Leading With Care: Why Leadership Comms Must Put Wellbeing at the Heart of Work

Most conversations about workplace wellbeing begin in the same place: initiatives. Gym discounts, mindfulness apps, maybe a yoga class. And yet, despite a tidal wave of content—65.8 million wellbeing messages sent on Poppulo’s platform last year alone—stress, burnout, and disengagement are still rising.

It’s a paradox Jo Coxhill—passionate wellbeing advocate and comms expert—explored in her recent Poppulo webinar Leading With Care: Enabling Leadership Comms to Foster Employee Wellbeing. Her message was clear: we’re treating symptoms, not causes.

Real wellbeing isn’t about the comms campaign or the yoga session (which absolutely has its benefits!) It’s about leadership behaviors, everyday culture, and whether employees feel seen and heard and valued.

The Wellbeing Gap That Won’t Go Away

Jo began with a poll. How well do your leaders support employee wellbeing through their everyday behavior and communication? Few respondents chose “very well.” Most admitted their leaders were either hit-and-miss, or there was a glaring “say–do gap”—leaders who talk about wellbeing but fail to model it.

That gap matters. Research from Oxford University shows that belonging, trust, and authentic leadership communication are far more important to employees than pay or perks when it comes to wellbeing and performance.

And yet leaders often double down on surface fixes—gym memberships, resilience training, or polished corporate messages—while neglecting the root causes: toxic cultures, micromanagement, poor prioritization, and an absence of genuine care.

As Jo put it, “We’re sending millions of wellbeing messages, but if leaders aren’t walking the walk, employees notice. And over time, they stop listening altogether.”

From Symptoms to Causes: Closing the Say–Do Gap

Jo used the metaphor of an iceberg: the visible tips are the initiatives and campaigns, but what really drives stress and burnout lies beneath—values, norms, behaviors, and leadership expectations. Until organizations tackle that submerged 90 percent, wellbeing will remain a communications mirage.

Her practical guidance:

• Audit the gap. Use survey data, absence rates, exit interviews, Glassdoor reviews, and listening sessions to map where leaders’ words diverge from their actions.
• Show leaders the data in their language. If cost reduction is their priority, demonstrate how absenteeism and turnover are draining budgets — and how addressing the wellbeing gap saves money.
• Coach leaders to acknowledge, circle back, and role-model. Encourage them to explicitly close the loop (“You told us this, so here’s what we’re doing”) and demonstrate care through small, consistent habits.

The Power of Micro-Moments

One of Jo’s most resonant points was that culture isn’t set in annual strategy documents—it’s created in daily interactions. A leader who begins a meeting with a genuine check-in rather than diving into the agenda signals care.

A thank-you or a remembered detail about an employee’s family builds belonging more effectively than a poster campaign ever could.

She shared examples from her own work:

• Teams that make space each week to celebrate wins and share personal updates.
• Leaders who validate tough questions by saying “That’s a great question” and committing to find the answer.
• CEOs who invite dialogue through “ask me anything” sessions and model vulnerability by admitting when they don’t have all the answers.

These are small acts, but repeated over time they compound into trust. “Sometimes,” Jo noted, “nudges are more powerful than sweeping reforms.”

What Authentic Leadership Communication Looks Like

Jo urged leaders to strip away corporate jargon and show up as people first. Authenticity isn’t about having perfect answers. It’s about being relatable, accessible, and consistent.

In an age of AI-generated everything, human stories and lived experiences carry more weight than polished talking points.

Practical nudges include:

• Checking in before checking up.
• Slowing down in a fast-paced environment to notice individuals.
• Modeling calm during crises rather than transmitting anxiety.
• Being consistent in message, tone, and follow-through.

And crucially, listening. Not performative town halls, but structured, two-way listening: pulse surveys, anonymous Q&As, skip-level meetings, and always-on feedback loops that demonstrate employees’ voices actually shape decisions.

Key Takeaways from Jo’s Presentation

• Wellbeing is a leadership behavior, not an initiative. Stop treating the symptoms (yoga sessions, resilience tips) and focus on root causes: culture, workload, values, and leadership habits.
• Close the say–do gap. Employees notice when leaders’ actions don’t match their words. Use data, listening, and feedback loops to make leaders accountable and consistent.
• Small nudges add up. Encourage micro-moments of care—genuine check-ins, recognition, calm in crisis—that gradually reshape culture and build trust.

Q&A Highlights

Q: Why do so many leaders believe in wellbeing but fail to prioritize it?
Jo: Because they’re focused on the “above the line” — the visible initiatives — not the harder work of shifting culture and behaviors. The will is there, but the attention is misplaced.

Q: With AI-generated content on the rise, how do leaders keep comms authentic?
Jo: Use AI as a support tool, not a replacement. Show up in person, tell your own stories, and don’t be afraid of vulnerability. Trust is built through human presence.

Q: What’s one step comms and HR teams can take immediately?
Jo: Start with a nudge. Encourage a leader to open their next meeting with a genuine check-in. Notice the difference — and build from there.

A Call to Care

The takeaway from Jo’s webinar is deceptively simple: wellbeing isn’t an initiative. It’s a leadership behavior, lived daily.

Comms and HR professionals have a vital role to play in helping leaders close the say–do gap, audit and share the data, and coach them to show up with empathy, authenticity, and consistency.

Or, as Jo challenged her audience: stop writing fluffy wellbeing messages that don’t match reality. Instead, help leaders model care in the smallest of ways — like signing off with, “I’m logging off now, and I hope you do the same.”

Because at the end of the day, wellbeing at work is less about words, and more about whether people feel they matter.