Mental ill health is the leading cause of long-term sickness absence among manufacturing workers. As companies strive to boost retention and productivity, prioritising staff wellbeing isn’t a ‘soft’ option – it’s a competitive advantage. Jonny Williamson reports…
In an industry defined by its focus on output, efficiency and tight deadlines, the idea of prioritising employee wellbeing might seem counterintuitive. However, manufacturing leaders are increasingly recognising that the heart of any business isn’t its machinery or processes – it’s the people who keep those systems running. A shift is underway, with empathy becoming a core component of leadership, and employee wellbeing moving from the fringes to the centre of business strategy.
The numbers* speak for themselves: 85% of UK manufacturers now see mental health and wellbeing as a core part of their responsibility to staff, with 90% of these companies reporting a boost in productivity and improved workforce relations. This trend, accelerated by the pandemic and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, proves that investing in wellbeing directly impacts staff engagement, retention and long-term success.
For Amanda McLaren, Managing Director at AW Hainsworth, leading with empathy isn’t just a nice-to-have but a necessity. Upon taking the helm three years ago, Amanda realised that Hainsworth, like many manufacturers, was struggling to balance productivity with employee wellbeing. The business had an ageing workforce, with 20% of employees aged 64 or older, and higher than average long- and short-term sick leave.
“When I arrived, it was clear the conversation around mental and occupational health wasn’t where it needed to be,” Amanda explained. “We had to start talking openly about wellbeing and invest in making meaningful changes.”
Since then, Hainsworth has embraced a people-first approach, with ten per cent of its workforce now trained as mental health first aiders, along with wellness workshops, on-site counselling and physical fitness programmes.
I sat down with Amanda to learn what it takes to create a culture where vulnerability is accepted and everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
What first struck you about Hainsworth’s approach to wellbeing?
AM: When I joined in April 2021, we had nine employees on long-term sick leave and short-term absenteeism was at 3.5% – nearly double the national average. There wasn’t any structured welfare planning, no real occupational health support and mental health was rarely discussed. What struck me, however, was that despite all that, our employees were still incredibly proud to be part of Hainsworth. But the lack of focus on worker wellbeing was a critical oversight in our strategy. As business leaders, we often fixate on numbers and performance, but the true measure of success lies in our team’s engagement and support.
Why is empathy such a central part of your leadership style?
It goes back to my early years in manufacturing. It was tough to be a woman in engineering in the 1990s. Vulnerability just wasn’t accepted in this male-dominated industry. Working in that environment, I witnessed how poor leadership can leave people feeling unsupported, undervalued and in some cases, forced out of their roles. I resolved to be better than that, to lead with empathy and fairness in decision-making.
Before Hainsworth, I spent 16 years at a textile engineering business; ultimately becoming managing director during its transition to venture capital ownership. It was a tricky time; the new owners had clear financial targets and their style of communication clashed with the family values the company was built on. I became the ‘go-between,’ softening the tough directives to ensure that commercial goals were met without alienating the workforce.
That was my first real experience pushing for wellness support and introducing things like mental health first aid training. Seeing the positive impact that had on the workforce confirmed to me that empathy is a strength, not a weakness.
What were your first steps in kick-starting Hainsworth’s wellness programme?
We started by engaging with a charity, Unmasked Mental Health, who I’d worked with previously. I knew we needed outside support to make a real change, so I reached out to them and explained the challenges we were facing. Together, we started building a strategy to shift the culture around mental health and wellbeing within the business.
My goal was to have ten per cent of our employees trained as mental health first aiders, but I wasn’t sure how many would want to take part. To my surprise, there was a really strong uptake and today, that goal has been achieved, and we’ve got refresher courses lined up for early next year. That showed a genuine appetite from our team to support each other, which was reassuring.
However, I knew we couldn’t stop there. I felt strongly that we had to make wellbeing a core part of our strategy and not just a box-ticking exercise. So, we set aside £20,000 for mental health and wellbeing – straight off the bottom line. I’ll be honest, that’s not an easy sell for anyone, but you must be prepared to put money on the table. You can’t just talk; you’ve got to back it up with real action and investment.
Another big part of our programme is the mental health workshops. We hold a workshop every two months, covering everyday challenges from anxiety and depression to financial concerns and issues around family or children. We also bring in guest speakers to talk about specialist topics like suicide, prostate cancer and menopause – issues that many of our employees or their loved ones are dealing with. We focus on real-life, relatable topics that resonate with our team and provide practical advice and support.
