By Emma Jordaan – Founder and CEO of Infinite Consulting
As we step into 2026, there is an inherent focus on wellbeing initiatives that need to be delivered in the workplace for the year ahead.
But how many of us have pause for a moment, to consider whether the initiatives we are about to propose are suitable for our workforce?
Because when we think about wellbeing, and what it means to us, one person might say “mental health”, another might say “fitness”, another “mindfulness”. However, if you asked someone from another culture the same question, they may say “community support”, “family” or “faith-based practices”. No two cultures are the same and that means that people’s perception of wellbeing is not the same. Wellbeing is not a one-size-fits-all approach, what can feel empowering in one culture, can feel uncomfortable and even inappropriate in another culture.
I once worked in a multinational company and the leader had arranged for an employee social, with the intent to bring all employees together to create connections and a good team spirit. However, the event included alcoholic drinks and so several employees’ chose not to attend and when we asked them why, they explained that they don’t drink alcohol for faith-based reasons and didn’t feel comfortable to attend in that environment. What was meant as an inclusion effort, ended up excluding some of the people we wanted to include. The event wasn’t malicious or careless; it was just culturally unaware.
Wellbeing programmes can fail, not because the initiative is bad, but because it doesn’t fit everyone’s cultural norms, motivation or comfort zones. What feels right and normal to us, may feel wrong and inappropriate to another. This is determined by our cultural values which were instilled in us during our upbringing, education and through our life experiences.
The role of the individuals who are responsible for organising wellbeing initiatives is to find out what wellbeing initiatives employees feel comfortable with. This means applying a more Cultural Intelligence (CQ) approach to your wellbeing strategy. Cultural Intelligence (CQ) is the ability to work and relate effectively across diverse cultures. In other words, when employees feel their values are understood and respected, they feel seen heard and valued.
To help you think about wellbeing initiatives in a more strategic way, here is my Cultural Intelligence (CQ) Strategy tool RAPID, designed to help you gather information about the types of wellbeing your employees within your organisation want.
Recognise – Identify what wellbeing challenges are surfacing across groups. (This is also one outcome of the WellWise Diagnostic – www.bewellwise.com)
Assess – Map cultural values influencing participation or resistance.
Pause – Avoid assuming a “one size fits all” wellbeing approach.
Interpret – Understand why certain groups may avoid or engage differently.
Decide – Design wellbeing in a culturally inclusive way.
When it comes to gathering information from employees about which wellbeing initiatives they feel would work and would happily participate in, we also need to consider how we might gather that data. Depending on the individual employees’ cultural values they may feel freedom to speak up and share their ideas and thoughts. For example, in more direct communication cultures, people may respond well to open dialogue, surveys, and clear guidance, while those from indirect cultures often prefer private channels and confidential check-ins.
Power orientation also plays a role in some cultural contexts, so you may need to thing about the medium you use to convey the wellbeing message. For some, wellbeing messages carry more weight when they come from senior leaders, whereas in others, peer-led or collective approaches feel more authentic.
Preferences around dependency further influence engagement, with autonomy-focused individuals gravitating towards personalised wellbeing tools, while community-oriented groups benefit more from shared or group-based support.
Plus, time orientation of individuals must also be considered, balancing structured schedules with flexibility to accommodate prayer times, family commitments, and commuting realities. Finally, relationship focus matters, some employees value measurable outcomes and clear metrics, while others find greater wellbeing through connection-driven initiatives such as mentoring and small group discussions.
So, when you are thinking about introducing your next wellbeing initiative, to help you try to create a more culturally inclusive initiative, think about mapping your workforces’ cultural norms, ask how different employees define wellbeing and consider whether your wellbeing initiatives allow for choice. In most cases it difficult to find a wellbeing initiative that is going to suit all and could be considered as ‘neutral’, however, providing employees with a choice of different initiatives means they get to choose which ones that participate in, and which ones they will choose to avoid. Ensuring that all employees have at least one initiative that will be suitable for them throughout this quarter or this year depending on how frequently your initiatives take place.
Next time you design a wellbeing programme, pause, and reflect:
- Whose cultural lens are you viewing wellbeing through? Are you designing for everyone or just some?
- Who might feel excluded or misunderstood by your current approach?
About Emma Jordaan
Emma Jordaan is a Cultural Intelligence (CQ) thought leader, international training facilitator, and author of ‘Dubai Decoded – Cultural Intelligence Strategies for Thriving in Dubai’. As the Founder of Infinite Consulting, Emma helps leaders and organisations decode the complexities of multicultural workplaces. From keynote stages like GITEX and HRSE to boardrooms of global firms, Emma’s insights empower high-performing teams to build trust, influence across cultures, and turn difference into strategic advantage.
Based in Dubai, she works at the intersection of leadership, inclusion, and cross-cultural behaviour, delivering training, coaching, and advisory services grounded in real-world results and backed by research. Emma is also a TEDx speaker and co-host of The HR & CQ Show podcast, listen here.
About WellWise
WellWise is a trusted solution provider for organisations serious about understanding and improving their people experience. In a space too often dominated by vague insights, assumptions, and surface-level surveys, WellWise brings clarity.
Our pioneering diagnostic is designed to go beyond how people feel – it reveals why those experiences exist in the first place. Built on robust science and aligned with international standards like ISO 45003, our model identifies hidden risks, strategic blind spots, and cultural pressure points that traditional tools miss.
WellWise helps businesses move from confusion to confidence – supporting leadership, strengthening culture, and turning people challenges into strategic progress.