The new currency of sustainable leadership is wellness reimagined

At Tuesday Consulting’s most recent Table Talk Tuesday, Dr. Mothomang Diaho, a medical doctor and Gestalt-trained coach, challenged leaders to rethink how they view wellness in the workplace.

“Burnout isn’t just an individual issue, it’s a leadership and organisational imperative,” said Dr. Diaho. “When leaders run on empty, the ripple effects hit teams, culture, strategy, and ultimately, performance.”

Burnout, recognised by the World Health Organisation as an occupational phenomenon, arises from unmanaged workplace stress. Its impact is staggering:

·  77% of professionals report burnout in their current job (Deloitte)

·  95% of HR leaders say burnout is sabotaging retention.

·  An estimated $322 billion in lost productivity and turnover globally (Gallup).

While self-care practices like yoga and mindfulness are valuable, Dr. Diaho emphasised that “Band-Aid solutions” alone cannot address a systemic issue. Structural change and leadership accountability are essential.

A powerful moment came when Dr. Diaho unpacked the “lies we tell ourselves”: “I’ll be fine once this is done” … “People depend on me” … “I’ll take a vacation and then be okay.” These narratives, familiar to many executives, mask deeper dysfunctions and delay meaningful intervention.

Around the world, leading organisations are already redefining wellness as a strategic priority:

·  Microsoft Japan saw productivity jump 40% during a four-day workweek trial.

·  Volkswagen Germany shuts down email servers after hours to enforce rest.

·  France enshrined the “Right to Disconnect” in law, requiring companies to set after-hours communication policies.

·  Scotland embedded certified Mental Health First Aiders into workplaces.

These examples demonstrate that wellness isn’t a perk, it’s a policy and cultural shift that drives sustainable performance.

Tuesday Consulting’s director, Wendy Spalding, added: “As we approach the end of the year, we often see burnout peak. After pushing hard since January, many executives and teams run out of steam just when strategic focus is needed most. This is exactly why wellness has to be a year-round leadership priority, not a once-off conversation when people are already exhausted.”

She further underscored the business case: “Wellness is no longer about perks and apps. It’s about leaders recognising their shadow, this is the culture they create simply by how they show up. When leaders model boundaries, accountability, and care, organisations thrive. However when they don’t, burnout becomes inevitable.”

Dr. Diaho agreed: “The Leader’s Shadow is powerful. What leaders do becomes the culture. If we want resilient, innovative organisations, wellness must be embedded at every level.”

At a personal level, leaders can model sustainable habits and share their own strategies, such as no-meeting zones or taking restorative sabbaticals. At the team level, the “Leader’s Shadow” becomes critical. This means modelling rest, boundaries, reflection, and recovery, embedding wellbeing check-ins, and crucially, ending the celebration of overwork. Systemically, organisations need to go further by including wellbeing KPIs, protecting vacation time, and establishing clear rules for after-hours emails and meetings.

For Tuesday Consulting, this conversation is part of a broader push to challenge outdated leadership models. Wellness, they argue, is the new currency of sustainable leadership, a determinant of retention, innovation, and long-term competitiveness.

The question for leaders is no longer “How do we prevent burnout?” but “How do we strategically invest in the well-being of our people to unlock sustainable success?”

For more articles like this click here.  

If you enjoyed this website then check out our other sites: Wedding and Function, Home Food and Travel, Kids Connection, Thirsty Traveler, Bargain Buys, Boat Trips for Africa. 

Need help with your online marketing then visit Agency One.