28 August

This is Me talks to workplace wellbeing expert Gary Butterfield

Gary Butterfield author of the Conversation Canvas and creator of Joy Junction tells us why workplace wellbeing is so vital for companies and how we can all implement sustainable changes…

Can you tell us about your background and what inspired you to focus on helping companies to improve employee wellbeing?

I started my career in the fitness industry because I wanted to support people with their wellbeing, in whatever way that meant to them.

In 2011 I fell into HR, working with the wellbeing team at the University of Sheffield and jumping at the opportunity of supporting 8,500 people! There I co-founded their multi-award-winning employee wellbeing programme called Juice – which had social wellbeing at the heart by bringing colleagues together through shared experiences.

This all led to setting up my small consultancy business, Joy Junction, last year.  Having been in the wellbeing space for a long time and working with some awesome organisations, I reflected on employee wellbeing practice a lot.

Now, I get to put all the experience, knowledge and tools that I’ve created to good use, supporting leaders to create joyful workplace cultures. 

What exactly is the Conversation Canvas, and how does it differ from traditional wellbeing conversation processes?

The Conversation Canvas is a tool that I made a few years ago as a bit of a side project. I always thought that the way line managers had wellbeing conversations had significant flaws. This wasn’t through any fault of their own, more due to ineffective tools. With the Conversation Canvas I set out to change this.

The starting point was when I had my first (and last!) appraisal at the tender age of 22, and the reason why I left the fitness industry as a full-time employee.

I was really looking forward to the meeting. This was my opportunity to explore how I wanted to develop, where my career was heading, the impact I had on colleagues and members. What it ended up being was 55 minutes getting rinsed about sales targets. We had five minutes spare at the end, so I was flippantly asked “how are you, Gary, are you happy?”.

I handed in my notice the next day.

Roll on a few years and I was presenting the Five Ways to Wellbeing framework to a client. I asked around 60 people in the room who had had a poor experience with the appraisal before and the vast majority had. Clearly, I wasn’t alone.

On the train back to Leeds it got me thinking that surely there’s a better way. I jotted down my ideas, spent a week fumbling around Photoshop, and the Conversation Canvas was born.

What are the main challenges line managers face when addressing employee wellbeing?

Being a line manager is hard work and wellbeing conversations don’t always come easy. We can’t just tell them to have wellbeing conversations with their colleagues without providing sufficient training, support, and tools to enable them to do it.

I think three key barriers to line managers talking about wellbeing are:

1. Knowing where to start
2. A lack of confidence in their ability to talk about it
3. The uncomfortable feeling of being vulnerable, not knowing where that conversation might go

How can line managers develop skills and gain the confidence needed to have meaningful wellbeing conversations?

At the risk of sounding cheesy, the best way to get better at talking about wellbeing is through practice. It’s one of those mental muscles that gets stronger through use.

Start small by asking general open conversations, but don’t be too generic. I’m not a big fan of the “how are you, how are you really” approach. When someone returns with “I’m fine” it doesn’t give you much room for manoeuvre.

Ask people what they have planned for their weekend, and then follow up with them on Monday. Ask them what their hobbies are and why they’re passionate about it, and even better, share your own too. These questions are safe enough whilst giving you the opportunity to stretch your comfort zone.

What advice would you give to a line manager who feels unequipped or hesitant to discuss wellbeing with their team? 

I would acknowledge that wellbeing conversations are hard, and it's ok to not feel like you have all the answers. You’re not expected to.

Start by looking at what wellbeing support your organisation has on offer, that way you have something meaningful to share with colleagues. Then, download the Conversation Canvas for yourself and work through it on your own; you’ll soon get to grips with the questions and models.

Finally, give yourself a break, and remind yourself that showing genuine concern and empathy for someone is more important than having all the answers. 

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