Newsletter #36 – July 2025

There are many actions employers can take to help prevent common mental health problems occurring in their workplaces and help those affected return to work. However, working age common mental health problems in developed economies are resistant to change. Drawing on research on the implementation of workplace health and wellbeing initiatives, Kevin suggests ways in which guidance from regulators can be extended and how that guidance can best influence organizational practice.

Better guidance on managing common mental health problems in the workplace: Supplementing what with how – University of East Anglia

Many of you know Helen from her public-facing talks for Evolve. She is delighted to have been promoted within Norwich Business School to ‘Research Fellow’ – effective 1^st August onwards. Helen wants to extend her thanks to everyone who has engaged in Evolve seminars, workshops and the Network for all their support over the last three years.

Helen and Evolve will continue to work to bring you workplace wellbeing insights. Watch this space as we evolve over the course of the next year.

Until recently, the Evolve team worked with colleagues from multiple universities in the UK under the PrOPEL Hub project, which was led by the University of Strathclyde. Although not under the auspices of the PrOPEL Hub project, we thought you’d still like to know that Strathclyde colleagues have recently released new tools to promote evidence-based Fair Work. Workers, employers and trade unions can use the tools to allow different experiences of fair work to be explored. There are a variety of resources that offer practical advice on implementing fair work.

New support tools available from the Fair Work Convention – The Fair Work Convention

We are excited to be starting two new projects funded by NIHR.

Their websites are now live – take a look…

WISHES: Workplace Intervention for Sustainable Health and Employment Support – A research project focusing on employment for people with disabilities and severe health problems, aiming to provide simple, accessible, and effective solutions.

NIHR – Creating Healthy Jobs

Keep an eye out for upcoming news on how to be involved in these projects.

The next session will be scheduled for the end of September 2025. It is likely to be about AI and wellbeing, however we are still in discussion with potential speakers. Watch this space!

Applications to join the Network are still open to practitioners who have direct wellbeing responsibilities in organisations (e.g. HR, OD, OH or wellbeing job titles). In October 2025, we will review our Network format. The provision of Helen’s free Office Hours will stop until that review is complete. Final opportunities for member office hours are:

·         18^th July, 12:00 – 14:00

·         14^th August, 11:00 – 13:00

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

As per our data protection agreement with our subscribers, we send out emails to check if you want to stay on our list after 3 years. We very much want to stay in conversation with you, so please reply to your subscription renewal email as soon as it arrives. Hitting reply with subject ‘Yes’ is all it takes to keep receiving the newsletter monthly, for free, for another three years (and to avoid the multiple follow-up emails we will send to check in with you before we prune the list!)

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.

–          UK Wellbeing Report – World Wellbeing Movement

–          Ensuring Fairness in Work for People with Disabilities – Campaigns – Better Hiring Institute

–          Occupational_Health_Audits_June_2025.pdf

–          Remote work and mental health among employed US adults | Occupational Medicine | Oxford Academic