Not another job… how to make wellbeing natural for line managers

“I don’t have time for this”

It’s a sentence whispered (or projected) in offices everywhere: “I care, but I don’t have time for this.”

Line managers are overloaded. Between performance check-ins, resource juggling, and navigating team dynamics, the thought of adding “wellbeing conversations” to the to-do list can feel like one responsibility too many. No wonder it’s often seen as “another job”, and one that’s easy to sideline.

But here’s the reality, when wellbeing is treated as an extra task, it doesn’t get done. When it’s ignored, people suffer. Productivity drops. Engagement dips. Absence rates rise.

So how do we turn this ship around?

How do we stop wellbeing from being “more work” and start making it a natural, integrated part of everyday leadership?

Here are four ways that you can make wellbeing work in your organistion…

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Step 1: Make it a conversation, not a task

One of the biggest mindset shifts we need is that wellbeing isn’t a box to tick. It’s a conversation to have.

Managers don’t need to “do” wellbeing. They need to talk about it.

That’s where tools like our free-to-use Conversation Canvas come in. One engineering manager I worked with was comfortable talking about performance but stumbled when things got personal. The Canvas gave him structure; a starting point that made those discussions feel less intimidating. With practice, he got better. Not because he suddenly became a counsellor, but because he had a framework that made the conversation feel doable.

When we treat wellbeing conversations like part of how we lead, not something separate, we remove the burden. We make space for empathy without requiring expertise.

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Step 2: Integrate it into what managers already do

The secret to success? Don’t add. Embed.

Wellbeing should show up in the places that already exist like 1:1s, team meetings, and feedback sessions. Not as a separate agenda, but as a question or moment of reflection.

The NHS Employers’ Wellbeing Conversations model is a great example of this. It encourages managers to weave wellbeing into their regular rhythms, making it feel like second nature rather than special effort.

Reach out to people. Celebrate small wins. Create space for people to say, “I’m not OK today.” That’s leadership.

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Step 3: Equip managers to be sign-posters, not solvers

Here’s the biggest misconception that trips up line managers - the belief that they need to fix things.

They don’t.

Line managers aren’t mental, physical, or financial health experts and nor should they be expected to be. They’re professional sign-posters. People who listen, care, and point their colleagues toward the right resources at the right time.

That’s why HR’s job isn’t just to push wellbeing, it’s to enable managers to support it without burning out. That means providing:

• Clear information on internal and external wellbeing resources
  
  
• Simple guides or tools for starting conversations, like the Conversation Canvas
  
  
• Training, which helps managers build confidence without pressure.
  
  

And most importantly, reassurance that their job is to care, not cure.

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Step 4: Personalise to scale

Here’s the paradox, you can’t scale wellbeing services, but you can scale wellbeing conversations.

In an organisation of 5,000, there are 5,000 different definitions of wellbeing. Trying to meet every need with centralised programmes alone? It’s near impossible.

But when every manager is equipped to have personalised check-ins, suddenly wellbeing becomes scalable. Not through grand strategies, but through daily, human moments.

Tools like Mind’s Wellness Action Plans, as well as the Conversation Canvas, support this by creating individualised wellbeing approaches that managers can lead without needing a degree in psychology.

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In conclusion, make wellbeing part of the job, not an extra job

If we want line managers to embrace wellbeing, we can’t ask them to add it to the pile. We need to bake it into how they already lead through training, tools, and resources. 

That means:

• Turning wellbeing into everyday conversation, not a calendar event
  
  
• Embedding it into existing check-ins and team practices
  
  
• Equipping managers to guide, not fix
  
  
• Scaling personalisation through human connection, not one-size-fits-all programmes
  
  

It’s not about doing more. It’s about doing differently.

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Want to help your managers make wellbeing second nature? Explore the Conversation Canvas and discover how Joy Junction can support your managers to lead with confidence and care.

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