The "Invisible Mistake" Crushing Your Workplace Wellbeing Programmes
Have you ever launched a wellbeing initiative at work that started with a bang but fizzled out with barely a whimper?
You're not alone. The most common workplace initiatives have a failure rate of 70%, with wellbeing programmes often leading the pack in the disappointment category.
But here's what's fascinating...
The failure isn't happening because wellbeing doesn't matter. And it's not happening because your team doesn't care.
It's happening because of an invisible structural problem that undermines even the best-intentioned programmes.
I'm going to share the REST & RISE™ Model – a framework I've developed after years of seeing what works (and what doesn't) in organisational wellbeing.
The Hidden Crisis in Workplace Wellbeing
Let's be honest about something: Workplace wellbeing has a marketing problem.
For too long, it's been portrayed as yoga classes, free fruit, and meditation apps – nice perks that get announced with fanfare but rarely create lasting change.
The data tells a sobering story: 52% of employees report feeling burned out, yet less than 25% feel their company's wellbeing programmes actually help. Something is clearly broken in how we approach this essential aspect of organisational health.
The problem? Most wellbeing initiatives are treated as isolated programmes rather than integrated systems. They focus on what to do rather than how to sustain change.
From "Nice-to-Have" to Organisational Cornerstone
The pandemic forced a global reckoning with workplace wellbeing. What was once considered a fluffy perk is now recognised as a business imperative directly tied to productivity, retention, and innovation.
Research from McKinsey shows that organisations with effective wellbeing programmes see:
41% lower absenteeism
24% decrease in turnover
65% higher employee engagement
But achieving these results requires more than superficial interventions. It demands a systematic approach to sustainable change.
Introducing the REST & RISE™ Framework
The REST & RISE™ model isn't just another wellbeing framework – it's a blueprint for creating sustainable behavioural change that becomes woven into your organisational culture.
At its core, this model addresses the two crucial questions most wellbeing programmes ignore:
How do we motivate individuals to start wellbeing practices?
How do we help them sustain these practices long enough to see organisational benefits?
The model is divided into two interconnected parts:
Part 1: REST - The Motivation Foundation
REST is an acronym for the four essential elements that make wellbeing practices stick:
Relatable: For any wellbeing initiative to gain traction, it must connect to something personally meaningful. Generic programmes fail because they don't answer the critical question: "Why should I care about this specific practice?"
When an activity aligns with personal values or addresses a felt need – like better sleep to improve focus or stress management techniques to be more present with family – internal motivation skyrockets.
Enjoyable: Willpower is a finite resource, but positive emotions are renewable energy. Activities associated with joy, curiosity, or gratitude create their own momentum.
The neuroscience is clear: positive emotions release dopamine, which reinforces the behaviour and makes us want to repeat it. This is why programmes that feel like obligations rarely last, while those that generate positive experiences become self-sustaining.
Sociable: While personal autonomy matters, human connection is a powerful motivator. Wellbeing activities that incorporate social elements – whether through group participation, digital communities, or simply accountability partnerships – see dramatically higher adherence rates.
The research is striking: people are 95% more likely to complete a programme when they have an accountability partner.
Trackable: Visible progress is the fuel for continued effort. When people can measure improvement – even small wins – motivation compounds.
This tracking doesn't need to be complex; it might be steps counted, meditation minutes logged, or simply a journal entry. The key is creating tangible evidence of progress that builds a sense of competence and momentum.
Part 2: RISE - The Organisational Benefits
When wellbeing initiatives incorporate the REST principles, organisations see four transformative outcomes:
Resilience: Beyond the buzzword, psychological resilience means developing specific cognitive and behavioural strategies to navigate challenges. Wellbeing practices build this capacity at both individual and organisational levels.
In practical terms, this looks like reduced absenteeism, faster recovery from setbacks, and greater adaptability to change.
Innovation: Creativity and problem-solving flourish in psychologically safe environments. Research in positive psychology demonstrates that positive emotional states expand thinking and increase cognitive flexibility.
Organisations that prioritise wellbeing see 3.5x higher innovation rates because they create the conditions where creative thinking can thrive.
Success: Performance metrics vary across roles and organisations, but the connection between wellbeing and achievement is universal. Wellbeing practices provide tools that directly support focus, decision-making, and sustained performance.
Companies with effective wellbeing programmes report 21% higher profitability compared to those without such programmes.
Engagement: While often measured differently across organisations, psychological engagement refers to a state of absorption and enthusiasm in work. This "flow state" is where peak performance happens.
Wellbeing initiatives that follow the REST principles create the conditions for greater engagement, resulting in 37% lower turnover and significantly higher customer satisfaction.
The Implementation Gap
Here's where most organisations stumble: they focus exclusively on WHAT wellbeing activities to offer without enough attention to HOW these activities become sustainable habits.
This is why your meditation app subscriptions go unused, wellness challenges see declining participation, and gym memberships become expensive corporate donations.
The REST principles answer the critical HOW question. They provide the blueprint for making any wellbeing initiative stick by addressing the fundamental human motivations that drive behaviour.
Creating Sustainable Change
The REST & RISE™ model isn't a quick fix – it's a system for creating lasting cultural transformation. It requires commitment from all organisational levels, from leadership modelling to individual participation.
The good news? This approach is infinitely customisable to your specific needs while maintaining the structural integrity that ensures success.
The crucial mindset shift is moving from seeing wellbeing activities as isolated interventions to viewing them as interconnected parts of an organisational ecosystem. Each element should reinforce the others, creating a virtuous cycle of improvement.
The Wellbeing Ambassador Approach
The most effective implementation strategy I've found is developing internal Wellbeing Ambassadors – trained individuals who understand the REST & RISE™ model and can champion it throughout the organisation.
These ambassadors become the bridge between wellbeing strategy and daily practice, ensuring initiatives remain relatable, enjoyable, sociable, and trackable for their specific teams.
Your Next Steps
If your organisation has struggled to create lasting impact with wellbeing initiatives, the REST & RISE™ model offers a structured path forward.
The first step is assessing your current approach:
How relatable are your wellbeing offerings to your specific workforce?
Have you designed for enjoyment or merely compliance?
What social elements support ongoing participation?
How are you tracking progress in ways that motivate continuation?
If you're ready to implement the REST & RISE™ model in your organisation through trained Wellbeing Ambassadors, let's talk.
Book a free consultation here
Bibliogrpahy
Boston Consulting Group. (2024, June 11). Half of workers around the world struggling with burnout. https://www.bcg.com/press/11june2024-half-of-workers-around-the-world-struggling-with-burnout
Financial Times. (2024, April 16). Employers rethink wellbeing strategies as stress levels remain high. https://www.ft.com/content/e163bd4d-65ba-49b6-af12-a8cb6e111981
Forbes. (2023, September 30). 82% of workers expect employers to support well-being, yet 14% feel bad at work, new survey shows. https://www.forbes.com/sites/debgordon/2023/09/30/82-of-workers-expect-employers-to-support-well-being-yet-14-feel-bad-at-work-new-survey-shows
McKinsey & Company. (2022, June 10). The surprising state of employee health: Burnout is about your workplace, not your people. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/the-surprising-state-of-employee-health
World Economic Forum & McKinsey & Company. (2022, June 20). The real reason why your employees are suffering burnout—and what you can do about it. https://www.weforum.org/stories/2022/06/employee-burnout-workplace-mental-health-wellbeing
WTW. (2024, March 7). UK employers prioritise wellbeing but miss the mark with employees. https://www.wtwco.com/en-gb/news/2024/07/uk-employers-prioritise-wellbeing-but-miss-the-mark-with-employees