Employee wellness has become a growing concern, especially since the global pandemic and lockdowns.
The concept of employee wellness is rooted in the state of physical and mental health of workers, but it also goes beyond that.
The wellness of an employee also covers a larger scope such as employee satisfaction or happiness and employee engagement.
Overall these factors impact the productivity of a business.
In this article, we will discuss employee wellness statistics and how this impacts the global business world and the personal lives of workers.
Post Contents
- 1 Key Statistics
- 2 Top Employee Wellness Statistics in 2024
- 2.1 1. 92% of employees reported that psychological well-being is very important.
- 2.2 2. 95% of employees revealed that it’s very important to feel respected in the workplace.
- 2.3 3. 52% of companies in America have employee wellness programs.
- 2.4 4. Over 80% of employees participating in wellness programs say they love their work.
- 2.5 5. The global corporate wellness industry is expected to achieve $74.11 billion by 2026.
- 2.6 6. The Asia-Pacific region is expected to show the fastest growth in employee wellness.
- 2.7 7. The North American employee wellness market is the largest in the world.
- 2.8 8. 84% of employers claimed higher productivity due to wellness plans in 2019.
- 2.9 9. Companies with 5,000 or more employees are most apt to offer wellness programs.
- 2.10 10. A 28% reduction in sick leave has been seen with employee wellness programs.
- 2.11 11. 94% of employees said they think managers should have some responsibility in their well-being.
- 2.12 12. 77% of employees are satisfied with the level of mental health support provided by employers.
- 2.13 13. Employee wellness programs show an absenteeism reduction of 14% to 19%.
- 2.14 14. 57% of high-risk health employees who participated in a wellness program reduced their risk.
- 2.15 15. Companies in the United States lose around $300 billion annually due to healthcare, turnover, stress, and absenteeism issues.
- 2.16 16. 85% of top-level executives say they plan to be more responsible for employee well-being in the coming years.
- 2.17 17. 58% of small businesses offer employee wellness programs.
- 2.18 18. 55% of employees said their workplaces are much mentally healthier after wellness programs.
- 2.19 19. In the past month, 77% of employees reported work-related stress.
- 2.20 20. 74% of employees said they would be willing to work overtime if their employers were empathetic.
- 3 Conclusion
- 4 FAQs
- 4.1 What is employee wellness?
- 4.2 What are the benefits of employee wellness programs?
- 4.3 How do you know if your employer has a wellness program?
- 4.4 What are some examples of employee wellness initiatives?
- 4.5 How can you get the most from an employee wellness program?
- 4.6 What if your employer doesn’t offer an employee wellness program?
- 4.7 Sources
Key Statistics
- 92% of employees reported that psychological well-being is very important.
- 95% of employees revealed that it’s important to feel respected in the workplace.
- 52% of companies in America have employee wellness programs.
- Over 80% of employees participating in wellness programs say they love their work.
- The Asia-Pacific region is expected to show the fastest growth in employee wellness.
- The North American employee wellness market is the largest in the world.
- 84% of employers claimed higher productivity due to wellness plans in 2019.
- Companies with 5,000 or more employees are most apt to offer wellness programs.
- A 28% reduction in sick leave has been seen with employee wellness programs.
Top Employee Wellness Statistics in 2024
1. 92% of employees reported that psychological well-being is very important.
A large percentage, 92%, of employees responding to a survey revealed that it’s important to work for a company that values the emotional and psychological well-being of their workers.
Another 57% responded that it’s somewhat important and 35% said it’s important.
(APA 2023 Survey)
2. 95% of employees revealed that it’s very important to feel respected in the workplace.
If there was any doubt about the importance of ensuring the employees feel respected at work, this statistic should shun any doubt.
A massive 95% of employees in the 2023 Surgeon General’s survey said it’s very important to feel respected at work.
Another 66% responded that it’s somewhat important and 29% said it’s important.
(APA 2023 Survey)
3. 52% of companies in America have employee wellness programs.
In the United States, 52% of companies offer employee wellness programs.
Another 305 of the 52% of companies with employee wellness programs offer further bonuses or rewards for participating or completing health and wellness programs.
A reported 20% of companies offer discounts on health insurance premiums for participating.
