Investing in wellbeing pays dividends on the sports field and in the office
When we think about high performance in business, sport, or education, it’s easy to focus on goals, results, and efficiency.
But the question many leaders across these industries face is: how do we maintain high standards without burning people out?
Increasingly, research shows that the solutions lie in preventative mental wellbeing.
It’s often too late to act when something goes wrong, and so there is a need to foster environments where people flourish, not just cope.
In elite sport, the demands on mental and emotional resilience are immense.
The pressure to perform is constant, and margins for error are slim.
But it’s also in these high-pressure environments that we’ve seen some of the clearest examples of how investing in wellbeing pays off in terms of resilience, but also in terms of productivity or performance, and long-term fulfilment.
Understanding Wellbeing: More Than Just “Feeling Good”
Mental wellbeing is often misunderstood as simply the absence of stress or the presence of happiness. But the science goes deeper.
Psychologists distinguish between two types of wellbeing.
Hedonic wellbeing is about short-term pleasure or feeling good in the moment.
Eudaimonic wellbeing, on the other hand, is about a deeper sense of purpose, growth, and meaning. It’s what sustains people through challenges and helps them feel fulfilled over time.
In sport and business alike, it’s tempting to focus on hedonic rewards like the win, the bonus or the public acclaim.
These feel good, and they matter. But when teams or organisations rely solely on short-term highs, burnout and disengagement are never far behind.
What keeps people going and committed is eudaimonic wellbeing: knowing that their work matters, that they’re growing, and that they’re part of something bigger than themselves.
The Business Case for Investing in Prevention
There’s a strong case, both ethical and economic, for shifting from crisis response to proactive wellbeing strategies.
In high-performance sport, we know that athletes under extreme pressure are more likely to struggle with anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and even depression — especially when their environment focuses solely on results and neglects emotional support.
The same patterns show up in workplaces.
But when the environment is built around core psychological needs — autonomy, competence, and connection — people thrive.
They cope better with pressure, adapt more easily to change, and contribute more consistently to the team.
In practical terms, that means giving people a sense of control over their work, recognising and building their skills, and fostering positive relationships throughout the organisation.
It’s not about being soft — it’s about creating conditions where people perform at their best, and stay well while doing it.
Why Social Support Matters
One of the most consistent predictors of wellbeing in both sport and business is social support.
People who feel supported by their peers and managers are more resilient, more motivated, and better able to cope with stress.
We’ve seen this clearly through the Tackle Your Feelings programme.
When coaches, captains, and leaders make time for connection — whether that’s checking in with a struggling player or noticing when someone’s mood changes — it sets the tone for the whole team.
The same is true in the workplace.
Supportive cultures don’t happen by accident. They’re built by leaders who are approachable and present, teams that understand how to challenge exclusion or unfairness, and systems that ensure no one is left to navigate difficulty alone.
Shifting from Firefighting to Future-Proofing
Too often, organisations act only when a crisis arises — when someone burns out, resigns unexpectedly, or shows clear signs of distress.
By that stage, the cost — human and financial — is already high.
Preventative wellbeing asks a different set of questions.
Do people feel safe making mistakes?
Do they feel valued for who they are, not just what they do?
Are there opportunities for growth?
Do leaders have the tools to support their teams before problems escalate?
These questions aren’t abstract. The answers can guide meaningful, manageable changes — from how meetings are run, to how feedback is delivered, to how leaders respond when things go wrong.
Anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and even depression are found both in the office and within sport.
Looking Beyond the Bottom Line
Humanistic psychology tells us that people want to grow, express themselves, and contribute — if the conditions allow it.
The role of a workplace, like a sports team, is to create those conditions.
When it does, the result isn’t just happier individuals — it’s stronger, more sustainable success.
Ultimately, wellbeing strategies shouldn’t just reflect the kind of results we want this quarter — they should reflect the kind of culture we want to build long-term.
As with any great team, legacy matters. And culture is legacy in action.
Investing in mental wellbeing isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s a strategic choice — one that benefits individuals, teams, and society as a whole.
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