physical, spiritual, social, cultural, environmental and economic domains – create more resilient, productive and sustainable organisations. This comprehensive approach to wellbeing-focused leadership represents a crucial evolution in leadership practice for building healthier workplaces and communities.

Sources

¹ Wan Jin , Pan Kun ting , Peng Yuan , Meng Ling qiang, The Impact of Emotional Leadership on Subordinates’ Job Performance: Mediation of Positive Emotions and Moderation of Susceptibility to Positive Emotions, Frontiers in Psychology, VOLUME 13, 2022, https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.917287, DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2022.917287, ISSN=1664-1078

² Ehrnrooth M, Koveshnikov A, Wechtler H, Hauff S. High performance work system and transformational leadership: Revisiting and questioning their implications for health-related wellbeing. Front Psychol. 2023 Feb 9;14:1072065. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1072065. PMID: 36844326; PMCID: PMC9948034.

³ Naji GMA, Isha ASN, Alazzani A, Brough P, Saleem MS, Mohyaldinn ME, Alzoraiki M. Do Leadership, Organizational Communication, and Work Environment Impact Employees’ Psychosocial Hazards in the Oil and Gas Industry? Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Apr 7;19(8):4432. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19084432. PMID: 35457300; PMCID: PMC9027864.

⁴ Physical Education and Sports for enhancing professional life of engineering students – An initiative towards implementing National Education Policy in Engineering Education, Tara Singh Thakur and Divya Srivastava and Mahesh Chanda, Journal of Engineering Education Transformations,2024, https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:269285499

⁵ The Role of Leadership Styles, Work-Life Balance and The Physical Environment in Promoting Psychological Well-Being: A Job Demands-Resources Perspective, Nor Tasnim Syahera Rasak and Muhamad Nasrullah Zamri and Muhammad Hafiz Suhaimi and Kardina Kamaruddin, Information Management and Business Review, 2024, https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:273677208

⁶ The Influence of Spiritual Leadership on Spiritual Well-Being and Job Satisfaction: A Conceptual Framework, JUHAIZI MOHD YUSOF, School of Maritime Business & Management, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu,MAHADZIRAH MOHAMAD, Faculty of Business Management & Accountancy,Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, International Review of Management and Business Research, Vol. 3 Issue.4, December 2014

⁷ Wang M, Guo T, Ni Y, Shang S, Tang Z. The Effect of Spiritual Leadership on Employee Effectiveness: An Intrinsic Motivation Perspective. Front Psychol. 2019 Jan 4;9:2627. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02627. PMID: 30662419; PMCID: PMC6328445.

⁸ Ethical leadership, work engagement, employees’ well-being, and performance: a cross-cultural comparison, Huma Sarwar and Muhammad Ishtiaq Ishaq and Anam Amin and Roheel Ahmed,Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 2020, Volume 28, Pages 2008-2026, https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:221192966

⁹ Saleem F, Malik MI. Safety Management and Safety Performance Nexus: Role of Safety Consciousness, Safety Climate, and Responsible Leadership. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Oct 21;19(20):13686. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192013686. PMID: 36294281; PMCID: PMC9603379.

¹⁰ Analysing Data on Students’ Institutional Trust and Its Impact on Emotional Wellbeing, Shehzad Ahmed and Kaynat Tariq and Furrakh Abbas, The Asian Bulletin of Big Data Management, 2024, https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:271210785

¹¹ Iqbal Q, Piwowar-Sulej K. Sustainable Leadership, Environmental Turbulence, Resilience, and Employees’ Wellbeing in SMEs. Front Psychol. 2022 Jun 28;13:939389. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.939389. PMID: 35837639; PMCID: PMC9274281.

¹² The Impact of the Visual Image of the Urban Environment on Human Behaviour, Aya El-sayed and Ahmed El-madawy and Marwa Abd Elhady, MEJ. Mansoura Engineering Journal, 2022,https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:248595445

¹³ Rethinking Outdoor Courtyard Spaces on University Campuses to Enhance Health and Wellbeing: The Anti-Virus Built Environment, Saba Alnusairat and Zahra Al-Shatnawi and Yara Ayyad and Ala’ Alwaked and Nasser Abuanzeh, Sustainability, 2022,https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:248679016

¹⁴ The Impact of Employee Engagement on Organizational Performance: An Analysis of Key Psychological Traits and Business Outcomes, D. Poorani and R. Pradap,International Journal of Management and Economics Invention, 2024, https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:273801805

¹⁵ Detrimental Impact of Abusive Leadership on Employee Mental Health, Psychological Wellbeing, and Presenteeism in Chinese Entrepreneurial Organizations, Chen Zeyu, American Journal of Health Behavior,2024,https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:273256931