How to create a culture of wellbeing in the manufacturing industry
There are many roles in the manufacturing industry, and each sector is different. Some people will be at their desk, others are on the road, and then some fulfil manual and repetitive tasks on the ‘shop floor’. No manufacturing operation is the same, and yet, there are consistencies across this sector when it comes to wellbeing themes. Read on to learn why a culture of wellbeing is so crucial in the manufacturing industry and how to bring it to life.
In a hurry? Here are the top three things to take away from our blog on how to create a culture of wellbeing in the manufacturing industry.
1. Wellbeing in manufacturing is a commercial lever, not a people perk: A culture of wellbeing directly reduces absence, turnover and productivity loss in a sector already facing skills shortages and an ageing workforce. With employees averaging 9.4 sick days a year and 58% of UK manufacturers investing £10k–£50k in wellbeing, seeing measurable gains, the ROI case is clear. Wellbeing is a cost-control and performance strategy, not an optional extra.
2. Culture starts with leadership and line managers. Without them, it won’t stick: Wellbeing programmes only work when leaders visibly back them and managers have the training they need to support their teams. Despite 75% of manufacturers believing managers value wellbeing, only 29% actually train them in mental health support. Closing this gap is one of the fastest ways HR can drive real cultural change on the shop floor and beyond.
3. Effective wellbeing must be embedded into daily operations: Manufacturing wellbeing succeeds when it’s woven into safety, shift patterns, performance conversations and everyday behaviours. The most effective strategies are holistic, inclusive, and data-led, using absence, engagement and feedback to continuously adapt and improve.
Got time to stick around? Let's dive a little deeper.
The critical role of wellbeing in UK manufacturing
The manufacturing industry faces skills and labour shortages, an ageing workforce, volatile market conditions and rising sickness absence. A culture of wellbeing isn’t a nice-to-have, and it’s not a branding spiel; it’s a way of reducing avoidable overheads and boosting productivity.
Cultivating a positive culture of wellbeing goes beyond perks. To be authentic and impactful, we need to embed physical, mental and social wellbeing into everyday working life. Inclusivity is vital, ensuring that every employee, from the shop floor to the office, feels supported, safe, and valued.
What does a wellbeing culture look like in manufacturing?
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach but embedding a culture of wellbeing in manufacturing starts the same way it does in every business: with your leaders. Leadership buy-in is vital to creating a culture of wellbeing and the programmes and strategies that power it.
Within a wellbeing culture, you treat physical health, mental health and financial support as core business priorities and equip managers to recognise early signs of stress or burnout.
The result? Workers feel psychologically safe, connected, healthier, engaged, motivated and loyal.
The business case: Why wellbeing improves performance
Before we explore the ‘how’, we’ll focus on the ‘why’. The why behind all this matters because you’re not just creating a culture with words and promises; you’re delivering an employee wellbeing programme, which requires financial investment.
Reduced absence and better retention
One of the most significant arguments for embedding a health and wellbeing programme is to reduce sickness absence in your business. In our blog, ‘How to create a preventative health strategy in seven steps’, we reveal that the average number of days an employee was off sick in 2025 was 9.4.
That’s nearly two full weeks of reduced productivity, and the manufacturing industry is responding.
In 2024, 58% of UK manufacturers reported spending between £10,000 and £50,000 on wellbeing initiatives. The results: 40% said employee retention improved, and 25% said absenteeism decreased (Employee Benefits).
These figures show that investing in a culture of wellbeing delivers a return.
Productivity and workforce relations
Make UK reports that health and wellbeing investment boosted productivity for 90% of manufacturers and improved employee sentiment and relationships. When you show your employees that you take their health seriously, they feel more loyal, work harder and are more likely to stay.
Retention is critical in an industry impacted by a skills and labour shortage.
A competitive edge in recruitment
The 2025 #MmmakeYourMark campaign celebrated the food and drink industry and what makes it such a great place to work. The campaign revealed a strong focus on the employee value proposition (EVP) as a whole, but a consistent and robust culture of wellbeing also sets this sector apart.
Nip over to our blog, ‘Improve employee retention like the food & drinks manufacturing industry’, for the full story.
Leadership’s role in creating a wellbeing culture
As we’ve already mentioned, a cultural change or evolution starts from the top and filters down across every area of the business. Without leadership buy-in, it won’t stick. Without leadership encouragement, behaviour won’t change.
To shift from a tick box exercise to a culture of care, you need:
- Executive sponsorship: Wellbeing goals should be part of strategic plans.
- Manager training: Frontline managers need skills to support teams and respond to early signs of stress.
- Visible commitment: Leaders regularly communicate wellbeing priorities.
The CIPD revealed that only 29% of manufacturers train their managers in mental health. However, 75% believe that their line managers buy into the importance of wellbeing.
Practical wellbeing initiatives for manufacturing
That’s the ‘why’ sorted. Investing in wellbeing initiatives is proven to improve retention and productivity, both of which affect your bottom line. Next, we’ll explore how to create a culture of wellbeing in manufacturing.
