Every organisation searches high and low for ways to unlock sustained high performance. While some have turned to automation and productivity tools, Jessica Steens CA, chief operating officer of wellbeing and performance software platform Hoap, believes the answer lies in the wellbeing of staff.

“What we know is the highest performing teams in the world have team members who are well,” says Steens. “Wellbeing is the foundation of sustained high performance. But organisations often get this the wrong way around. They start with a focus on high performance and don’t have an adequate wellbeing strategy in place to sustain it.”

The cost of burnout

Steens has more than 15 years’ experience working for major professional services firms in both Australia and the US. She believes a culture that doesn’t place wellbeing at its core can lead to staff burnout.

“Burnout not only has a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of an individual, but is also linked to declines in productivity, staff retention and, ultimately, the long-term performance of the team,” she says. “With ‘the great resignation’ upon us, it is more important than ever for organisations to understand the importance of wellbeing on talent retention.”

“With ‘the great resignation’ upon us, it is more important than ever for organisations to understand the importance of wellbeing on talent retention.”

Encouraging genuine connection

Hoap’s software provides team members with evidence-based tools and resources to foster their own wellbeing via a mobile app, while giving team leaders real-time insights into the wellbeing of their staff and guidance on when and how to check in with them.

‘’The first step is for leaders to understand the role wellbeing plays in high performance and then to be the drivers of this much-needed change within their workplaces,” explains Steens.

‘’Our platform encourages genuine connection between team members and leaders and highlights the importance of trust. When there’s trust, team members feel more comfortable to take risks, which leads to innovation, growth in team members’ skills and contributions to the team.”

A mobile app with insights

Launched in early 2021, Hoap is already being used by organisations across Australia. As part of the Lumin Group, Hoap has the benefit of drawing on the expertise and experience of its sister brand Lumin Sports, a data analytics platform used by elite sporting teams in the AFL, WorldTour cycling and national Olympic programs.

According to a 2019 survey of 3700 CA ANZ members, Australians are four times more likely to work at an organisation that focuses on their health and wellbeing. It’s a stat that Steens says highlights the need to focus continually on staff wellbeing.

“Sporadic wellbeing initiatives are no longer enough. Employees are wanting to see it embedded in the daily culture of their workplace,” she says.

This is where Hoap can help foster a team’s wellbeing and elevate its performance.