The Background

A leading New Zealand professional services firm wanted to provide its partners with a measure of their wellbeing using a valid, reliable, and robust assessment tool. The solution had to be digital and scalable for over 100 executives in the New Zealand organisation.

Individuals would complete the assessment and receive a one-on-one debrief of their results, with additional follow up coaching sessions offered through our strategic delivery partners Steople NZ.

Although primarily focused on individual insights and support, the firm also wanted to be able to analyse aggregated data by various factors – for example, gender splits or data by business units – and to identify the common themes or challenges around wellbeing within the organisation at the macro level.

Why GLWS?

The firm trialed alternative wellbeing assessment tools but was attracted to the holistic nature of the Global Leadership Wellbeing Survey (GLWS), an evidence-based tool that delivers deep insights into what shapes and sustains a leader’s wellbeing.

During the trial phase, the GLWS demonstrated its ability to deliver robust data, and the debrief conversations achieved greater learning opportunities for the participants than the alternative tools. The accompanying coaching set the path for sustained behaviour change and enhanced wellbeing.

Why Steople?

Steople’s approach is to facilitate behaviour change through coaching and having honest and real conversations. The GLWS provides information on wellbeing at work and at home, and the skill of Steople consultants is to create a psychologically safe environment that enables those conversations.

The Partners at the firm were able to open up and share their vulnerabilities and worries without feeling anxious. This enabled them to effectively process their own thoughts and emotions and deepen their self-awareness. Through a facilitated dialogue they built their own motivation and desire to change. Steople helped them move from awareness and motivation through to putting a simple and clear plan in place to enhance their wellbeing in a sustainable way.

An essential part of the firm’s Wellbeing Eco-system

The use of GLWS with Partners is one aspect of a broader wellbeing ecosystem in place within the organisation. Other wellbeing initiatives include annual medical assessments, partnership with  clinical psychologists, wellbeing mobile phone applications, gym memberships and a ‘wellbeing week’ which encourages participation in a range of wellbeing activities such as massage, Pilates and walking groups.

The firm hosted a meeting of wellbeing providers so that all are familiar with the services each other provide and how they fit into the wellbeing jigsaw. This allows easy cross-referring when needed to ensure each participant receives appropriate support.

The Rollout of the Program

The firm had a strong preference for face-to-face debriefs rather than conducting them virtually. As a result, the initial rollout of the program was delayed due to COVID-19 but got fully underway late July 2020. Since that time, have been invited to participate – and to date, over 100 debriefs have been conducted.

Rollout was further disrupted by repeated COVID-19 restrictions being put in place over the following months. Some debrief coaching sessions have been conducted virtually, but these have been infrequent.

Findings, Outcomes & Benefits

The depth of conversations during the debrief coaching sessions has been the key observation and feature, stimulated by the nature of the GLWS tool with its ‘Working Well’ and ‘Living Well’ framework and 6 key domains. As one participant said ‘there is nowhere to hide’ with the questionnaire. The discussions are meaningful, personalised and centred around identifying practical steps to enhance wellbeing that are achievable, relevant, and sustainable.

Every conversation is different. Even those showing a high level of wellbeing (lots of green flags) were challenged to identify what strategies they employ to achieve that wellbeing status and how they can ensure challenges that are an inevitable part of life won’t derail their wellbeing. Additionally, they have been asked to consider how they can utilise their own wellbeing experiences to assist others coming up through the ranks towards Partnership.

Participants with ‘red flags’ were helped to identify some key behaviour changes which will make the biggest immediate positive difference to their wellbeing. They were helped to maintain that commitment through follow-up communication with the Steople coach who debriefed them.

Whilst findings at the macro level are just beginning to be analysed, at the individual level there are numerous anecdotal testimonies to attest to the impact the program is having:

• “This has been life changing”
• “I wasn’t sure I needed to do this questionnaire, but I have got so much more out of it than I ever imagined”
• “I hadn’t really stopped to think before just how much I rely on my partner (spouse) to enable me to perform well in my job.”
• “This has come just in time for me. I can see now that I was on the verge of burnout.”

With this clear positive evidence for the program, we look forward to continued success in helping drive positive changes in wellbeing levels at the firm. By collecting and analysing data at a macro level we expect to soon be in a position to show more concrete evidence of the wonderfully powerful early results we are seeing.