Enhanced Employee WellBeing at DHL Consulting: Setting the Blueprint for DHL Group
Read up on the journey that DHL Consulting took to enhance employee wellbeing – potentially serving as a blueprint for your own company.
How It All Began: Defining Wellbeing at DHL Consulting
Employee wellbeing is a critical element of a thriving corporate culture, yet it is often inadequately defined within organizations. This inadequacy can lead to confusion, particularly when a holistic approach to wellbeing is missing. In some cases, the concept of wellbeing is neglected entirely.
In an effort to stay at the forefront of modern corporate development, several years ago we decided to define what wellbeing is for us as a company. Our wellbeing journey started with the annual survey of all company employees, with the aim to identify what it means to have good wellbeing.
During the discovery phase, three key elements of wellbeing were identified:
- Physical
- Mental
- Social
A group of motivated consultants volunteered to define a wellbeing strategy and roadmap with the support of our leadership team to:
- Deepen the understanding what the wellbeing key elements can mean to different groups
- Identify particular pain points through working group workshops for all DHL Consulting offices (Americas, Europe, APAC)
- Define a DHLC-tailored wellbeing framework that addresses the identified pain points
- Specify wellbeing priorities per year and develop a comprehensive wellbeing roadmap
- Identify the initiatives’ impact on employee wellbeing on an annual basis
Key Milestones on the Path to Enhanced Wellbeing
After understanding the key pain points, it was discovered that wellbeing is a very complex topic, requiring a holistic approach.
There are three levels on which employee wellbeing can be affected:
- Individual
- Project team
- Company organization
This approach clarified areas where DHL Consulting can have a direct influence on wellbeing on both an individual and a project team level, and where the company can organize and nurture wellbeing initiatives on an organizational level.
Based on the analysis, in order to demystify wellbeing across the three areas and key dimensions, we launched time-limited initiatives across three waves, following physical, mental and social wellbeing. That way, colleagues were encouraged to adopt new habits and improve their individual wellbeing.
DHL Consulting’s Key Wellbeing Initiatives: Building a Healthier Workplace
Wellbeing Self-assessment Tool: A tool internally developed in support with DHL Group company doctors that evaluates individual wellbeing via a set of questions. It provides tailored recommendations to maintain or enhance one’s wellbeing
Company doctor support on ergonomic workspace: A company-wide informative Lunch & Learn session hosted by the company doctors to provide insights and best practices on how to set up an ergonomic workspace
Mindful Mondays: A weekly series dedicated to raising awareness of wellbeing and mindfulness, with each Monday having a different social activity or initiative organized to educate, inform, and engage colleagues
ISA DeepCare Device: Intelligent AI-powered on-desk device that tracks user’s body sitting/standing posture, movements, and hydration intake throughout the day, providing suggestions to enhance ergonomics
Lasting Impact: Creating a Culture of Wellbeing
We have continuously shaped employee wellbeing over the last years to support the long-term development of a comprehensive health and wellbeing culture.
The key focus levers for wellbeing that make a difference over the long term:
- Environment of awareness, psychological safety, and inclusion
- Leadership as purposeful and empathetic role models
- Integrated values, process, and policies supporting wellbeing
- Tools and offerings for employees to discuss and live wellbeing habits
In addition to these levers, we also implemented several practices, such as “Moments that Matter” – special moments and events lived in person – that foster a culture of health and wellbeing on an organizational level.
After the key wellbeing waves were completed, we moved on to the continuous improvement of the existing wellbeing pillars, and continued rolling out new initiatives and implement best wellbeing practices.
Overall, our journey to enhance employee wellbeing has become more than a company initiative; it’s a fundamental part of our culture. By addressing wellbeing holistically—on physical, mental, and social levels—we’re building a healthier workplace that nurtures individual growth and collective success.
Our tailored initiatives, from the Wellbeing Self-assessment Tool to Mindful Mondays, demonstrate that creating a culture of health and wellbeing is not just about the actions we take today, but about fostering sustainable practices that will benefit our teams for years to come.
Stay tuned for Part Two where we’ll deep dive into our custom Wellbeing Tool!