Even the best-intended wellbeing programmes can fall flat if working conditions are poor or staff are already at risk of burnout. ‘Bolt-on’ initiatives focused on fitness or resilience often meet cynicism and low engagement when workloads remain unhealthy. Increasingly, organisations are recognising that the root causes of stress and ill-health sit at the systems level. A systems approach reframes wellbeing as an organisational property, shaped by infrastructure, culture and relationships. Embedding changes in ways of working makes outcomes more sustainable and, crucially, resonates with how people actually experience their working lives. This session will explore what that shift means in practice, and what makes a systems approach both credible and effective. Learning outcomes for delegates: - A plain-language explanation of what a “systems approach” actually is (and isn’t), cutting through the jargon. - An understanding of why many popular wellbeing initiatives fail, and how a systems lens reframes the problem. - Confidence in the ability to distinguish between surface-level interventions and deeper, systems-based ones when commissioning or evaluating programmes. - Practical principles they can take back to their own organisations to make wellbeing strategies more credible and sustainable. - Language and ideas that connect with how employees really experience work, helping them build buy-in and engagement. - An awareness of the emerging consensus in research and practice