Interview: M&G real estate boss looks to lead on wellbeing

Each week since the coronavirus lockdown started, Tony Brown has sat down with his iPhone and recorded a Friday video message that is then streamed to 200 or so staff across asset manager M&G’s real estate business. “In leadership at this time, it’s really important to be visible – for people to hear from you and see you,” Brown says. Most of his messages have been about the business. But this week the head of M&G Real Estate will talk about the importance of Mental Health Awareness Week and its theme this year: kindness. A long-time advocate of promoting wellbeing in the workplace, Brown is adamant that the messaging around this topic, now more than ever, must come from the top. “This is a really important theme, because the impact of Covid is incredibly complex and wide-ranging, but it’s simple acts of kindness and consideration for others that are actually going to make a huge difference,” he tells EG. “It’s coming through loud and clear. Hopefully, coming out of this, people will have more consideration for others and a more positive approach on mental health and wellbeing.” Most valuable asset What does mental health and wellbeing mean for a business such as M&G? “It’s about enabling a culture where people can be themselves and bring their true self to the work environment,” Brown says. “Different people need different levels of support, but it’s about providing a framework for people so they can feel comfortable and be the best they can be within that environment. “We regard our staff as our most valuable asset, so their wellbeing is the most important thing to us,” he adds. “We’re a service business. We don’t make widgets, we provide a service to clients who invest in real estate – without our staff, we don’t have anything.” M&G has an employee network for mental health, run by staff, as well as a more formal programme in which employees can call a confidential hotline for advice from professionals. But Brown also wants his team to prioritise what he calls “softer” aspects of wellbeing around how colleagues connect and interact, especially during the enforced lockdown. “Everyone’s missing the chat after work in the pub, so we’re trying to replace that in some way,” he says. “I’m organising coffee mornings where the only rule is you can’t talk about work.” The impact of Covid is incredibly complex and wide-ranging, but it’s simple acts of kindness and consideration for others that are actually going to make a huge difference Tony Brown, M&G Real Estate Profound changes The coronavirus crisis is likely to increase companies’ focus on the mental wellbeing of staff, Brown says. “In most situations where there is a major crisis, there are often profound changes that come as a consequence which may not be immediately apparent but which people look back on in five or 10 years’ time,” he says. “There’s already strong momentum for support around mental health and wellbeing generally within the world of professional services and the office environment. But [in this crisis] the first and foremost concern for pretty much everyone has been their health and wellbeing.” And Brown and colleagues are looking beyond their own business to see where they can have a positive impact on the communities in which they work. During this week, the company has produced wellbeing-focused newsletters for every residential development it owns. In previous years, its retail assets too have been involved, with shopping centres hosting events for Mental Health Awareness Week. “The real estate industry touches so many lives,” Brown says. “Buildings are the physical fabric which form the backdrop of people’s lives, and real estate can be really influential. So from a business context as well as an industry context of real estate, we have a great opportunity to be at the forefront of wellbeing. That can make a huge difference, and we’ve got an obligation as an industry to promote this.” To send feedback, e-mail tim.burke@egi.co.uk or tweet @_tim_burke or @estatesgazette