I’ve been in business for 10 years this year – sure there’s a specific date or month, but at this stage, I’m determined to acknowledge (and celebrate) it for the entirety of 2026. Unfortunately or not, it’s just who I am as a person.

That means I’ve been around these parts for a bit now. Obviously longer, considering I had a career before my business, but specifically when it comes to talking about wellbeing, mindfulness, workshops, and shifting workplace cultures systemically, this isn’t a new topic for me to broach. I’ve been yapping AND learning about it for 10 years.

So in that time, I’ve facilitated my fair share of workshops.

Sometimes those workshops were more creative and mindfulness-practice based (e.g. yoga) more broadly open to anyone.

And many of those workshops have been designed specifically for particular client teams and organisations.

So I’d be lying if I said workshops are useless (they’re not), but I’d also be fibbing if I said they would solve everything you might want them to (they won’t).

The issue lies in this: What is the reason you are wanting the workshop?

Workshops (I know we’re using this as a broad term – but be they ‘stress management’ or ‘learn about XYZ’ or ‘practice this mindfulness skill’) are really useful for teaching the fundamental concept – with some practice – of a skill. They can be really useful for a quick education on why this skill can be helpful. They can be a good way to experience something, to get a taste of it and gauge your team’s response initially, before something is implemented more consistently.

THEY DO NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF THE WORKPLACE.

Too many orgs will use workshops where their team members learn – individually – expecting that to reduce the fires, when the fires themselves have an entirely different fuel source. And that fuel source often exists within the system.

It’s also really bloody hard for an individual to feel successful at ‘being more mindful’ when the system in which they exist doesn’t change.

So yes, it can help the person develop their own resilience.

But it does little to address the culture as a whole.

If you’re looking for it to, what you are probably actually looking for is more of an embedded, systemic approach to wellbeing that includes these practices (delivered through workshops, processes, initiatives, coaching etc), but goes deeper into the weeds and warts of the org itself.

Not because you’re necessarily doing something wrong, or the business is ‘unhealthy’ – but because you don’t stick a band aid on a recurring bruise without first exploring why the bruise keeps appearing in the first place.

Shifting your workplace culture requires courage – because it questions, explores, reflects the positive and the not-so positive – and it requires time – because humans be humaning all the damn time, and we love that but that also takes work.

Whether your culture is currently healthy or you can already identify it might need some work (we don’t judge either way, we just work with supporting it as it needs), intentionally creating a robust culture of wellbeing that promotes longevity through better performance, happiness levels, resilience, efficiency, collaboration, inspired and flourishing team members won’t just happen from the once-off wellbeing session.

Like anything in business, it will only happen with strategy – and someone with the skills and dedication to focus on developing and facilitating that strategy.

So in conclusion – if a workshop is your way of exploring the right fit, broaching the topic of wellbeing in general, or what allows you to just get started, GO for it (and may I suggest beginning with your leaders – particularly for smaller teams or if budget constraints mean being choosy. They’re the ones who have the most influence over the culture).

But if you’re looking for deeper system support for your business as a whole to do something really REAL with it, you’ve got to give it a little more than a once-off thing that most people forget the moment they step back into the culture itself.

I work with business owners & leaders to improve leadership capability, resilience, and organisational performance, with an emphasis on research-based mindfulness and wellbeing frameworks. If you’d like to find out more about what it looks like to receive either 1:1 or organisational support from me and my team at J-Leigh, please reach out by emailing jess@j-leigh.com.au

My work is done with leaders and teams nationally around Australia, as well as internationally – online and including travel to select locations, so if you’re outside of Australia, reach out!

My book ‘Leaders Who Thrive: A Mindful Antidote to Disconnected Teams’ comes out in September 2026. You can add it to your wish list now, before pre-orders open! Click here to see where you can find it online.