(Zippia)
4. Over 80% of employees participating in wellness programs say they love their work.
It’s not often that we hear people say that they love their jobs.
However, a whopping 80% of employees actively participating in their employers wellness program claim that they love their jobs.
This is a huge affirmation that should have companies across the world taking notice.
(EnterpriseAppsToday)
5. The global corporate wellness industry is expected to achieve $74.11 billion by 2026.
The concerns about employee wellness extends to companies worldwide.
There is nothing exclusive about employee wellness.
In terms of worth, the global corporate wellness market is expected to be worth $74.11 billion (USD) by 2026.
That’s less than three years from now.
(Zipdo)
6. The Asia-Pacific region is expected to show the fastest growth in employee wellness.
The employee wellness market is also referred to as corporate wellness for measurement purposes.
That said, The Asia-Pacific region of the corporate wellness market is expected to become the fastest growing in the world (2022-2027).
This includes stress management, health risk assessment, fitness, nutrition, etc.
(GlobeNewswire)
7. The North American employee wellness market is the largest in the world.
As of 2022, the North American employee wellness market is the largest on the globe.
While Asia-Pacific countries are the fastest growing in this market, North American countries like Canada and the United States are leading the way.
(GlobeNewswire)
8. 84% of employers claimed higher productivity due to wellness plans in 2019.
Even before the global pandemic caused lockdowns, 84% of employers showed higher performance and productivity among their employees due to implementing employee wellness plans, according to data from 2019.
Nowadays, top talent among job seekers expect to see that a company offers a wellness program in job postings.
(Zippia)
9. Companies with 5,000 or more employees are most apt to offer wellness programs.
Larger companies are more likely to implement employee wellness programs.
In fact, companies with 5,000 or more employees are the most apt to offer wellness programs.
Moreover, 83% of large businesses have an employee wellness plan in place.
(EnterpriseAppsToday)
10. A 28% reduction in sick leave has been seen with employee wellness programs.
So far, there has been a reported 28% reduction in employee sick leave directly correlated to employees with access to an employee wellness program.
This data confirms that having an employee wellness program and/or initiatives reduces sick leave.
(ZipDo)
11. 94% of employees said they think managers should have some responsibility in their well-being.
Having an employee wellness program goes beyond having fitness, nutrition, and other health and wellness initiatives.
It’s also about how employees are treated and supported.
This often falls to the management in a company.
In fact, 94% of employees feel that their managers should have at least some level of responsibility in their overall well-being.
(Deloitte Insights)
12. 77% of employees are satisfied with the level of mental health support provided by employers.
In 2023, 77% of employees said they are satisfied with the level of well-being and mental support they get from their employers.
This includes survey respondents that said they are very satisfied (36%) and those who said they are somewhat satisfied (41%).
(APA 2023 Survey)
13. Employee wellness programs show an absenteeism reduction of 14% to 19%.
Overall, employee wellness programs are showing a reduction in employee absenteeism of between 14% and 19%.
One company that reported a significant drop in employee absenteeism directly due to their employee wellness program is General Electric that revealed a 45% reduction in absenteeism.
Many companies are seeing substantial reductions in employee absenteeism after implementing wellness programs.
(Zippia)
14. 57% of high-risk health employees who participated in a wellness program reduced their risk.
Perhaps not all high-risk health issues can be resolved by participating in an employee wellness program, but it’s happened.
One study revealed that 57% of employees with high-risk health issues like obesity, anxiety, and high blood pressure participated in their company’s wellness program.
As a result this group entered the low-risk health group within six months.
(EnterpriseAppsToday)
15. Companies in the United States lose around $300 billion annually due to healthcare, turnover, stress, and absenteeism issues.
The cost of healthcare, employee turnover, work-related stress, and absenteeism accounts for around $300 billion (USD) every year among American businesses.
This could be due to either the lack of having an employee wellness program, employees not knowing there’s a program, or employees aren’t participating in wellness programs.
(ZipDo)
16. 85% of top-level executives say they plan to be more responsible for employee well-being in the coming years.
The accountability for employee well-being begins and ends with C-Suite executives.
According to data, this would require even more transparency in reporting.
The data also shows that 85% of top-level (C-Suite) executives plan to be more responsible for the well-being of the workplaces they govern.
