How Can HR Professionals Use Digital Well-being Interventions to Create Impact in Their Organisations?

Abstract

This research addresses the question: How can HR professionals use digital well-being interventions to create impact in their organisations? Well-being at work has been considered a duty of care requirement for employers for decades. The mental well-being agenda in the workplace has gained notable and persistent attention in academic and practice publications. These concerns were further amplified during and after the pandemic, when the landscape of work changed markedly. HR professionals were central to navigating the changes needed to keep businesses operational and to manage the mental health impact on employees. Mental well-being is a complex phenomenon and addressing it on a large scale has increasingly involved the use of technology. Our digital habits pose risks while also providing exciting opportunities for the integration of overall wellness, social connection, and physical and mental wellness. However, the HR profession is often seen as a follower rather than a leader in the technological domain, making it challenging for HR professionals to leverage technology effectively for well-being interventions.

Using a grounded theory approach, this study explores the experiences and practices of HR professionals, mental well-being advocates, and organisational leaders in the UK. Through their accounts, insights are gained into how digital interventions are used to support well-being. The findings show that HR professionals are experiencing significant role demands, and their strategies for digital use are shaped by varying expectations of technology-based solutions, organisational constraints, and personal belief systems. In practical terms, this results in reactive and episodic interventions, which may lead to a perfunctory understanding of well-being. Consequently, ongoing strategic concerns, such as maintaining competitive advantage, enhancing managerial capability, and improving retention, persist.

The research contributes to existing literature and practice by providing an in-depth understanding of the role of HR professionals in digital mental health and well-being interventions and their perceptions of delivering services digitally. My findings show that HR professionals are not fully aligned with delivering well-being services entirely digitally, preferring in-person interactions as an essential component of a mental health and well-being strategy. This insight is surprising, as it challenges and reshapes conventional business partnering approaches while providing the foundation for designing future digital interventions in workplaces. In the future, the responsibility for delivering these interventions may shift dramatically from hierarchical, expert-led intervention models to a model of mutual responsibility, made possible through digital tools.

Implications: This exploratory research aims to improve the management of workplace well-being by providing a better understanding of the potential contributions of HR professionals in the use of digital interventions to support mental well-being. It also provides practical advice on the need for HR to adapt to technological advancements, and for organisations, including professional bodies, to support HR professionals in this transition, ensuring a comprehensive approach to employee well-being.

Date of Award	2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Dundee
Supervisor	Graeme Martin (Supervisor) & Ian Robson (Supervisor)