According to Gallup, employees are 73% less likely to suffer chronic burnout in workplaces where leadership prioritizes well-being (1).
Burnout, which the World Health Organization now classifies as an occupational phenomenon, is a state of physical and emotional exhaustion that can have detrimental effects on both individual employees and the organization as a whole (2).
Unfortunately, it has become increasingly prevalent in modern workplaces due to factors such as heavy workloads, long hours, and high levels of stress (3).
This is why implementing a workplace wellness program that’s leader-driven can have significant benefits for both employees and the organization.
Here’s what you need to know about workplace wellness and how a leader-driven approach can make all the difference.
A workplace wellness program is a set of initiatives and policies that are implemented by an organization to promote and support the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of its employees. They have grown in prominence as organizations recognize the important link between employee well-being and overall business success.
At their core, workplace wellness programs are designed to support health-conscious behaviors. By addressing issues such as stress, sedentary lifestyles, and poor nutrition, these programs aim to achieve several objectives (4):
Read more: Corporate Wellness Programs: A Path to Healthier and Happier Employees
Workplace wellness programs are multifaceted and address a range of physical, psychological, and social health factors.
BetterMe for Business, for example, is a health transformation ecosystem. More than just a collection of programs or services, it’s a dynamic, integrated framework that is designed to improve overall well-being across physical, mental, and social dimensions.
Think of it as a coordinated network that brings together advanced technology, holistic care, and community connections to guide individuals toward healthier living.
BetterMe provides members with tailored plans that are based on their unique physical, psychological, and lifestyle needs and health goals. Start using BetterMe corporate wellness solutions to transform your team and business!
Here’s how it’s structured:
The BetterMe Health Coaching app is the first key component of the wellness solution. This dynamic app is equipped with a vast collection of tools and features that are designed to help users embark on their journey to better health and increased productivity. The app provides various functionalities, including:
In today’s high-stress world, mental health is just as important as physical well-being. The BetterMe Mental Health app is the perfect companion, providing users with resources and exercises to help manage stress and prevent burnout. The Mental Health app includes:
For businesses that use Zoom for their virtual meetings, the BetterMe for Business Zoom app provides quick desk workouts, effective breathing exercises, mindful meditations, and body scans which can all be easily integrated into daily meetings. Fitness options include neck stretches, yoga, or chair cardio for office-friendly workouts.
For businesses that are looking to implement the BetterMe wellness program, a wealth of resources is provided. This includes a ready-to-use employer toolkit complete with marketing assets and messaging to help launch and manage your BetterMe program successfully. There’s also dedicated customer support, which is ready to help and ensure things are running smoothly. Additionally, the program offers the organization of corporate challenges tailored to the specific needs of the team, fostering engagement among employees.
When it comes to employee wellness, leadership matters a lot. The way leaders interact with their teams, the policies they endorse, and the example they set all have a profound impact on the health and well-being of employees.
A workplace can have all the wellness perks imaginable, but without leadership that actively supports and invests in these initiatives, their effect often falls short. Leaders are the linchpin that holds an organization’s culture of wellness together.
Leadership doesn’t just finance or greenlight wellness programs, it personifies them. Leaders have the power to normalize conversations about health, encourage participation, and weave wellness into the very fabric of their company’s mission. Their visible involvement signals authenticity, which sets the stage for meaningful change.
Here are some tangible ways that leadership-driven workplace wellness can have a positive impact:
When leaders genuinely prioritize wellness, employees take notice. Leadership-driven initiatives signal that an organization values its people, not just their output. This fosters a sense of belonging and commitment.
For example, a Gallup study found that employees who feel their companies care about their overall well-being are 4.4 times more likely to be engaged at work. Engaged employees are not only more motivated but also bring their best selves to work, boosting team morale and collaboration (1).
Leadership sets this tone by participating in wellness activities, advocating for work-life balance, or simply being vocal about the importance of health.
Burnout is a silent productivity killer. Overworked employees who are struggling with mental and physical health issues often feel unsupported, leading to disengagement and even higher labor turnover (5).
However, when leaders act as role models and advocate for employee well-being, the stress dynamic begins to shift.
Gallup research reveals that in workplaces where leaders actively promote wellness, employees are 73% less likely to frequently feel burned out. Encouraging mental health days, implementing flexible schedules, or even approving boundaries around email time could potentially improve workforce resilience.
Leadership plays a pivotal role in normalizing these practices, which makes it easier for employees to manage stress and recover.
BetterMe has excellent tools for your business all in one place: a personalized approach to health and wellness, 1,500 workouts for every fitness level, a variety of meal plans and trackers to satisfy any dietary needs, mental health guides, and employer support. Discover all the options now!
Healthy, happy employees are likely to perform better. A productive team doesn’t mean working around the clock, it means working smart, often enabled by supportive leadership.
A study from the RAND Corporation highlights that well-designed wellness programs led by leaders can contribute to an improvement in productivity (6). While that figure may seem small, it can mean substantial gains for larger organizations.