Physical wellbeing
Manufacturing work can be physically demanding, so it’s vital to include the initiatives below:
- Ergonomics assessments and adjustments
- Safe manual handling training
- Fatigue management programmes
- Occupational health support
The list isn’t a nice-to-have; it is the bare minimum and legally required under HSE regulations. They meet the requirements for a culture of safety. To embrace a culture of wellbeing, consider including the following:
- Lunchtime walking groups.
- Weekly yoga sessions for strength, flexibility and to de-stress.
- A cycle to work scheme so that they can get fitter on the commute.
- Discounted gym memberships that make a healthier lifestyle more affordable.
Mental & emotional wellbeing
Our blog, ‘A Spotlight on... Employee Wellbeing & Mental Health in the Manufacturing Industry’, reveals why poor mental health is so prevalent in the manufacturing industry and what you can do to help.
Here’s a snapshot of what’s included and how you can improve mental wellbeing:
- Train Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs).
- Confidential counselling or employee assistance programmes (EAPs).
- Offer all employees stress management and resilience training.
Financial wellbeing
Most UK HR professionals view financial wellbeing as being just as important as physical and mental wellbeing initiatives. Our blog, ‘How to Support Your Employees During the Cost-of-Living Crisis’, goes into detail about how you can make life more affordable.
Other helpful initiatives include financial education workshops and supportive benefits like pensions or budgeting tools.
Embedding wellbeing into daily operations
Wellbeing shouldn’t live as a standalone project; it needs to be part of daily work life:
- Integrate wellbeing into safety protocols and toolbox talks.
- Include wellbeing check-ins in performance reviews.
- Use data (e.g., absences, survey feedback) to improve continuously.
A culture of wellbeing treats every interaction, from shift handovers to shop-floor briefings, as an opportunity to reinforce wellbeing values. Dive into our blog, ‘Transform Your Workplace Culture: A Practical Guide to Change’, to understand what it takes to make a cultural shape-up stick.
Overcoming common challenges in manufacturing
Creating a culture of wellbeing in manufacturing can present challenges. HR may face obstacles such as:
- Perceptions that wellbeing initiatives cost time and money: Some of the UK’s manufacturing businesses have been around for decades, often employing some people who have been with them since day one. There’s a generational divide, and it’s a very male-dominated industry, and this often means that there’s long been a culture of ‘taking it on the chin’ and ‘just getting on with things’. It does require a mindset – a cultural change – which is why leadership buy-in is vital for success. Ensure you clearly present the business case and ROI.
- Shift work makes consistent engagement difficult: Shift work patterns or managing a dispersed workforce across multiple locations can create inconsistencies. Rolling out a training programme that covers every location and shift will ensure every employee understands the wellbeing support available to them and any changes to ways of working.
- Lack of manager buy-in: Data shared in this blog shows that managers in the manufacturing industry understand the importance of championing employee wellbeing. Manager buy-in can be a blocker, and you can navigate it through awareness and training – even by giving managers a clear sight of the business case and financial rationale behind your wellbeing initiatives.
Get started: Wellbeing action plan for HR leaders in manufacturing
If you’re starting from scratch, it can be quite daunting, especially when your wellbeing programme involves a significant cultural shift.
Step one: Assess
The devil is in the details, and the details are in the data. Start your initiative by reviewing the data you’ll use to measure success, including sickness and absenteeism.
The first helps you understand which wellbeing issues your workforce needs help overcoming, and your absenteeism data provides a benchmark to improve from.
An employee wellbeing survey is also valuable, as it allows you to learn more than your records show, directly from the people you’re aiming to help.
Step two: Develop your strategy
Once you’ve identified the status quo, such as the average absenteeism rate or current employee turnover figures, you can set a measurable goal for improvement. Make it realistic and ensure you’re implementing a strategy that addresses the issue.
For example, if 40% of your absenteeism is due to mental ill health, your strategy must include a robust selection of mental wellbeing solutions. Remember to be holistic. The mind and body are connected, and money worries also trigger stress and anxiety.
Leadership and manager training come first. Ensure you get buy-in and consistency from the top before rolling your strategy out to the wider business.
Step three: Launch your cultural initiative
You should make an event of it because embracing a culture of wellbeing is a great move for your people and business. That doesn’t mean you need to do everything at once.
Staggering the rollout and prioritising certain initiatives is often more appropriate to avoid overwhelm, and to ensure your workforce and managers have time to learn, adapt, and truly understand what it’s all about.
A staggered rollout also enables you to learn and adjust as needed, avoiding pitfalls and overcoming hurdles while the initiative is in its early phases. Employee feedback groups play an important role here.
Step four: Cultural management
You’ve worked hard to get the ball rolling and to embrace a culture of wellbeing in your manufacturing business. Success doesn’t happen by accident; it takes consistent work, regular communications and constant iteration and evolution.
Review your metrics and KPIs at least quarterly and adjust programmes based on what’s working (and what isn’t).
Create a culture of wellbeing in the manufacturing industry and watch your people and business thrive
This whistle-stop tour of a blog gives you a high-level overview of why a culture of wellbeing in the manufacturing industry is vital for employers, and includes links to blogs where you can take specific topics a bit deeper.
What’s clear is that the manufacturing industry needs to retain skills. There’s a shortage of them, after all. Prioritising a culture of wellbeing keeps your talent healthier and happier for longer, giving you a return on your investment through better productivity and retention.
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