Why Leaders Must Set Boundaries and Equip Themselves for Wellbeing Success

In any organisation, leadership and management teams play a critical role in health, safety, and now more than ever, wellbeing.

Leaders and their boards know they are accountable for legal compliance, and that this is achieved by setting strategic direction, standards, and values, ensuring that those responsible are accountable, measuring the results and taking action where needed.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reports that 60% of large UK companies discussed occupational health and safety at least quarterly in board meetings^[i], 67% set and published objectives for health and safety, and 70% received audit and performance reports related to health and safety.^[ii]

Encouragingly 85% of these boards had a named health and safety director. Leaders also take active roles by engaging in health and safety initiatives, conducting safety tours (walkabouts), engaging with staff about their own health and safety and holding management accountable with performance objectives and indicators.

However, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), only 37% of SME’s have a wellbeing strategy in place (CIPD, 2023).

By setting the culture, the ethics and the standards, influential leaders show that wellbeing, health, and safety is not just a compliance requirement but is a fundamental way in which businesses conduct themselves. They recognise that identifying and mitigating risks in these areas will help to create a successful, harmonious, sustainable organisation.

Meanwhile data published in November by the HSE, showed that of the 1.8 million people suffering from a work-related illness in 2022–23, almost half – 875,000 – had stress, depression or anxiety caused by their jobs. These conditions were responsible for the loss of 17.1 million working days during the period^[iii].

Leadership and responsibility in health and safety

It is therefore vital for senior leaders and managers to recognise that setting the business strategy not only determines the success of safety and wellbeing, but also creates long-term value for a company.

Some in leadership or management positions may have limited qualifications in safety, or only partial understanding of their legal responsibilities, or it may be that their previous engagement with health, safety, sustainability, and wellbeing might have been at operational levels.

As such, this can create challenges for leaders to confidently make informed decisions, adapt to the changing risks and working environment and articulate a clear vision and mission for health and safety. There is a significant difference between managing and leading, knowing and acting on responsibilities is essential for Governance. 

Building competence and vision in safety leadership

Competence of a leader is one of the most important factors to ensuring vision and culture is embedded, decisions on Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) priorities are implemented, and boards able to make reliable and informed decisions. Education is the starting point. To be a next-generation leader is to be aware of your moral, legal, and financial responsibilities, understanding effective leadership skills and styles to motivate and encourage safe practices.

The skills learnt in health, safety and wellbeing leadership courses can often be transitional to other management qualities and people management skills, empowering a leader to an optimum performance and supporting an organisation board in a more effective and meaningful way.

Managers who prioritise their own self-care are better equipped to model positive behaviours, set healthy boundaries, and lead with clarity and resilience. This sets the foundation for a sustainable, safety-focused culture that supports both organisational and individual success.

Changes in the world, changes in the workplace

The Covid pandemic led leaders to recognise rapid changes in our working environment:  emerging hazards, changes in work patterns, working remotely, new technology, continued macroeconomic and global uncertainty. 

Leaders must continue to recognise the value of human capital and integrate this into corporate values and behaviours: healthy, safe environments create engaged employees who perform more effectively and efficiently, making better decisions and ultimately driving down risks in a business.

Following the introduction of new sentencing guidelines, which have seen multi-million-pound fines imposed on companies and an increase in the number of directors receiving immediate custodial sentences, it is all the more vital that leaders and managers know and understand their responsibilities, by undertaking appropriate training with an organisation like British Safety Council.

To enable leaders to thrive in our ever changing and dynamic environment, managing risks effectively, strengthening board decisions, it is imperative that leaders build knowledge, flexibility, and capacity. 

[i] RR135 - Health and safety responsibilities of company direc... (hse.gov.uk)

[ii] RR414 Health & safety responsibilities of company directors & management board (hse.gov.uk)

[iii] Statistics - Work-related ill health and occupational disease (hse.gov.uk)