Leadership-driven wellness doesn’t just focus on direct interventions—it creates an environment where employees can thrive, whether they’re reducing stress, overcoming health challenges, or simply balancing personal and professional demands more effectively.
Workplace wellness isn’t just good for employees, it’s great for the company’s bottom line. Programs that tackle chronic conditions, minimize absenteeism, and promote preventive health save businesses significant money.
Per data from Health Affairs, workplaces investing in wellness programs see a return of $3.27 in reduced healthcare costs and $2.73 in lower absenteeism costs for every dollar spent (7).
However, for such programs to reach their full potential, leaders must be seen as active participants. Leaders who endorse and integrate wellness into company objectives create synergy, which ensures every resource invested leads to quantifiable returns.
Leadership-driven wellness isn’t just good for internal operations—it also boosts a company’s employer brand. Potential hires take note of how companies treat their current employees. Organizations that prioritize well-being are seen as desirable, making it easier to attract top talent (8).
A Glassdoor study revealed that 77% of adults consider a company’s culture before applying for a job (8). With a leader-driven focus on wellness, businesses position themselves as employers of choice among employees that are younger and health-conscious.
At its core, leadership-driven workplace wellness fosters a broader cultural transformation. Employees are also more likely to adopt healthy habits when they see leadership doing so.
Whether it’s a senior executive joining a company-wide step challenge or sharing wellness tips for employees, leadership participation sets the example.
Read more: The Power of Physical Activity: Supercharging Employee Productivity
Digital tools have revolutionized workplace wellness by making mental and physical health support accessible, personalized, and scalable.
According to the APA, 77% of employees experience workplace stress, but digital solutions can provide immediate support to stressed-out workers (9).
Work flexibility is one of the simplest yet most impactful ways to promote well-being (10). Flexibility allows employees to balance their personal and professional responsibilities, which reduces stress and improves satisfaction.
Remote & Hybrid Models
Employees with control over where and how they work report higher morale. A survey by Owl Labs reports that 86% of employees believe they would be happier and 75% would feel more trusted with a hybrid work model (11).
Flexible Hours
Giving employees options such as staggered start times can alleviate stressors such as long commutes or managing childcare, helping them show up to work more focused and prepared.
Mental health support is no longer optional, it’s essential. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) notes that untreated mental health conditions cost US businesses $200 billion annually (12).
Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)
EAPs provide confidential counseling services, crisis support, and referrals. Leaders can integrate these services into their wellness framework to show employees that mental health support is readily available.
Normalize Mental Health Days
Encouraging employees to take dedicated time off for mental health boosts morale and decreases burnout.
Workplace Mental Health Training
Train managers to recognize signs of stress or mental health issues and create an environment in which employees feel safe seeking help.
A supportive workplace culture is the backbone of any successful wellness strategy (13). Employees who feel valued and connected to their teams are more likely to thrive.
Open Communication
Create spaces for open dialogue, whether through regular team meetings or anonymous feedback channels. When employees know they have a voice, they feel more engaged and invested in the company’s success.
Recognition Programs
Celebrate employee achievements and milestones, both big and small. Recognition boosts morale and fosters a sense of belonging.
Encourage Breaks and Boundaries
Promote regular breaks away from desks and discourage after-hours emails to reinforce healthy work-life boundaries.
Continued Learning Opportunities
Investing in employee development shows that leaders care beyond just their work output. Providing continued learning opportunities also creates a culture of growth and innovation in the company.
A sedentary lifestyle is one of the biggest threats to employee health. Encourage movement in ways that suit your team’s needs.
Onsite Fitness Activities
Host yoga sessions, walking meetings, or group exercise classes onsite.
Subsidized Gym Memberships
Provide employees with access to gyms and fitness classes in their community.
Step Challenges
Simple initiatives such as step competitions can lead to massive participation while building camaraderie.
An example of wellness is practicing regular physical activity, such as jogging or yoga, to improve and maintain overall health and well-being. Wellness is a holistic approach to maintaining physical, mental, and emotional health that often involves structured or external programs. Self-care refers to personal activities and choices individuals make to manage their health and reduce stress. The main types of wellness are physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual, occupational, environmental, and financial wellness. A wellness activity is any action taken to promote health and well-being, such as meditation, group fitness classes, or attending a stress management workshop.Frequently Asked Questions
What is an example of wellness?
What is the difference between wellness and self-care?
What are the types of wellness?
What is a wellness activity?
Investing in employee well-being can yield long-term rewards for everyone involved. Wellness programs can provide employees with the tools they need to thrive physically, mentally, and emotionally.
This can help employers enjoy the lasting benefits of a more resilient, loyal, and engaged workforce. It’s a win-win approach that’s worth every effort.
To employers who are ready to take the next step: now is the time to lead the charge. Build a culture of wellness from the top down, and you’ll see that healthy employees truly do create a healthy business.
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