The business case for employee wellbeing

Why employee wellbeing is a strategic imperative

A well-executed wellbeing strategy can impact all of the following areas:

1. Talent attraction
2. Performance and productivity
3. Talent retention
4. Effective management
5. Business growth

Let’s have a look at each of these in more detail.

1. Employee wellbeing and talent attraction

86% of HR leaders say that a talent shortage is their top concern. (Aon Client Insights 2021 )

To become known as an employer of choice, you need to clearly communicate how you value your people.

A holistic and inclusive wellbeing strategy is a powerful way of demonstrating how your organisation puts people first and enables healthy performance.

2. Employee wellbeing and performance

The annual cost to UK businesses of poor employee mental health rose to £53-56 billion in 2020-21. (Deloitte 2022)

Employee burnout has dramatically increased. 50% of UK employees have experienced at least one symptom of burnout (Deloitte, 2022). Resulting sickness absence and presenteeism present a real challenge to performance.

Your wellbeing strategy can mitigate the risk of burnout, reducing the human and business cost of absence and stress.

3. Employee wellbeing and talent retention

21% of the reasons why people left their job in 2022 were related to wellbeing. (Gallup 2021) 

People are no longer putting up with feeling miserable at work. At the beginning of 2021, in the wake of the pandemic, employees began to resign in large numbers. 61% of those surveyed named mental health issues as a key driver [Deloitte 2022].

Your wellbeing strategy can play a key role in increasing employee engagement and building loyalty.

4. Employee wellbeing and effective management

22% of an individual’s wellbeing can be accounted for by their leader (The Wellbeing Project, 2022)

Your managers play a fundamental role in shaping the culture of your organisation and determining team performance. Yet management style continues to be one of the most common causes of stress at work, and only 38% of HR professionals agree that managers are confident to have sensitive discussions with their team [CIPD 2022].

An integrated wellbeing strategy enables managers to build team resilience, role model healthy performance and build psychological safety.

5. Employee wellbeing and business growth

Higher wellbeing at work is positively correlated with more business-unit level profitability. [De Neve, Krekel & Ward, 2019]

In dynamic and fast-paced business environments, many employees struggle to adapt and business performance suffers as a result.

A wellbeing strategy proactively develops workforce resilience to successfully navigate through organisational change and ensure the long-term success of the business.

Conclusion

A holistic wellbeing strategy that is correctly implemented can breathe new life into your organisation.

• Create an enviable culture that people want to be a part of.
• Create a psychologically safe team culture.
• Support productivity and performance.
• Build business resilience to weather whatever comes your way.

To find out more about how to create a wellbeing strategy tailored to your business objectives, download our free guide. 

About the author 

SANDRA ORDEL is a Chartered Occupational Psychologist at The Wellbeing Project. She has extensive consulting experience within a wide range of organisations and industry sectors.