Posted 05 Apr 2026
3 Tips for Line Managers on Improving Well-being
We get a lot of requests for advice from Line Managers. Building and supporting neurodiverse teams to work at their best can take time to get right, and you might have to learn and adjust as you go.
Recently we spoke with our Head of HR Leah Callaghan to get her top three tips for employee well-being. These tips should work for your neurodivergent and neurotypical colleagues alike.
1. Show Gratitude in a Multitude of Ways
One of the simplest yet most powerful ways to improve employee well-being is by consistently showing gratitude. People want to feel valued, and recognition can take many different forms. While fair pay and competitive benefits are essential foundations, they are only one part of the whole picture.
Line managers should think about more personal and informal ways to show appreciation. A thoughtful thank you message, a handwritten card or a simple acknowledgement in a team meeting can go a long way. Social events can also help employees feel connected and appreciated, especially when they are inclusive and genuinely enjoyable rather than mandatory.
Get Creative with Engagement
Regular communication is key. Recognising effort as well as outcomes helps create a culture where people feel seen, even when results take time. When employees feel valued and appreciated, they are more likely to stay motivated, engaged and positive about their work environment.
Leahs says:
“At Genius Within, we’re big believers that a little gratitude goes a long way. Our people are at the heart of everything we do, and we try to make sure our engagement activities reflect that.
One of our favourites was flipping “Blue Monday” on its head and turning it into “Bright Monday.” Instead of focusing on the slump, we used the day as a chance to pause, reset and celebrate new beginnings. We even created a Wall of Gratitude, where everyone could leave notes recognising something wonderful about a colleague, big or small. It was simple, heartfelt and genuinely uplifting to see the wall fill up.
We also make good use of our in-house HR system to share Kudos. It’s a quick way to send personalised appreciation to someone who’s gone the extra mile,
made your day easier or done something brilliant behind the scenes. It’s amazing how a few kind words can brighten someone’s week.
What we’ve seen from these little moments of recognition is powerful: happier teams, more connection and a real boost in discretionary effort. When people feel valued, they naturally bring their best and that’s something worth celebrating.”
2. Create a Psychologically Safe Culture
Psychological safety is essential for employee well-being. It means creating an environment where people feel comfortable speaking up, sharing ideas and raising concerns without fear of judgement or negative consequences.
To achieve this, line managers must ensure that expectations are clear and understood by everyone. This includes how people communicate, how feedback is given and how disagreements are handled. Consistency is critical. When rules are applied fairly, trust begins to build.
However, the most important factor is role modelling this behaviour yourself. As a leader, your actions set the tone. Your team will always pay more attention to what you do than what you say. If you encourage openness but react angrily to feedback or are defensive people will quickly stop speaking up. If you say no one can send emails out of hours but then you do this yourself, that boundary will start to blur.
Model Accountability and Moving Past Mistakes
Everyone makes mistakes and you will slip up on this from time to time. When this happens acknowledge the mistake and treat it as learning opportunity. When employees feel safe, they are more likely to contribute, collaborate and support one another, which has a direct impact on overall well-being.
Leah says:
“Many people misunderstand what psychological safety really means, but at Genius Within we make it a priority to ensure everyone understands the principles and feels able to speak up without fear of retribution.
This matters because when people don’t feel safe to raise concerns, risks can be overlooked and morale, engagement and overall satisfaction naturally drop. To stay ahead of this, we run annual and quarterly employee surveys to take the temperature of our teams and understand what’s working well, what isn’t, and where we can improve.
The insights from these surveys feed directly into our Clean Feedback model, which everyone is encouraged to use. This helps us address issues early, prevent concerns from building up, and maintain an open, healthy culture where people feel genuinely heard.”
3. Allow for an Irregular Pace of Work
Traditional approaches to productivity often assume a steady and consistent pace of work. In reality, people have natural fluctuations in energy, focus and creativity. Allowing for an irregular pace can significantly improve employee well-being and reduce the risk of burnout.
Rather than measuring success purely by hours worked or visible activity, focus on output and results. Give employees the flexibility to manage their workload in a way that suits their individual rhythms, as long as expectations are met.
This approach encourages people to work with their natural flow instead of against it. Some may be more productive in the morning, while others perform better later in the day. Trusting employees to manage their time demonstrates respect and can lead to higher quality work.
Treat Everyone Like a Grown Up
By embracing flexibility and prioritising outcomes, line managers can create a healthier and more sustainable working environment where employees feel empowered to perform at their best.
Leah Says:
“At Genius Within, we work firmly within an Adult-to-Adult (A-A) model. In practice, this means we trust people as adults to make adult decisions about their workload and how they deliver it. With a predominantly neurodivergent workforce, this approach is essential and our Unwritten Rules policy plays a key role in bringing the A-A model to life.
The policy makes expectations and unspoken norms explicit, which is especially helpful for those of us who prefer clarity and structure. It answers the kinds of questions people often feel unsure about, such as: “Can I take a longer lunch today?” or “Can I start later because of a personal appointment?” By removing ambiguity, we remove anxiety and that enables people to work more confidently and autonomously.
I’ve worked in organisations where every move was monitored, and it only led to resentment, low morale, high turnover, and zero discretionary effort, a recipe for disaster. Trust, on the other hand, is invaluable. When you start from a place of trust, people rise to meet it. And if trust is ever broken, then of course different boundaries and processes come into play. But our default is always trust first, control second.”
Improving employee well-being does not require large scale change. With consistent gratitude, a safe and open culture and a flexible approach to work, line managers can make a lasting difference.