Americans are increasingly focused on wellness—including at work. They’re meditating at lunch, swapping sleep struggles on Slack, and signing up for everything from breathwork to fitness bootcamps. Today, 84%1 of Americans say that wellness is a top priority, McKinsey finds, while consumer wellness spending has surged to $500 billion.2
But there’s a hiccup: many workers aren’t satisfied with the wellness support they get from healthcare organizations. Fewer than half are happy with the help they get in managing their physical fitness, nutrition, or mental health. That drops even lower for weight and sleep quality management—among the most pressing health concerns for employees today.3
This disconnect presents a major opportunity for employers in the form of workplace wellness programs. Modern wellness programs can offer the kind of support that makes wellness goals easier to reach for workers via flexible digital tools, personalized care pathways, and programs that meet employees where they are, physically and emotionally.
Organizations that make employee health and well-being a priority see notable boosted productivity, reduced absenteeism, lower healthcare costs, and higher employee engagement and retention, a report from McKinsey and the World Economic Forum found.4
Today’s employees want support that spans mental, physical, and social wellbeing, delivered in ways that feel human and easy to engage with. In fact, more than a third of workers now consider those offerings when choosing an employer.5
Forward-looking organizations recognize that wellness isn’t just a perk—it’s a foundational infrastructure for building a healthier, more resilient workforce. Here’s how employers can meet rising expectations.
Information alone doesn’t change behavior. Research shows that people are more likely to stick with health goals when they experience timely nudges, peer encouragement, and low-friction systems.6
Unfortunately, health care is frequently fragmented and often fails to connect intentions to action. Employers can support sustainable behavior change through digital tools that are:
When digital tools combine real-time feedback, rewards, and coordinated care paths, they become not just scalable but also enduring.
Depression, anxiety, and burnout are now top drivers of absenteeism and presenteeism.7 Yet access to care remains a major challenge: Nearly half of U.S. adults with a mental illness never receive the care they need.8
To make mental health a true foundation of workplace wellness, employers can use wellness programs to:
Best yet, integrated and inclusive mental health resources can boost employee access to care before a situation becomes a crisis.
The pursuit of wellness isn’t just individual—it’s also social. Workplace wellness programs that build connection can help turn isolation into inclusion. That’s important considering that the risk of loneliness is on par with health risks from smoking or obesity.11
Employers are uniquely positioned to foster this sense of belonging by:
By treating wellness as something employees can pursue together, employers can create a workplace culture where health feels social and inclusive.
Wellness programs work best when they reflect the real-life needs of employees—whether that’s a night-shift nurse, someone managing a chronic condition, or a remote worker.
Work environments where employees feel their identities and voices are recognized are associated with higher employee engagement and retention.14
That requires:
As rates of obesity, diabetes, and GLP-1 prescriptions soar, employers need sustainable ways to support metabolic health.
One recent study found that participants lost an average 16% of their body weight when GLP-1s were combined with coaching, behavior change, and nutrition therapy.15 Bariatric surgery remains to be an effective and transformative solution for individuals battling morbid obesity.
Workplace wellness programs can drive impact when they include:
The message from employees is clear: They’re trying, but they need more help. And they want their employers to provide wellness support that is accessible, personalized, and continuous.
Well-being is a focus for all ages, but that’s especially true for Gen Z and Millennial workers. Among those who report positive mental well-being, 67% of Gen Zs and 72% of Millennials feel their job allows them to make a meaningful contribution to society.16
When employers invest in wellness infrastructure, the return is powerful: stronger engagement and a workforce that feels supported.
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