It’s remarkable how a single moment can transform our understanding of wellbeing. For me, that moment came in the summer of 2021 when, at 29, doctors told me I had a brain tumour.
The diagnosis came during the tail end of the pandemic, following what seemed like an insignificant symptom. At the time, I was juggling the demands of running a growing company while Steph, my partner – who is also Heka’s Co-Founder – was pregnant with our first child.
The timing couldn’t have been worse, yet it offered an ironic insight into the real meaning of workplace wellbeing. As I navigated the complexities of treatment while maintaining my professional responsibilities, I discovered that the greatest challenges weren’t necessarily medical. The medication brought with it a host of unexpected and unwelcome conditions: crushing fatigue, disrupted sleep patterns and drastic mood swings as my body learned to cope with it all.
What struck me most during this period was how ill-equipped our traditional workplace structures are to handle personal health challenges. The British workforce spends nearly a quarter of their lives at work, yet we still cling to the notion that health issues – particularly mental health – should somehow be managed entirely outside office hours. It’s an approach that’s not just outdated; it’s actively harmful to both individuals and organisations.
A Need for Cultural Changes
The old-school mentality of ‘soldier on’ proved woefully inadequate. Instead, I found myself learning to embrace a new kind of professional vulnerability. Being open about my condition, its impact on my work, and my need for support didn’t diminish my leadership – it enhanced it. When I began blocking out my calendar with honest labels like ‘Hospital Appointment’ rather than vague ‘Out of Office’ notices, something shifted in our company culture. It gave others an example and avenue to be equally transparent about their own health and wellbeing needs.
This experience has fundamentally changed how I view workplace support. It’s shown me that meaningful employee care goes far beyond offering basic health benefits or running occasional wellness initiatives. It’s about creating an environment where personal challenges can be acknowledged without fear of professional consequences. When an employee needs flexible hours to accommodate treatment schedules, or when someone requires additional support during a mental health challenge, these shouldn’t be treated as inconveniences to be managed but as natural parts of supporting human beings at work.
The cost of inadequate health support in the workplace is staggering, yet often invisible. It manifests in increased staff turnover, reduced productivity, and damaged team morale. More importantly, it shows up in the silent struggles of employees who feel they can’t speak up about their health challenges for fear of appearing weak or uncommitted.
What’s become clear is that genuine workplace support requires more than just policies – it demands cultural change. This means regular, sincere check-ins with team members that go beyond perfunctory questions about workload. It means creating flexible working arrangements that truly accommodate health needs rather than treating them as exceptional circumstances. It means comprehensive wellbeing programmes that address both physical and mental health, backed by leadership that models healthy work-life boundaries.
Beyond Awareness
While awareness campaigns like Movember do valuable work in highlighting men’s health issues, real change requires year-round commitment. In my organisation, we’ve learned to ask “How are you? Is there anything we can help with?” – not as a greeting, but as a genuine inquiry backed by meaningful support options. We’ve discovered that gathering anonymous feedback helps us understand where additional support is needed, particularly from those who might hesitate to speak up directly.
The future of workplace wellbeing isn’t in token initiatives or annual awareness campaigns. It lies in creating environments where health challenges – both visible and invisible – are met with understanding and practical support. This isn’t just about being a ‘good’ employer; it’s about building sustainable, resilient organisations that acknowledge and support the full humanity of their people.
My journey from diagnosis to recovery has reinforced this fundamental truth: workplace wellbeing isn’t peripheral to business success – it’s central to it. When we create environments where people feel genuinely supported in managing their health while maintaining their professional lives, we don’t just build better workplaces – we build better businesses.
As leaders, our actions must match our rhetoric when it comes to supporting employee health. This means moving beyond surface-level solutions to create truly inclusive environments where health challenges are met with empathy, understanding, and practical support. In doing so, we don’t just protect our most valuable asset – our people – we also build organisations that are better equipped to thrive in an increasingly complex world.
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Alex Hind is CEO & co-founder of Heka.
