Newsletter #32 – March 2025

Dr Helen Fitzhugh and Professor Kevin Daniels, from our Evolve team, prepared a rapid review report for Government Skills on the nature of the relationship between L&D and employee engagement, wellbeing, attraction and retention. It offers a succinct overview of the available research in this area and evidence-informed implications for practice. The review suggests direct wellbeing and resilience training, leadership training and professional capabilities training may all be useful for prompting positive wellbeing outcomes. It also identifies important cautions around what to offer people with PTSD and around removing the social element from training opportunities.

Read and download the report here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/learning-and-development-employee-engagement-and-wellbeing/a-rapid-review-of-reviews-on-the-nature-of-the-relationship-between-learning-and-development-and-employee-engagement-wellbeing-attraction-and-retent

The next two sessions are scheduled – members only:

·         Emotional demands at work and Secure Base Teams

·         Dr Laura Biggart, Associate Professor in Psychology, UEA

·         8^th April, 11:30 – 13:00

·         Sickness presenteeism: is it always bad?

·         Prof Maria Karanika-Murray, Professor of Work and Organisational Psychology, University of Leicester

·         17^th June, 12:30 – 14:00

Applications to join the Network are open and membership is free to practitioners who have direct wellbeing responsibilities in organisations (e.g. HR, OD, OH or wellbeing job titles).

Read more about joining the network here: The Evolve Workplace Wellbeing Network – evolveworkplacewellbeing.org

Dr Helen Fitzhugh will be speaking at, and part of the committee hosting, an inclusive economy discussion event on 19^th March 2025 in Norwich. Helen will be talking about the Good Jobs Project (see video, infographic and handbook here) and the importance of job quality for all workers, whatever their role or pay level.  Headline speakers include Sue Cohen, Bristol Women’s Commission and Liz Hind, Women’s Budget Group.

📅 Date: 19/03/25 (Free Entry)

⏰ Time: 14:00 – 17:00 Followed by networking and refreshments

📍 Location: Norwich University of the Arts, 4 Duke Street, Norwich

This event is coordinated by Norwich Women’s Advisory Committee, funded by UEA, and hosted by Norwich University of the Arts.

RSVP now via the Eventbrite page here.

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In this section we compile other evidence-informed links to pieces on workplace wellbeing that we have found interesting. The following are not produced by the Evolve Workplace Wellbeing team.

·         Psychosocial risk infographics: https://www.worksafe.govt.nz/about-us/news-and-media/new-psychosocial-risk-infographics-for-high-risk-sectors/

·         Long covid myth buster: https://www.som.org.uk/sites/som.org.uk/files/SOM_Long_COVID_Myth_Buster_Final.pdf

·         Poll on living with chronic conditions: https://hsph.harvard.edu/news/poll-most-u-s-workers-with-chronic-conditions-manage-them-at-work-havent-told-employer/

·         ILO World Employment and Social Outlook Trends Report: https://www.ilo.org/sites/default/files/2025-01/WESO25_Trends_Report_EN.pdf