October 2, 2023
While the job market may be competitive, it isn’t so competitive that employers are neglecting their employees. Instead, many are starting to understand that investing in their employees as part of their human resources program isn’t just a pastime; it’s a key business investment. By promoting workplace wellness, businesses can reduce absenteeism, boost engagement, and improve performance, leading to measurable returns. As a result, not only will businesses build a more loyal workforce, but they’ll also build a profitable organisation.
For too long, employers have seen workplace wellness as an optional perk, picture yoga classes during lunch breaks or the occasional discounted gym membership. However, real employee wellness programs prioritise physical and mental health at the core. This means that employee wellness is a priority, not an afterthought.
Healthy employees think clearly, work together better, and solve problems with creativity. Conversely, chronic stress, burnout, and fatigue quietly sap a company’s most valuable asset: its people. Leaders who view wellness as part of their strategy often witness positive side effects in morale, innovation, and long-term retention.
For years, there has been a clear connection between corporate wellness and profitability. For example, Harvard research found that for every dollar spent on employee well-being, employers save about $3 in medical costs and absenteeism. A healthy team also leads to less turnover. Employees who feel supported, both physically and mentally, are less likely to look for new jobs.
This lowers recruitment costs, onboarding delays, and performance drops tied to turnover. Offering comprehensive benefits like health, dental, and retirement plans shows employees that their well-being matters, which strengthens loyalty.
Knowing the benefits of prioritising employee health and wellness, how can business leaders start the journey? Here’s how:
Employee wellness isn’t about tossing everyone a gym membership and calling it a day. Instead, it should be at the core of every business decision. This means fostering psychological safety, encouraging breaks, supporting movement, and rethinking how workspaces influence health.
You can start by:
Of course, these actions are just the start. More than anything, you should prioritise providing comprehensive health coverage that includes eye and dental benefits. If your business operates in a digital environment, this is even more imperative. If your employees are constantly staring at screens, they’ll experience eye strain, headaches, or blurred vision, and often find it hard to concentrate, affecting both their comfort and productivity.
In addition to offering optometrist coverage, you should encourage your employees to practice good eye health behaviour. Encourage regular eye breaks, promote the 20-20-20 rule (look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes), and provide eye-friendly workstations to help reduce digital fatigue. In doing so, employees will know that you value their overall health and well-being.
Even if you encourage your employees to take their health seriously, they’ll never follow through unless they see you doing the same. Leaders who take breaks, establish healthy boundaries, and demonstrate balance send a clear message: well-being is essential, not just allowed.
If your employees see you taking your health seriously, they can trust that they can do the same without repercussions. In the process, you may even find that you’ll be able to improve your leadership skills and reduce your rate of burnout.
With the rise of remote and hybrid work, mental health has emerged as a key challenge in modern workplaces. The lines between personal and professional lives have blurred, often leaving employees feeling perpetually “on.” To address these issues, many employers are rethinking their approach to employee workloads, communication, and connection.
For example, many are enacting simple policies, like encouraging employees to take time off, implementing no-meeting Fridays, or offering mental health days. Others are creating holistic mental wellness initiatives that also include mindfulness sessions, access to counselling, or stress management workshops. These are not just perks; they enhance productivity and help employees come to work with focus and clarity.
Hybrid workplaces must also consider digital ergonomics, ensuring that remote workers have quality workspaces and support similar to their in-office counterparts. Providing ergonomic chairs, blue-light filters, or wellness stipends to remote employees communicates a strong message of inclusion and equality.
If your business operates in person, you should also ask yourself how the environment may affect your employees’ well-being. Beyond ergonomics, lighting, and ventilation, thoughtful office design can inspire creativity, support collaboration, and minimise stress. Access to natural light, greenery, and quiet areas all aid focus and rejuvenation.
Modern offices focused on wellness take it further by incorporating biophilic design, standing desks, and multipurpose spaces that allow employees to move and connect throughout the day. Even minor adjustments, like adding plants or offering healthy snacks, reinforce a culture of care.
The advancement of digital health tools offers businesses new ways to track and improve wellness results. Wearable technology can help employees keep tabs on their physical activity, sleep quality, and stress levels. Corporate wellness apps can gamify healthy habits, transforming wellbeing into a shared goal instead of just an individual responsibility.
However, technology should remain supportive, not invasive. Privacy and trust are essential. Businesses that use wellness data responsibly for collective insights, rather than individual monitoring, can foster more transparent and human-centred workplaces.
While wellness initiatives may seem abstract, you can still measure their impact. You can use key metrics like employee engagement scores, absenteeism rates, turnover, healthcare claims, and even customer satisfaction to gauge the success of wellness initiatives. When employees feel good, they interact better with clients, collaborate seamlessly, and produce higher-quality work.
You can include these metrics in quarterly reports, allowing you to monitor wellness outcomes alongside their financial performance. If you find that metrics are still not meeting your expectations, you may need to re-evaluate your initiatives in places and look for a way to improve them in a way that your employees actually value.
Prioritising employee wellness doesn’t mean replacing ambition with comfort; it means recognising that sustainable success requires sustainable individuals. As companies continue to adapt to the changing workplace, those that place wellbeing at the centre of their operations will not only thrive; they will lead.
Employee wellness is a strategic investment because it directly impacts your bottom line. Healthy, supported employees are more engaged, productive, and less likely to leave. This reduces costs associated with absenteeism, healthcare, and recruitment, leading to a more profitable and stable organisation.
You can start by creating a culture that values health. Introduce flexible schedules, provide education on nutrition and mental health, and invest in ergonomic office setups. Encouraging open conversations about stress and workload is also a crucial first step.
For hybrid teams, it's vital to address the blurring of work-life boundaries. You can implement policies like 'no-meeting Fridays' or offer mental health days. Also, ensure remote staff have proper ergonomic support, such as quality chairs or wellness stipends, to create an equitable environment.
Yes, it has a significant impact. Access to natural light, quiet areas for focus, and even adding plants can reduce stress and improve concentration. Thoughtful office design that encourages movement and collaboration supports both physical and mental wellbeing.
You can track key metrics to measure the return on your investment. Monitor employee engagement scores, absenteeism and turnover rates, and even healthcare claims. Seeing positive changes in these areas demonstrates the success of your wellness programmes.
