Oxford study questions workplace mental health interventions

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM — A recent study conducted by Oxford University researcher William Fleming has cast doubt on the efficacy of popular workplace mental health interventions.
The study analyzed responses from over 46,000 employees across 233 British companies and discovered that digital health solutions, seminars, and coaching had little to no benefit for participating workers compared to non-participants.
Companies invest in various interventions, hoping to improve worker health, reduce medical spending, and increase productivity. But Fleming’s analysis of 90 different interventions found negligible impact, except for charity work opportunities which did seem to boost well-being.
“Volunteering satisfies many of the classificatory questions: it is generally promoting of a good life, it involves individual [behavior] and active participation and is linked to well-being through psychological improvements,” said Fleming.
However, contrasting evidence from a 2022 study on Spring Health showed significant improvement in employee mental health, indicating that not all wellness interventions are futile.
Critics like Larissa Bartlett, a researcher at the University of Tasmania, argue that Fleming’s study might overlook the nuances and long-term benefits of these interventions.
Fleming acknowledged his observational data limitations but concluded companies should focus more on core working conditions like pay and schedules rather than wellness offerings to truly improve employee mental health.
“If employees do want access to mindfulness apps and sleep programs and well-being apps, there is not anything wrong with that,” he said. “But if you’re seriously trying to drive employees’ well-being, then it has to be about working practices.”