The latest NW Collaborative Masterclass explored how a positive employee experience can help public sector organisations improve recruitment, retention and workforce wellbeing.

Featuring insights from Dr Katie Green, Senior Lecturer in Leadership and Wellbeing at Manchester Metropolitan University, alongside a practical case study from Amanda Gill, Senior Organisational Development Partner at Cumberland Council, the session examined the link between employee experience, workplace wellbeing and burnout.

What shapes employee experience?

Participants heard how employee experience is shaped by factors such as leadership, organisational culture, work design, relationships, development opportunities and the working environment. The masterclass highlighted growing levels of workplace stress and burnout despite increased investment in wellbeing initiatives, encouraging organisations to view burnout not simply as an individual issue, but as a valuable indicator of wider organisational challenges.

Creating the conditions for people to thrive

The session explored how workload, complexity, autonomy, connection, recovery and culture influence employees’ day-to-day experiences. Attendees were encouraged to consider how work is designed and led, and how organisations can create conditions that enable people to thrive rather than simply cope.
A practical framework, RESET, was introduced to help organisations review demand and capacity, eliminate unnecessary friction, strengthen role clarity, equip managers and leaders, and use burnout data as organisational intelligence to drive improvement.

Employee Voice in action: Cumberland Council case study

Amanda Gill shared Cumberland Council's experience of using employee voice to build a cohesive organisational culture following the merger of several local authorities into a single authority. She outlined a range of approaches used to gather employee feedback, including staff networks, surveys and open forums with the Chief Executive. The case study highlighted the important role managers play in creating the conditions for colleagues to speak up and be heard, supported by training, mentoring and development opportunities available to all employees. The session demonstrated how effective listening can strengthen trust, support better decision-making and help create healthier, more engaged workplaces.

Turning workforce insights into organisational improvement

The masterclass concluded with reflections on the importance of listening to employee voice and using workforce insights to create healthier, more sustainable workplaces that support both employee wellbeing and organisational performance.

Watch the recording in full

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