This guide is part of a progression set comprised of Core, Advanced, and Emerging Workplace Wellness practices.

What it is

As wellness strategies evolve, they become more fundamentally connected to the strategic objectives of the company at large. In other words, physical, psychological, and financial wellness investments go beyond the basic support of worker health to consider the organization's goals and objectives and how worker health can impede or support their achievement. Additionally, an advanced workplace wellness practice considers the potential health impacts of the work itself, integrating health and safety into the wellness strategy.

To achieve these goals, basic workplace wellness efforts are assumed to be already in place, and the focus is on up-leveling or adding to these offerings based on feedback and data analysis. Partnering with business leaders, engaging employees, and aligning with other departments, like Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S), are critical aspects of this process.

Why use it

Wellness strategies should expand as companies mature and employee needs evolve. Wellness and well-being are critical contributors to the success of recruitment and talent retention activities, and engaging with stakeholders outside of the HR function ensures alignment on these investments at all organizational levels.

The expectation for comprehensive wellness support has become increasingly important in recent years, making the case for investment in wellness ever more evident. The mindset of workers has shifted, revealing “part of a multi-generational trend insisting that work fit into their life instead of squeezing life in around work,” says Lívia Martini,  Chief People Officer for Wellhub, in their wellness report [R]. This report found that four out of five people would consider leaving a job that does not care for their well-being. This is why organizational commitment to health initiatives is imperative for the business.

Outcomes

In addition to the retention benefits of a robust wellness strategy, the business outcomes are immense. As examples:

• A PWC report [R] showed a 2.3X ROI on investments in worker mental health.
• Unwell employees cost employers $530B [R] in lost productivity costs.
• Employee Health and Safety research [R] shows that between 60%-80% of workplace injuries are the result of stress-related issues.
  
  

Given these insights, it seems clear that a healthy workforce correlates to a healthy and high-performing organization in four key areas:

People

• Higher engagement: Increased employee engagement and participation in wellness programs thrive as they feel their input and needs are being met.
• Improved morale: Boosted employee morale and job satisfaction as they see the organization investing significantly in their well-being.
• Collaboration and ownership: Enhanced collaboration among employees and a sense of ownership over wellness initiatives, fostering a community-oriented approach to health.

Productivity

• Enhanced focus and concentration: Tailored wellness programs help employees manage stress and maintain better focus, resulting in a higher quality of work and increased output.
• Reduction in presenteeism: Healthy employees are more fully engaged and effective, reducing the problem of “presenteeism”, where employees are physically present but not fully productive.
• Innovative problem solving: Increased energy and mental clarity lead to higher levels of creativity and innovative problem-solving among employees.

Purpose

• Shared vision: Aligning wellness initiatives with the organization’s broader mission and values, creating a shared purpose around employee well-being.
• Community building: Establishing community and camaraderie among employees through collaborative wellness efforts.
• Employee advocacy: Empowering employees to champion wellness initiatives internally and externally, enhancing the organization’s reputation as a caring employer.

Profit

• Increased ROI: Revamped ROI from wellness initiatives due to increased employee engagement and participation, leading to more significant health outcomes and productivity improvements.
• Cost reductions: Substantial savings from reduced healthcare costs, absenteeism, and presenteeism as wellness initiatives become more comprehensive and effective.
  
  

While the research is clear, the number of businesses considered wellness-focused remains low, creating an open field for organizations to differentiate themselves as employers of choice. This is especially pertinent given the more strategic and business-oriented approach taken. For most companies, wellness efforts focus on offerings unrelated to business goals, company objectives, or external factors that impact total worker health. Adopting advanced practices embeds wellness into the organization's priorities, thereby increasing the likelihood of consistency, sustainability, and overall impact.

Equally unique is the integration of employee feedback and advocacy. This approach addresses current health and wellness challenges and anticipates future needs, creating a responsive and flexible wellness strategy. Such ongoing engagement enhances the impact of wellness efforts and empowers employees, making them feel valued and heard and further strengthening their commitment to the organization. Ultimately, this holistic and inclusive approach to wellness fosters a more resilient, engaged, and productive workforce, driving long-term organizational success.

Practice guides at this level

Connecting workplace wellness initiatives to business priorities and outcomes.

Creating clear linkages between wellness programs and business objectives to build alignment and understanding of the value of plans and programs in the minds of leaders, managers, employees, and other key stakeholders.

Creating a continuous improvement approach for sustainable wellness strategies.

Leveraging measurement, automation, and situational analysis to develop policies, programs, and practices that evolve with the organization agilely.

Engaging employees to co-create wellness solutions that increase engagement and promote enduring practices.

Capturing the power of employee insights and involvement to make wellness initiatives more responsive and applicable to their needs on an ongoing basis.