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CIPD Level 55OS07AC 1.2

Understanding wellbeing definitions and why it matters strategically

5OS07Wellbeing at work

Written by the People Study Pro CIPD content teamPublished Updated

This CIPD Level 5 video, part of unit 5OS07 Wellbeing at work, explores how organisations define and strategically manage employee wellbeing to achieve business objectives. Aligned with assessment criteria AC 1.2, the video examines wellbeing definitions according to CIPD standards and other frameworks, before analysing key management approaches including absence management, occupational health, employee assistance programmes, counselling, and employee voice initiatives. By understanding how these wellbeing interventions interconnect with organisational goals, learners will develop the strategic insight needed to demonstrate how people professionals can leverage wellbeing as a competitive advantage.

What this video covers

Covered in this video are the definitions and frameworks that underpin workplace wellbeing as understood by leading authorities, including the CIPD's multidimensional model, the World Health Organisation's definition of health, and the Health and Safety Executive's six management standards. The video also draws on the academic distinction between hedonic and eudaimonic wellbeing, examining how each concept relates to the practical design of workplace strategies. Together these sources form the conceptual foundation for AC 1.2 of 5OS07, which asks students to discuss how wellbeing can be managed to support organisational goals.

The strategic and legal context receives sustained attention, with the video addressing talent attraction and retention in competitive labour markets, the measurable costs of employee absence, and the often-underestimated financial impact of presenteeism. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Equality Act 2010 are both named as part of the regulatory landscape that shapes employer obligations, sitting alongside the ethical case for treating wellbeing as a core organisational responsibility rather than a compliance exercise.

The video examines why the interconnected nature of wellbeing dimensions — physical, mental, social, financial, and purpose-related — makes single-issue interventions insufficient, and how this understanding translates into the management approaches relevant to the assessment criterion. Absence management, occupational health provision, employee assistance programmes, counselling, and the nurturing of employee voice are all positioned within the broader argument that a multidimensional approach to wellbeing is what enables organisations to realise performance, engagement, and retention outcomes.

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Assessment Criteria 1.2

Discuss how wellbeing can be managed to support organisational goals.

Indicative Content

Definition of wellbeing as it is understood by the CIPD and others, and its importance on the agenda of people professionals. Management of wellbeing: absence management, occupational health, employee assistance programmes, counselling, nurturing the employee voice to show how the management of wellbeing can support organisational goals

What You'll Learn

Video covering: Understanding wellbeing definitions and why it matters strategically

About 5OS07Wellbeing at work

CIPD Level 5
5OS07
Learning Outcome 1

This unit explores the importance of wellbeing in the workplace and the relationship with people practices and organisation strategy. The design and development of effective wellbeing programmes is examined to meet people and organisational requirements

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