CIPD Festival of Work: Employee wellbeing, experience & absence

We attended the CIPD Festival of Work at ExCel London last week, and loved meeting HR leaders to discuss their absence and leave challenges and needs. Employee wellbeing, experience and absence were at the centre of many of the talks, which we’ll dive into in this blog.

The festival was packed with fascinating talks and plenty of keynote speakers, including the CEO of Channel 4 Alex Mahon, and Google DeepMind’s Head of Global Communications and Marketing Dex Hunter-Torricke.

But what were some of the key themes of the event that HR and business leaders should be taking note of?

Employee wellbeing remains front and centre of the conversation

If the CIPD Festival of Work highlighted one thing, it was that employee wellbeing remains high up on the agenda and more important than ever.

In his talk focused on workplace culture, Dr Alex George cited some shocking statistics – including that work-related stress costs UK employers around £56 billion a year, and that more than half of UK adults don’t have a positive state of mind.

When we consider mental wellbeing, it can be helpful to think of it as being on the same footing as physical wellbeing. Health and safety are a fundamental component of running a business and a workplace environment, and mental health can and should be handled on a similar level.

In the discussion at CIPD Festival of Work, Dr Alex George advocated for employers to consider what it’s really like for an employee to work for their organisation – accounting for everything from the lighting and facilities, to how much annual leave allowance they have, and how key values such as respect and belonging are truly being played out in an organisation’s day-to-day practices.

‘Fluffy’ benefits such as gym memberships, which Dr Alex George said can be used to ‘mask’ areas that are lacking in a business, are nice to have but don’t necessarily enhance employees’ mental health and lives in a significant way.

Instead, focusing on two key areas is crucial to enable better employee wellbeing in the workplace:

Creating a safe working environment – where employees feel comfortable, and have the tools and resources they need to perform their jobs well. Does all of the equipment work, are the facilities adequate, is the work space light and comfortable? Even small changes, like ensuring the kitchen is stocked up with essentials, and that the chairs are comfortable, can make a big difference.
Build support structures and signpost appropriate resources – ensuring that people managers are trained and educated to be able to deal with employee wellbeing matters, and having a bank of resources to signpost people towards, are amongst the best things that organisations can do to help employees when they may be struggling.

Personalising the employee experience is key

As well as employee wellbeing, another huge topic at the CIPD Festival of Work this year was employee experience – specifically how organisations can personalise that experience as much as possible.

In essence, personalising the employee experience means understanding the individual needs, aspirations and preferences of each employee. Organisations that choose to see their employees as ‘internal customers’ can reap the benefits of doing so, including:

Increasing employee engagement – if employees feel that their opinions and feedback are listened to and acted upon, they are more likely to take pride in working for an organisation and investing in their work
Creating a positive workplace culture – by prioritising the unique needs of individual employees, companies are fostering a positive culture of belonging and inclusivity
Improving performance management – employees who receive frequent, valuable feedback, one-to-one time with their manager and coaching or mentoring are more likely to improve their work performance, helping to boost productivity for their organisation
Fostering autonomy for employees – ensuring that each employee has a personalised experience within an organisation will strengthen the relationship between the individual and their employer, and create trust that work is being completed in ways which suit both parties.

Employee absence remains high, fueled by multiple factors

Employee absence remains high, and the topic featured heavily in many talks given at the Festival of Work this year. Poor engagement, a negative employee experience, work-related stress and other mental health issues are all factors that can eventually culminate in higher rates of short and long-term absence from work.

In its latest report on the subject, the CIPD revealed that absence rates are at their highest for a decade. And, as we detailed in our recent eBook, The Gender Absence Gap, absence remains consistently higher amongst women then men.

How can organisations begin to tackle their absence challenges?

Not having a handle on absence management can be costly in more ways than one. It is costly in terms of productivity and resourcing, but can also be detrimental to employees if their absence is being influenced by their work – be it heavy workloads, disengagement, stress or something else.

Minimising absence takes time, and if employee wellbeing and a workplace culture are at the top of the priority list for organisations, then ensuring that employees feel safe and able to take time off when they need it is also crucial.

Here’s 5 ways to reduce absence rates:

Understanding sickness absences goes beyond just tracking numbers. It involves reasons behind absences and using that data to identify potential problems and support employee wellbeing.
Having clear procedures in place for reporting sick leave, managing recurring absences, and employee return ensures consistent support and effective resource planning.
Analysing absence patterns helps identify trends and allows for proactive measures to minimise disruption, prioritise employee wellbeing, and maintain business operations.
Empowering managers to have open conversations with employees about absences allows for early intervention and addressing the root causes. Having clear tools to track absences and plan next steps is crucial for effective management.
Prioritising employee wellbeing through supportive benefits and a positive culture encourages taking time off when sick, leading to faster recovery and reduced long-term issues like burnout and stress.

By understanding and tracking absences effectively, organisations can begin to assess the overall wellbeing of their teams – and take proactive steps where needed to address any issues.