Designing employee-centred corporate wellness programs with Hannah McWilliams, Head of Learning

Corporate wellness programs are employee-centered wellness solutions that support mental health and wellbeing at work, and Hannah McWilliams brings the clinical experience, psychological research expertise, and practical focus needed to explain what makes them effective. As Head of Learning for TELUS Health UK, she bridges academic rigor and human-centered design to create accessible, relevant support employees actually use because it feels understood and useful in real life.

For HR leaders, managers navigating employee wellbeing, and anyone interested in how clinical practice connects with organizational change, Hannah’s insights ground workplace mental health in what employees face day to day. She explores how to design better corporate wellness programs, why access to support often breaks down, how leadership and workplace culture shape outcomes, and which practical steps help build psychologically safe workplaces where people can genuinely thrive.

Can you walk us through your professional journey from therapeutic counselling to your current role as Head of learning, TELUS Health UK? What key moments or insights shaped your transition into clinical content creation?  

I started my career as a therapist in my early 20s. It was very clear I wanted to work with people, and I was also drawn to the field of mental health. It is a privilege to walk alongside individuals as a therapist and to be trusted with their innermost thoughts, feelings and struggles.

I pivoted into content writing as I loved writing, particularly about psychological wellbeing. I honed my skills on research and learned to turn complex data into easy-to-understand content for global audiences. For many years I wrote Employee Assistance Program (EAP) content, then switched to clinical writing, developing online therapy programs.

Now, my role is both client facing and content delivery in a different capacity, so I really have the ideal combination of working with people, content and research. My biggest insight from the intersection of all of these is to make tools simple and clear. The most effective tools are the ones that people remember, because they are more likely to use them.

Your background bridges both academic knowledge and practical clinical experience. How do you leverage both dimensions in your work at TELUS Health, and what advantages does that dual perspective bring to corporate wellness solutions?

I bring both clinical insights from people who are struggling with mental health, burnout and stress day-to-day. Combined with research, I'm able to take complex psychological and wellness information and make it accessible and relatable, not just academically sound, but useful for employees.

At TELUS Health, this dual perspective is crucial. Corporate wellness programs and employee wellness programs only work if employees feel understood and see themselves in the content. My clinical experience means I know what real struggles look like, and my research background ensures the solutions are evidence-based. Together, they help us create wellness content that employees will engage with and apply to their lives, not just another corporate checklist. A comprehensive wellness program should support physical wellness alongside a range of mental health needs, including practical stress management support.

What formal education and certifications form the foundation of your counselling practice, and how do those qualifications inform the content and resources you develop today?

I'm a registered therapist with a diploma in therapeutic counselling. My training was very intense, experiential and life changing. We were encouraged to really embody the theory that we were taught and not just to memorize it. This can be very confronting as you have to be willing to grow and change, which at times can be uncomfortable.

I still work as a therapist and continue to grow and change through clinical supervision. I have transferred these skills into my current role as Head of Learning in the UK where I can create the best content possible, as well as facilitate a space that feels psychologically safe, so people feel brave enough to share what they are struggling with and to step towards making changes in their lives.

How do systemic workplace factors—like limited time, competing priorities, or workplace culture—prevent employees from seeking mental health support? What role do you think employers can play in removing these obstacles?

Yes, these are obvious problems, and very common. There is no point offering wellbeing support to employees if they are so overworked and stretched that they either can’t access the support because of these limitations, or don’t think it will help their actual work issues. This is where workplaces need to practice what they preach and make sure wellness initiatives are aligned with company culture, rather than just using wellbeing programs or EAPs as a tick box exercise.

I think employers can educate employees as part of a broader wellness strategy, while also educating themselves, to understand what their specific barriers are. Many people don’t know because they haven’t been educated on what they are or how to address them. For example, supporting workload management, realistic deadlines or fostering a culture where seeking support is normalized, not stigmatized. Leaders should actively champion employee wellness initiatives to build employee engagement and a supportive culture. Voluntary, inclusive wellness offerings tend to be more effective because they encourage employees to seek support without stigma.

Walk us through a typical day or week in your role. What does your time look like, and how do you balance clinical expertise with content creation and learning strategy?

A typical week could look like building the UK strategy to delivering workshops to clients. My time is divided into creating content for clients, training facilitators, developing e-learning content and building relationships with stakeholders, to hosting webinars on mental health. Each day is very different and very varied! I balance it all through knowing my own limitations and having a great manager who gives me clear expectations and priorities.

From your clinical background, what's one misconception about mental health in the workplace that you wish more leaders understood?

You cannot flourish in a toxic system.  A holistic approach is necessary because a successful corporate wellness program must address physical and mental health, financial health and social wellbeing rather than isolated issues.

Many leaders have the best intentions and desire for their teams to be well but are often restricted by their own limitations from leadership that is often out of their hands. For example, a manager might want to offer flexible work arrangements, but corporate policies prevent it, so even with the best wellness programs, employees are still in an environment where they can't thrive. Most people, including struggling employees and supportive leaders, are genuinely doing their best within systems that often don't support them.

 Strong wellness efforts also strengthen workplace culture, foster teamwork and help create a more engaged workforce. 

How do you support your own wellbeing?

It depends on what I need.

Sometimes I need to be around loved ones and friends and have fun and be spontaneous. Other times I need quiet time alone in nature. I just like being around relaxed people who can enjoy themselves and are kind.

Other things I do to keep ‘well’ are to eat, sleep, and exercise. I try and live aligned to my values. This is important because it doesn’t matter what self-care you are practicing if you are not living up to your personal values.