Back in the 1980s, it was all about toughing it out. Now, workplace wellbeing means so much more. Dr Lesley Aitcheson looks at how mental, emotional and physical health became business priorities. She explains why leaders make the real difference, and why it’s time to stop talking and start doing
As a middle manager in the 1980s, I quickly learnt to acclimatise to the prevailing workplace ethos: tough it out, whatever the personal cost. Vulnerability was rarely welcomed. Admitting to struggling was often viewed as weakness and, in the most toxic environments, invited bullying, performance mismanagement and a culture of silence.
Psychological safety isn’t a buzzword; it’s a daily discipline
Employees were expected to suppress personal challenges. Phrases like “leave your problems at the door” or “keep your struggles to yourself” were part of everyday workplace conversations. This culture might have promoted a brittle kind of resilience – but it was one that came at a significant human cost: burnout, declining productivity, and growing disconnection between individuals and their organisations.
Cracks in the culture
As we moved through the 1990s and into the 2000s, the cracks began to show. A rising tide of stress-related illness and growing awareness of mental health started to shift the conversation. Initiatives like Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) began to surface. But while these services were a step forward, they often sat on the margins – reactive rather than strategic, and quietly stigmatised.
The 2010s brought a turning point. The rise of technology brought flexibility but also blurred the boundaries between work and home. Organisations began to see that wellbeing wasn’t a side issue – it was a business imperative. Training programmes started to include stress management, emotional intelligence and work-life balance, not as ‘nice extras’, but as essential skills.
Talk isn’t enough
Now, in the mid-2020s, the narrative has evolved again – and for the better. Wellbeing is no longer seen as a ‘soft’ issue, or something reserved for crisis points. It’s embedded in the fabric of how successful organisations say they function. But here’s the rub: many still talk a better wellbeing game than they play.
Too often, wellbeing is paraded in values statements and annual reports but crumbles under pressure when deadlines loom, targets intensify or budgets tighten. When organisations prioritise performance metrics over psychological safety, when workloads quietly creep beyond sustainable limits, or when leaders dismiss emotional fatigue as ‘just part of the job’, employees quickly learn that the rhetoric isn’t real. And when wellbeing is performative, it does more harm than good – breeding cynicism, disconnection and burnout-in-disguise.
Building trust, not ticking boxes
For wellbeing to be more than window dressing, employees need to believe it matters. That belief comes not from posters or platitudes, but from trust – and trust is earned, not announced. It’s built when leaders consistently show up with empathy, make space for vulnerability and create environments where people feel safe to speak up without fear of judgment or penalty. Psychological safety isn’t a buzzword; it’s a daily discipline.
The idea that taking care of ourselves – and each other – somehow makes us less productive or ambitious is fading fast. In fact, the opposite is true. When people feel psychologically safe, supported and genuinely valued, they do their best work. They innovate more, collaborate better and stay longer.
The role of L&D in lasting change
As L&D professionals, we have a critical role to play in ensuring this shift isn’t superficial or short-lived. We need to challenge outdated thinking, hold space for uncomfortable conversations and design learning experiences that equip leaders with the skills – and the courage – to lead with humanity.
Organisations looking to deepen their commitment to wellbeing can start by embedding it into leadership development, performance conversations and everyday team interactions. Make wellbeing visible – through role modelling, open dialogue and regular check-ins – not hidden behind policies. Invest in learning that supports emotional intelligence, psychological safety and inclusive communication. And most importantly, listen to your people.
Wellbeing isn’t a programme, it’s a culture – and building that culture takes consistency, credibility and care every single day.
Dr Lesley Aitcheson is Director at Cerulean Learning & Development
