CMI Unit 716 Strategic Approaches to Mental Health and Wellbeing (Y/617/6873) Assignment Brief 2026

CMI Unit 716 Assignment Brief

Assignment Aim

The aim of the unit is for leaders to understand the impact of mental health and wellbeing on organisational performance. Leaders will critically assess the complexities of managing wellbeing and will appraise contemporary approaches for the creation of healthy work systems. The unit culminates in leaders being given the opportunity to propose a series of recommendations to create and sustain a positive culture of mental health and wellbeing within an organisational context.

Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria

LO1 – Understand the impact of managing mental health and wellbeing on organisational performance

Assessment criteria

1.1 Discuss the impact of mental health and wellbeing on organisational performance

1.2 Critically assess the complexities of managing mental health and wellbeing in an organisational context

1.3 Critically evaluate contemporary approaches for creating healthy work systems

Indicative content 

1.1 Impact: Economic impact (reduced costs incurred through staff absence, recruitment costs, litigation/tribunal costs (for example, breaches of law), competitive advantage (Sutanto, 2010)).

Corporate social responsibility and sustainability. Improved performance outcomes. Improved/increased employee satisfaction. Improved recruitment and retention. Reputational benefits (for example, Top 100 employers, repeat custom, preferred supplier).

1.2 Complexities of managing mental health and wellbeing: Knowledge and understanding of mental health and wellbeing (stress, anxiety, depression). Competence and courage to identify and discuss mental health and wellbeing. Disclosure/non-disclosure (fear of/lack of). Personal/organisational confidence to comply with legal safeguards (for example, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (2018). Human Rights Act (1999); Equality Act (2010)). Balancing individual needs with operational needs. Safeguarding individuals’ rights and responsibilities. Fairness. Preventing social stigma, negative stereo-types. Discrimination. Making mental health and wellbeing a strategic priority. Awareness of policy/policy cascade. Cultural change.

Organisational context: Purpose, governance (for example, public, private, third sector). Legal status of the organisation. Organisational structure. Organisational culture. Type (operational, local, international, global, project/programme based, departmental and strategic business unit).

1.3 Contemporary approaches for development of healthy work systems: Good practice (for example, HSBC, CMI). Fair and decent work (The Taylor review of modern working practices, 2017). Flexible working/work life integration. Removal of structures (for example, self-determined annual leave, empowered individuals) (Ricardo Semler). Mental Health First Aid. Designated points of contact (access to advice and support).

Whole organisational approach (for example, awareness days. Learning and development initiatives. Mindfulness (Dweck, 2019). Mindsets. Exercise and leisure. Supervision and appraisal. Support networks/groups. Buddy schemes. Mental health champions). Honest conversations (Miles, Munilla and

Darroch, 2006; Beer and Eisenstat, 2004). Organisational development and design (Cheung-Judge and Holbeche, 2015, Holbeche, 2017 and Burton et al, 2015). Architecture and interior design of workspace (for example, lighting, décor, seating areas, planting). United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (2015).

LO2 – Know how to develop a culture of mental health and wellbeing

Assessment criteria

2.1 Propose a strategy to promote mental health and wellbeing in an organisational context

2.2 Critically appraise approaches for implementing and sustaining a culture of mental health and wellbeing

Indicative content

2.1 Strategy:

• Alignment/relationship of strategies with the organisation’s vision, mission, assets/resources, people and environment, strategic objectives.
• Human resource management and development (Beardwell and Thompson, 2017). Role requirements/role modelling. Succession/pipeline planning. Management of data and information (for example, GDPR, 2018).
• Policy development (for example, mental health and wellbeing, recruitment and selection, dignity at work, corporate social responsibility and sustainability).
• Selection of strategies tailored to organisational need (for example, Mental Health First Aid. Access to advice and support. Support networks/groups. Creative approaches to work-based stress, anxiety and depression). Physical working environment. Strategies to deliver fair and decent work (for example, Taylor review of modern working practices, 2017). Strategies to deliver future work prospects (for example, positive ageing). Diversity and Inclusion (Kirton et al. 2014). Relationship with organisational and legal frameworks (for example, Equal Pay Act, 1970; Equality Act, 2010; Health and Safety Act, 1974; Prevent Strategy, 2011; Modern Slavery Act, 2015).
• Leadership approaches (for example, Value-driven Leadership (Gentile, 2014); Leadership Styles (Goleman, 1995); Authentic Leadership (Goffee and Jones, 2011); Cross Cultural Leadership (Hofstede, 1991); Transformational Leadership (Bass and Riggio, 2006)).

2.2. Approaches for implementing and sustaining a culture of mental health and wellbeing:

• Culture: Organisational vision, values and mission. Individual, team attitudes and behaviours. Strategic narrative. Organisational culture and leadership (Schein, E. and Schein, P. (2017)). Cultural Web Johnson et al., (2011). How professions view each other (Sloper, 2004). Psychological Contract (Rousseau, 1989).
• Clear lines of governance: Reporting structures Development of strategic and operational objectives. Action planning. Communication strategies. Use of diplomacy. Development of stakeholder groups (for example, Quality groups, groups of people with lived experience). Data and information gathering, analysis, benchmarking (for example, staff satisfaction, absence, compliments, complaints). Learning and development opportunities. Championing and celebrating mental health and wellbeing (for example, sharing stories). Promoting events (for example, Time to Talk) Actively seeking accreditation to appropriate standard frameworks (for example, Investors in People, Top 100 Employers). Environment that promotes mental health and wellbeing.

Leadership: Ethos, ethics and values (Mendonca and Kanungo, 2007). Leadership Styles (Goleman, 1995); Appreciative inquiry (Cooperrider, Srivastava and Bushe et al, 2011). Organisational culture and leadership (Schein, E. and Schein, P. (2017)). Cultural Web (Johnson et al., (2011)). Impact of toxic cultures/sub cultures. Competing Values Framework (Quinn and Rohrbaugh, 1983).

Recommendations for Assessment

Learners may approach the assessment in several ways. All assessment criteria must be met. The following opportunities are recommendations for guidance purposes only.

1. The learner may be asked to write a report on the impact of mental health and wellbeing on an organisation’s performance.
2. The learner may be asked to write an account on how to develop a culture of mental health and wellbeing
3. The learner may produce a reflective account to evidence their ability to meet each of the assessment criteria.

Further guidance

It is not a requirement for the learner to cover all aspects of the indicative content when completing the assessment.  The learner is encouraged to select and present well chosen information and examples to evidence they sufficiently understand the assessment criteria.

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