How to promote employee well-being in the workplace

Employee well-being as a priority

Let’s be honest, employee well-being is no longer a nice extra; it is a must-have. When people feel good at work, they bring more energy, stay longer, and perform better. When they don’t, the impact is clear: stress, burnout, and higher turnover. As an HR manager, you are right at the center of this.

The good news is that you have the tools to make a real difference. Let’s look at why employee well-being matters more than ever, what it actually means, and how you can support it in your workplace.

Why employee well-being matters more than ever

You probably feel it already: employees today expect more than just a paycheck. They want to feel healthy, balanced, and valued. And research backs this up.

• Companies that invest in well-being see turnover drop by 11% compared to those that do not. (McKinsey, 2025) 
• Almost one in four employees in 2025 said their work had a negative effect on their health, both physical and mental. (CIPD/People Management, 2025)  
• Approximately half of workers report feeling used up (51%), emotionally drained (45%), or burned out (44%) from their work. (SHRM, 2024) 

So the question is not whether to focus on employee well-being, but how.

What employee well-being really means

When we say “well-being,” what comes to your mind? For some, it is about mental health, for others it is work-life balance, and for many it is financial security. The truth is, it is all of these things together.

Think about it as six areas that shape how people feel at work:

• Health: Support for physical and mental well-being in a safe workplace.
• Work environment: Clear roles, fair expectations, and manageable workloads.
• Social life at work: A sense of belonging, inclusion, and positive relationships.
• Growth: Opportunities to learn, develop, and find purpose.
• Financial security: Fair pay, stability, and reliable benefits.
• Balance: Flexibility to manage work and personal life.

Why well-being programs often fail

If employee well-being is such a high-priority investment, why do so many well-intentioned programs ultimately fall flat? The answer usually lies in a fundamental disconnect between policy and practice.

Well-being efforts often fail because they are treated as a separate program managed by HR, rather than being woven into the cultural fabric of the organization. This results in four common pitfalls:

• Focusing on symptoms, not causes: Organizations offer quick-fix perks while ignoring the root stressors, such as unmanageable workloads or unrealistic deadlines. It’s like putting a bandage on a broken arm.
• The leadership authenticity gap: Leaders often talk about well-being, but their actions tell a different story. If employees keep getting late-night emails from managers, they quickly see the contradiction. When leaders do not respect boundaries, any well-being policy loses its impact.
• Sometimes, well-being programs stay only in HR: If managers and team leaders do not take them on as part of daily work, the impact stays very limited.
• Irrelevance to the employee: Programs often lack genuine employee input, leading to low utilization because employees don't see how the offerings fit their real needs or daily challenges.

The lesson is clear. Well-being should be a core value of the company. It needs to guide the way people work, be supported by leaders, and be part of the culture.

Six ways to transform employee well-being

How do you move from good intentions to real, measurable impact? Well-being must be embedded into the way you work. Here are six essential areas where HR can take the lead and drive lasting change:

1. Listen and measure continuously

Before launching a single program, you must first gather data to pinpoint the true sources of stress, dissatisfaction, and potential burnout. Implement a continuous listening strategy using frequent surveys, manager check-ins, and small group conversations. This approach is essential for finding out what's really bothering your employees, rather than guessing.

[.callout-small] Practical example: Companies like easyJet, Aon, and Sanofi use platforms such as Workday Peakon Employee Voice to capture this real-time sentiment across their global, dispersed workforces. [.callout-small]

2. Well-being goes beyond HR, it starts with leadership

Managers show what healthy work looks like when they protect time, encourage vacations, and support breaks. Most of all, they should lead by example. When leaders take care of their own balance, people understand that quality matters more than being online all the time. This builds trust and engagement.

Practical example: When talking with managers, suggest that they make healthy practices visible. For instance, they could add “Focus Time” or “Lunch” to their public calendars, or turn one-on-one meetings into walking sessions. These small but consistent actions show employees that it is normal and encouraged to step away and recharge.3. Redesign work for clarity and autonomy

Sometimes the deepest stress comes from how jobs are structured or how poorly they are structured. Combat this by redesigning work where needed. This involves:

• Setting clear roles and expectations.
• Maintaining realistic workloads.
• Giving employees greater autonomy over how they achieve their goals.
• A management style focused on output, not presence, is the clearest signal that you trust your team.

[.callout-small] Practical example: The book The Culture Map by Erin Meyer shows how different cultures approach communication and autonomy at work. Using these insights can help managers adapt their style and design jobs that fit both the team and the context. [.callout-small]

4. Build foundation and connection from day one

The employee experience, and their long-term well-being, starts before the first day. Onboarding is your first intervention to combat stress. A strong process ensures new hires feel safe, connected, and clear on what to expect. This cuts down on the nerves and anxiety a new job can bring.

[.callout-small] Practical example: With an onboarding app like Appical, you can cut the overwhelm, provide clarity on logistics, and facilitate early connections. This approach transforms the initial period from a source of stress into a welcoming, supported start, building that foundation of well-being from the very beginning. [.callout-small]

5. Offer confidential support

Provide easy-to-access mental health services, coaching, and modern tools for when people need genuine support.

[.callout-small] Practical example: Services such as OpenUp allow employees to book confidential sessions with a licensed psychologist or certified coach whenever they need them.  Whether it’s about stress, building resilience, or finding a better balance. They also offer group sessions and practical resources, ensuring support is fast, confidential, and never feels out of reach.[.callout-small]

6. Make flexibility and balance the norm 

Research shows that Gen Z prefers hybrid models over fully remote or fully on-site setups, as it gives them autonomy to decide when, where, and how they work (ScienceDirect, 2024). Allowing this freedom signals trust and meets one of their strongest expectations.

Supporting balance is equally important. Flexible hours, family-friendly policies, and mental health support all raise satisfaction and strengthen overall well-being (Bryant University, 2024). Deloitte’s 2025 Gen Z and Millennial Survey confirms that younger workers place just as much value on balance and purpose as they do on salary (Deloitte, 2025).

[.callout-small] Practical example: Partner with managers to pilot a “flexible core hours” policy. For example, set a shared availability window from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for meetings and collaboration, while giving employees the freedom to start earlier or finish later based on their personal needs. [.callout-small]

Well-being should never be treated as a one-time project. It requires ongoing listening, measuring, and adjusting. When it becomes part of your long-term HR strategy, it creates a lasting impact for both employees and the business.

Remember

Employees are people first. When they feel supported, they can do their best work. Their success and your company’s success go hand in hand. A healthy team creates a thriving business. Taking care of people means taking care of your business.