Wellbeing is built in the moments that make up a workday. Whether it’s a thoughtful check-in or a moment for mindfulness, employees notice what you do, not just what you say, about their wellbeing.
These daily interactions influence psychological safety, engagement, and how supported people feel. When leaders model these habits, they shape a culture where employees can thrive. Here are three simple, actionable ways to strengthen wellbeing across your organization.
Make time for wellbeing
Start meetings with a moment for mindfulness. For example, at MGM Resorts International, leaders take a moment for mindfulness at the beginning of each meeting. Everyone watches a short video from Grokker’s mindfulness collection, which gives them a chance to reset before getting into the day’s tasks and updates.
You can also add some care to the beginning of 1-on-1 meetings. Instead of diving right into project statuses, managers can make it a point to ask direct reports how they’re doing or to follow-up on something personal they’ve shared. It can be as simple as “How’s your crochet project coming along?” Or, they can go a little deeper: “I know some people love the holiday season and for others it can be tough. I wanted to ask how you’re feeling.”
These small, frequent reminders give employees a clear signal that you’re invested in their wellbeing and psychological safety.
Empower managers to offer personal support
Sixty-nine percent of employees say their manager has the biggest influence on their mental health. The support they provide can make all the difference in whether employees truly feel cared for. Managers need training to respond effectively to employee wellbeing challenges.
Employers can empower them by providing:
- Mental health education to help managers recognize stress and burnout, hold meaningful conversations, and connect employees with the right resources.
- Discussion guides that build confidence in what to say and ask when supporting employees, including those who may hesitate to seek help.
- Easy access to shareable resources, such as mental health benefits, EAP information, crisis support lines, and wellbeing tools, so managers can offer support in the moment it’s needed.
Managers may not be mental health experts, but they play a powerful role in employee wellbeing. Give them the training and resources they need, and they’ll help create a culture where every employee feels seen and heard.
Don’t downplay time off, encourage it
When employees feel discouraged or penalized for taking time off, it creates a negative culture. One in four employees didn’t take PTO in the last year. The most commonly cited reason was that they didn’t have enough time. Other reasons included not having enough days off, worries about not appearing committed, and lack of support from employers.
Leaders can shift this dynamic by actively normalizing and celebrating time away. At Grokker, we encourage employees to bring back “show-and-tell” items from their trips. It reinforces that we value exploration and rest.
This mindset should also apply to sick days. Many employees feel pressure to push through illness, which delays recovery and affects the quality of their work. Giving people the space to put their health first helps them return sooner, stronger. As our CEO, Lorna Borenstein, says, “Because we give people that space, they actually want to come back and do a good job because they appreciate the support and they care about their work.”
Making everyday actions matter
When companies embed wellbeing into the flow of work, everyone benefits. Employees feel supported and managers have the tools to help them navigate life’s challenges. These everyday moments of care create a culture where people feel valued for who they are, not just what they produce. Over time, that sense of belonging translates into stronger engagement, deeper loyalty, and a workforce that shows up ready to perform.