Remember, nothing gets done at the management level unless the corporate executives say it’s okay.
(Deloitte)
17. 58% of small businesses offer employee wellness programs.
Statistics show that 58% of small businesses offer employee wellness programs.
A small business can include organizations with between 1 and 199 employees.
This percentage may not compare with the 83% of large companies offering wellness programs, but it’s still significant.
(Zippia)
18. 55% of employees said their workplaces are much mentally healthier after wellness programs.
A significant 55% of employees in the Surgeon General’s 2023 survey said that their workplaces are much mentally healthier than before employee wellness initiatives and programs were implemented.
However, there is also data showing there’s a need for improvements.
(APA 2023 Survey)
One of the areas of improvement for employee wellness is work-related stress.
In fact, in just the past month, the 2023 Surgeon General survey revealed that 77% of employees said they are experiencing workplace stress.
This is also affiliated with workplace burnout that includes things like emotional exhaustion, lower motivation, and feeling ineffective.
(APA 2023 Survey)
20. 74% of employees said they would be willing to work overtime if their employers were empathetic.
The largest driver of workplace burnout and exhaustion is due to working longer hours and overtime.
Data shows that 74% of employees said they would work longer hours if they worked for an empathetic employer.
Does the current workforce still fail to be empathetic?
(Zippia)
Conclusion
We can surmise from this data that much has been accomplished regarding employee health and wellness in recent years.
However, Isn’t there always room for improvement in everything we do?
After reading these statistics about employee wellness, what will you do as an employer to support your workers?
If you’re an employee, will you take things into your own hands and manage your own wellness?
We hope you feel more enlightened after reading these employee wellness statistics.
Whether you’re a company with or without an employee wellness program or an employee using or not using an employee wellness plan, this data is valuable.
FAQs
What is employee wellness?
Employee wellness is described as a holistic approach to improving the overall health and well-being of a company’s employees.
This ideal encompasses employees’ physical, mental, emotional, and social health.
Some initiatives you might see in the modern workplace that reflect the desire to move toward a healthier space for employees include fitness classes, regular health screenings, stress management workshops, and nutrition counseling.
What are the benefits of employee wellness programs?
You can imagine how the implementation of an employee wellness program benefits all concerned.
Here are some of the benefits seen through employee wellness programs.
1. Less absenteeism
2. Lower healthcare costs
3. Higher employee engagement
4. Increased productivity
5. Enhanced job satisfaction
6. Greater employee morale
7. Lower employee turnover rates
8. Higher employee retention rates
As you can see, these benefits extend to the employee and the business alike.
How do you know if your employer has a wellness program?
If you are unsure whether your current employer offers an employee wellness program of initiatives, ask your Human Resources department about it.
HR can be a valuable resource for employees in all regards, but in this case, they can help you find out about employee wellness programs or initiatives offered by your employer if any.
What are some examples of employee wellness initiatives?
Here are some examples of what employee wellness initiatives may look like in the modern workplace.
1. Health screenings that help to identify potential health risks early to get ahead of it and get treatment before things go awry.
2. Fitness classes that help employees reduce the risk of chronic illnesses and improve their physical fitness.
3. Nutrition counseling helps employees learn how to eat healthier foods and make better and more nutritional choices both at work and at home.
4. Stress management workshops are designed to teach employees how to cope with stress in healthier ways.
How can you get the most from an employee wellness program?
First, you must choose to participate in employee wellness programs to begin getting benefits from them.
Generally, no one is forced into engaging in wellness programs, but this also depends on where you live and work.
Some businesses in the world may make it mandatory for employment.
You can also develop a personalized wellness plan by consulting with your company’s HR department.
What if your employer doesn’t offer an employee wellness program?
If the company where you work has no employee wellness program, you can take it upon yourself to improve your own health, well being and happiness.
Here are some ways to do that:
1. Take regular breaks throughout the workday and get up and move around (remote or onsite).
2. Choose healthy lunches/dinners and snacks for work.
3. Exercise daily outside of your working hours. Even a 20-minute walk before, after, or both will help.
4. Talk to management about ways to reduce work stress.
5. Take advantage of any personal development or wellness resources your employer does offer.
Remember that you don’t have to solely rely on your employer to live a happier, healthier, and more productive life.
