Relaunching the Good Work & Mental Wellbeing Lab
Learning from evidence and learning from each other

While there are many factors to consider, it is clear that workplace practices and culture have huge potential either to enhance or to undermine employee mental health and wellbeing. The truth of this has become even more evident during the pandemic.

Employers increasingly recognise the need to identify and support people with mental health problems, but the critical task is to identify and address those underlying workplace practices which can strengthen or undermine individual well-being and mental health.

So, what can leaders and managers do to become part of the solution rather than part of the problem?

The Good Work & Mental Wellbeing Lab focuses on how companies can introduce the types of good practice that we know lead to positive mental health and engagement through work.. Our aim is to build a closed community in which people can share experiences and challenges with each other, as well as taking part in open discussions with leading experts.

Informal workshops every month address key themes relating to good work and mental wellbeing. Stephen, Frank Pot, Peter Totterdill Natalie Wilkie and other members of our team will be regular contributors to each session together with guest experts and practitioners.

Based on feedback so far, we’ll be addressing job design and job crafting, line management roles and behaviours, emotional intelligence, and the impact of digital technologies – but this list isn’t exclusive and we’re keen to include any other issues and challenges identified by Lab members.

Between each session, we’ll be continuing the discussion in themed online forums within the Lab, and we’ll also build up a bespoke knowledge bank including evidence, case studies and practical tools for use by members. Of course we’ll also be available for one-to-one chats from time to time if we can help with specific issues.

We envisage the Lab continuing through to the end of 2021, at which point we’ll produce a short, practical guide to the issues discussed in the Lab (though happy to continue afterwards by popular demand!)

Although we’re a not-for-profit organisation, and very committed to positive mental health at work, we do need to cover our costs. However the Lab membership subscription is kept as low as possible because we don’t want cost to be a barrier for anyone keen to join.