By Sophie Harvey
Why self-care in the workplace matters more than ever
International Self-Care Day (24th July) is a valuable reminder that looking after our health and wellbeing is not just a personal responsibility, but a workplace priority too.
In today’s fast-paced and often digital-lead working environments, the boundaries between work and personal life can easily become blurred. Without clear boundaries, employees may feel pressure to always be available, leading to increased stress, reduced productivity, and in some cases, burnout.
Encouraging healthy boundaries at work is not about limiting commitment or performance. It is about creating a sustainable and supportive environment where employees can thrive long-term. Guidance from ACAS highlights the importance of employers creating conditions that support positive mental health, including dealing with any causes of work-related stress.
Why getting boundaries right is so important
Encouraging self-care and healthy boundaries is about balance. Employers need to support employee wellbeing whilst maintaining productivity, collaboration and service delivery. Likewise, employees have a personal responsibility to also consider their own self-care to manage their employment responsibilities.
A thoughtful and consistent approach can help to:
- Reduce work-related stress and burnout
- Improve employee engagement and retention
- Support productivity and focus
- Strengthen workplace culture and trust
- Reduce absenteeism and presenteeism
According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), employers have a legal duty to assess and manage risks to mental health in the workplace, including those linked to excessive workload or lack of rest.
How an organisation approaches boundaries and wellbeing says a lot about its culture and values.
Encourage clear working boundaries
One of the most effective ways to support self-care is by helping employees establish clear expectations around roles and responsibilities, working time and availability.
Employers should:
- Set realistic expectations about working hours
- Discourage a “constant availability” culture
- Make it clear that employees are not expected to respond to messages outside of working hours (unless genuinely required)
- Lead by example – managers should model healthy behaviours
- Manage individual workloads and performance through feedback and role guides.
ACAS guidance on working hours and wellbeing emphasises the importance of ensuring employees take adequate rest breaks and do not work excessive hours.
Promote regular breaks and time off
Taking breaks is essential for both physical and mental wellbeing, yet it is often overlooked in busy workplaces.
Consider encouraging:
- Regular screen breaks throughout the day
- Full use of annual leave entitlement
- Proper disconnection during time off
The Working Time Regulations 1998 set out employees’ rights to rest breaks, daily rest and weekly rest periods. These are not just legal requirements but also support overall wellbeing.
Support open conversations about wellbeing
Creating a culture where employees feel comfortable discussing workload and wellbeing is key.
Employers can:
- Encourage regular check-ins between managers and team members
- Provide space for employees to raise concerns about workload or stress
- Respond supportively and proactively when issues are raised
The CIPD highlights that psychologically safe workplaces – where employees feel able to speak openly – people are more confident with sharing ideas, offering different perspectives and asking questions, without fear of criticism or negative consequences.
Manage workload and expectations effectively
Unrealistic workloads are one of the biggest contributors to poor work-life balance.
Employers should:
- Monitor workloads across teams
- Set clear priorities and deadlines
- Ensure work is distributed fairly
- Review expectations regularly, particularly during busy periods
Under the HSE Management Standards, employers are encouraged to assess workload demands and ensure they are manageable and appropriate.
Encourage leaders to lead by example
Workplace culture is influenced heavily by leadership behaviour.
If managers regularly work long hours, send late-night emails or take minimal leave, employees may feel pressured to do the same.
Encouraging leaders to:
- Take their full annual leave
- Switch off outside working hours
- Respect others’ boundaries
can have a significant and positive ripple effect across the organisation.
Common pitfalls to avoid
When promoting self-care and boundaries, organisations should be mindful of common mistakes, such as:
- Saying the right things but not reflecting them in practice
- Rewarding overworking or “always on” behaviours
- Failing to address workload issues
- Applying expectations inconsistently across teams
- Not training managers to support wellbeing conversations
Avoiding these pitfalls helps ensure that wellbeing initiatives are genuinely effective rather than performative.
Creating a culture that supports self-care
As you have read above, promoting healthy boundaries goes beyond individual actions. It requires a supportive workplace culture.
A strong culture of self-care can:
- Encourage early conversations about stress
- Improve overall wellbeing and morale
- Reduce long-term absence and burnout
- Support sustainable performance
Final thoughts
International Self-Care Day is an opportunity for organisations to reflect on how they support their people. Encouraging healthy boundaries is not about doing less; it is about working smarter, more sustainably and with greater awareness of wellbeing.
Employers who prioritise clear expectations, open communication and realistic workloads are far more likely to create an environment where both employees and the business can succeed.
If you’d like support reviewing your wellbeing approach or developing practical strategies to support your teams, our team is here to help (contact us).