73% of UK managers prioritise daily outdoor time as workplace wellbeing takes centre stage

• 50% of UK managers invest 1-3 hours monthly in continuing professional development, showing commitment to growth despite workplace pressures

• 93% of respondents highly rate their confidence in handling mental health conversations

• 23% say a general air of pessimism is the biggest barrier to effective teamwork

• Looking ahead to 2030, 63% of respondents are highly optimistic about future career opportunities

• Overwhelming workloads (58%) and time pressures (53%) are the primary obstacles preventing managers from supporting their teams through setbacks

• 6 out of 10 average AI optimism rating shows measured but confident optimism 

20 August 2025, London – The Secrets from a Coach podcast, hosted by wellness coach Debbie Green at Wishfish and TEDx speaker Laura Thomson-Staveley at Phenomenal Training, today released findings from its inaugural 2025 Wellbeing at Work Survey. The study takes a deep dive into workplace wellness, team dynamics and leadership challenges in the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The survey reveals that managers are taking steps to care for themselves. Almost three quarters (73%) of respondents get outside at least once a day. Other common self-care approaches include eating regularly (58%), exercise (58%), connecting with others (57%) and maintaining good sleep hygiene (45%). However, only 40% are using mindfulness techniques such as meditation or breathing practices, suggesting that many leaders may not be investing in comprehensive wellbeing strategies, potentially limiting their effectiveness in supporting teams.

The findings also reveal that overwhelming workloads (58%), time pressures (53%) and lack of support from senior leadership (30%) and are the top obstacles preventing managers from providing the support their teams need during challenging periods. Potentially creating a cycle where stressed leaders struggle to help stressed team members.

The top concern for the biggest barrier to working well together as a team is a general air of pessimism (23%), closely followed by lack of engagement in business vision and weak professional relationships (both at 22%), with low team morale and poor motivation ranking fourth at 13%. Together, these four people-focused barriers account for approximately 80% of responses, highlighting that the fundamental challenge lies in team culture, emotional engagement and relationship quality.

In more upbeat news, UK managers have high confidence in handling mental health conversations, averaging 8 out of 10. The distribution is overwhelmingly positive, with an extraordinary 93% of managers rating their confidence at 7 or above. This represents a significant cultural shift in workplace mental health around employee wellbeing. The data suggests that mental health conversations have successfully transitioned from being taboo or intimidating topics to becoming a standard, comfortable part of managerial responsibilities.

Cautiously optimistic about AI

Notably, when it comes to AI the survey results reveal a thoughtfully mixed response from managers, with an average rating of 6 out of 10 indicating moderate optimism that sits slightly above neutral territory.

Rather than showing consensus, the responses are well-distributed across the scale, suggesting genuine mixed feelings about AI's career impact. Three distinct groups emerge from the data: a cautious/neutral section representing 33% of respondents (ratings 4-5) who remain uncertain about AI's benefits, an optimistic group of 38% (ratings 8-10) showing genuine enthusiasm for AI's potential, and a group of sceptics 27% (ratings 1-4) expressing concern or pessimism.

There was a noticeable confidence gap at ratings 6-7 out of 10 (both 8%), indicating that managers tend to lean either toward neutral/cautious positions or genuine optimism, rather than sitting in the middle ground. This distribution suggests that UK managers are approaching AI professionally and thoughtfully. They’re neither panicking about potential job displacement nor blindly embracing the technology, but instead taking a measured, evidence-based approach to assessing AI's implications for their career trajectories.

From crisis to confidence

UK managers demonstrate cautiously positive sentiment about their personal career prospects looking ahead to 2030, with an average rating of 7 out of 10. Notably, almost two thirds (63%) of respondents rated their career optimism between 7-10 out of 10, suggesting solid but measured expectations.

Respondents expressed stronger confidence in their organisation’s long-term success, with an average rating of 7 out of 10. The data shows a clear positive skew, with rating 8 out of 10 being the most frequent response at 25%, followed by rating 9 out of 10 at 20%. This demonstrates faith in companies' resilience and adaptability. The higher concentration at the upper end of the scale, combined with relatively few responses below rating 6 (only 20% total), suggests managers believe their organisations are well-positioned to navigate future challenges and maintain success through 2030 and beyond.

The professional development data reveals a mixed commitment to learning among managers, with half (50%) investing a modest 1-3 hours monthly in continuing professional development (CPD). This is complemented by more than a quarter (27%) who demonstrate significantly higher commitment by dedicating 1-3 days per month to their development, suggesting these leaders recognise the importance of substantial skill-building in today's rapidly evolving workplace.

However, the data also exposes a concerning gap, with 17% of managers investing no time whatsoever in CPD, potentially leaving them vulnerable to skill obsolescence and reduced effectiveness. Overall, while 77% of managers are investing some time in development, the wide variation in commitment levels suggests that organisations may need more structured approaches to ensure consistent professional growth.

Debbie Green, wellness coach at Wishfish and podcast host, said: “These findings paint a picture of leaders who are genuinely trying to do the right thing for their teams and themselves, but who are facing systemic challenges that make it difficult. The commitment to professional development and growing confidence around mental health conversations is encouraging, but the barriers to supporting teams effectively need urgent attention.”

Laura Thomson-Staveley, L&D consultant at Phenomenal Training and podcast host, said: “The AI results are particularly fascinating - with an average optimism rating of 6 out of 10, it's clear that managers are neither panicking about AI nor completely embracing it yet. This measured approach suggests leaders are still figuring out how AI will reshape their roles and career paths. Combined with the team motivation challenges we're seeing, it points to a workforce in transition, trying to balance human connection with technological advancement.”

The full survey results and analysis will be discussed in detail on upcoming episodes of Secrets from a Coach, with the hosts exploring practical strategies for addressing the key challenges identified.

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