As we started having more open conversations, something amazing happened. People began sharing their personal stories with me – stories of loss, struggles and recovery. It was as if they realised it was okay to talk about these things here and that there wouldn’t be any judgement. That trust is one of the most powerful things we’ve built, and it’s allowed people to feel safe about being vulnerable.
Woven through history, built for the future
AW Hainsworth is the woollen mill behind some of England’s most iconic looks, dating back to the scarlet uniforms worn during the Battle of Waterloo. With over 240 years of expertise, the knowledge and skill passed down through generations is reflected in the exceptional quality of every roll of fabric produced.
As one of the last truly vertical woollen mills in Britain, Hainsworth processes each product from raw fibre to finished cloth entirely on-site in West Yorkshire. This approach allows the company to maintain full control over production and reduce its carbon footprint – a responsibility it takes seriously.
Describing itself as a small company with a large presence, Hainsworth operates across diverse industries, from haute couture to protective clothing, cue sports to luxury airline interiors, and more. Committed to innovation and investing in its people, Hainsworth balances traditional craftmanship with technical advancement and a passionate belief in the future of the UK textiles industry.
You also offer on-site counselling. What impact has this had?
Introducing on-site counselling has been a game-changer. We offer sessions every two weeks, and they’re always full. I know first-hand about some of the more complex mental health cases in our business, and I’m confident that if these individuals weren’t receiving support here, they’d likely be off sick, stuck on an NHS waiting list and probably months away from receiving the help they need.
That’s the reality we’re facing. With onsite counselling, people don’t have to go through that. They can access help right here at work, on a regular basis. We’re actually doubling up our sessions from next year because there’s so much demand. Some of our employees have been seeing the same counsellor every fortnight for over a year now – far more than the six sessions the NHS typically provides.
If you think about the bigger picture, it’s a no-brainer for the government to support businesses in making these kinds of investments. The impact is clear – people are getting the help they need sooner, staying at work and avoiding long-term sickness. If more businesses were supported in partnering with charities, it would undoubtably ease the strain on NHS mental health services that are currently overwhelmed and underperforming.
AW Hainsworth is committed to investing in its people and reducing its carbon footprint. Image credit: AW Hainsworth
What advice would you give to those looking to partner with a charity?
Do your homework. You need to find a charity that really aligns with your needs, and more importantly, has the right structure and resources to help. Look for local charities as they often have a better sense of the community and what businesses in the region need.
And make sure the charity has the capacity for long-term support. If you’re offering something like counselling, you want to make sure there’s continuity, that people can stick with the same counsellor, for instance, because trust and a personal connection is such a big part of it.
There’s a strong link between exercise and mental health. What physical wellbeing initiatives have you introduced?
We’ve done quite a bit on this front. For example, the Hainsworth Harriers running group wouldn’t have existed three years ago. It came about when a few people who were on their own mental health journeys found that exercise helped them cope.
One of our Mental Health Champions, who shared his personal journey openly and found rehabilitation through running, asked if he could start a Couch-to-5K Group and my answer was: “Of course, go for it!” Once you start the conversation about mental health and wellbeing, other aspects of health will naturally follow. Be prepared for that and be open to those changes.
What impact have these changes had?
Our absenteeism rates in May 2022 were at 4.2%; two years on, we’re averaging two per cent, under the national average. Our long-term sickness rate has halved, and if you look specifically at mental-health related absenteeism, it’s now under one per cent, which is incredible, particularly when compared to industries like construction, where mental health issues can account for over 50% of absences.
Our staff turnover rate is another strong indicator of the positive impact. The average turnover in UK manufacturing is around 13%, ours is just two. That’s a significant difference and speaks volumes about how people feel working here. When people feel secure, safe and cared for, it makes a difference. Of course, salary is important, we need to stay competitive, but creating a culture where people feel valued and supported is key to building a talented and committed workforce.
How has all this affected you personally as a leader?
Honestly, it’s been one of the most rewarding parts of my career. Seeing how the team has embraced this journey has been incredible. Just recently, a team member shared with me that he’d given his counselling session to a teammate who was struggling. Their willingness to prioritise someone else’s needs over their own truly touched my heart. It speaks volumes about the caring environment we’re striving to foster. l
*How Healthy is the Manufacturing Workforce? – Make UK
Key takeaways:
- 50% of manufacturers have increased spending on wellbeing in the last year
- Counselling, health screening and mental health first aiders are among the most common initiatives
- Manufacturers now spend between £10k and £50k per year on health and wellbeing
- The main benefit of this investment is increased staff retention
- Nearly half of UK manufacturing workers are over 50
- Leaders find it particularly difficult to engage workers over 50 in health and wellbeing discussions
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