By Amy McKeown, above
Workplace health and wellbeing are often talked about in glowing terms, but let’s be honest—most strategies are little more than box-ticking exercises. For SMEs, where every penny counts and teams are small, there’s even less room for empty gestures. To make a difference, workplace health must be tackled head-on, with the same rigor you’d apply to your finances or operations.
A real strategy isn’t a list of activities or good intentions—it’s a structured, measurable plan designed to solve real problems. The good news? SMEs don’t need huge budgets or teams of experts to get this right. What they need is focus, honesty, and a willingness to start where they are.
How to Write a Workplace Health Strategy that’s Actually a Strategy
Let’s cut to the chase: most workplace health strategies fail because they aren’t strategies at all. A proper strategy isn’t a random collection of wellbeing perks—it’s a long-term plan that drives specific outcomes.
Here’s how SMEs can get it right:
- Be Brutally Honest About Your Goals
What are you trying to achieve? Lower absenteeism? Better staff retention? Happier, more engaged employees? Don’t be vague. Your goals must be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound). If your goal is “make people feel better,” you’re already setting yourself up for failure.
- Audit What You’re Already Doing
Every SME is already spending money on health and wellbeing—they just don’t realize it. Sick pay, staff turnover, underused benefits—it all adds up. Start by identifying these costs and gathering data: absence rates, reasons for turnover, engagement scores, or even informal feedback from employees. Know where you stand before you try to move forward.
- Keep it Simple
You don’t need a 50-page document to create a health strategy. Focus on three key areas:
- Prevention: How do you keep your team healthy and engaged?
- Early Support: What systems are in place for employees experiencing stress or early signs of burnout?
- Support for Illness: How do you help employees who are unwell, ensuring they can recover and return to work?
This framework works for SMEs because it’s scalable. You can start small and build over time.
- Find the Gaps
Once you’ve mapped out what you’re already doing, identify what’s missing. Do you have clear policies for supporting mental health? Are employees actually using the benefits you offer? SMEs often find they don’t need to do more—they just need to use what they have better.
- Make a Plan, Not a Wishlist
Write a timeline of what you’re going to do now, next month, and next year. Break it into realistic steps. For example, start with a team meeting to gather input, then trial one initiative, like flexible hours or a stress management workshop.
Who Should Own Health and Wellbeing in SMEs?
Here’s the thing about SMEs: health and wellbeing often get dumped on whoever has a bit of spare time—usually HR or a manager who “cares about people.” That’s a recipe for disaster. Or a Leader like the ‘Director of Operations’.
Health and wellbeing need clear ownership. Ideally, this should be someone with the authority to make decisions and the time to focus on it. Don’t leave it to an enthusiastic amateur or tack it onto someone’s already overflowing plate.
Two things will make or break your strategy:
- Senior Leadership Support
If the owner or senior team doesn’t care, neither will anyone else. Leadership must champion health and wellbeing—not just in words, but in actions. - Employee Input
Don’t assume you know what your team needs. Ask them. Too many SMEs roll out initiatives that employees don’t want or can’t use. Listen first, act second.
Money, Money, Money
Here’s the myth I hear most from SMEs: “We can’t afford a health and wellbeing strategy.” That’s nonsense. You’re already spending money—you’re just not tracking it.
Every sick day, every stressed-out employee who quits, every poorly implemented perk is a cost. Add it up. You might be surprised how much you’re already investing without seeing results.
The trick is to reallocate those costs:
- Stop wasting money on underused benefits.
- Focus your spending on initiatives that address real needs.
- Measure the impact to make sure you’re getting value for money.
Measuring Success
What gets measured gets managed. For SMEs, this doesn’t mean you need fancy dashboards or endless reports. Start simple:
- How many sick days are employees taking?
- Are more people engaging with your initiatives?
- Are you seeing higher retention rates or better morale?
Track these numbers over time. Even if it’s just in a spreadsheet, having data will protect your strategy from being cut when budgets are tight.
Think Long-Term
Building a health and wellbeing strategy isn’t a one-off project—it’s a commitment. For SMEs, this means creating a plan that grows with your business. Start small, but make sure you’re always reviewing and improving.
- Set short-, medium-, and long-term goals.
- Check in with your team regularly.
- Be willing to adapt based on what works (and what doesn’t).
The Bottom Line
Health and wellbeing aren’t just nice-to-haves—they’re business-critical. For SMEs, where every person plays a key role, getting this right isn’t optional. A strong, data-driven strategy can make your team healthier, happier, and more productive.
Start where you are. Be clear about your goals. Use the resources you already have. And most importantly, treat health and wellbeing with the seriousness it deserves. Your people—and your business—depend on it.
Amy McKeown offers strategic consulting, mentorship and training on all aspects of creating and implementing a workplace health and mental health strategy. Book now onto ‘Do Workplace Health Right’ Live 2025 – https://amymckeown.com/dwhrlive2025. Starting January 2025 this unique programme offers practical, simple and structured content on how to create and implement workplace strategies covering global best practice, frameworks, access to global experts, and an international community, as well as core skills. Perfect for SME’s wanting to ‘Do Workplace Health Right’.
