Thriving Workplaces How Employers can Improve Productivity and Change Lives 2025

Conclusion Work is a cornerstone of many people’s lives. However, it should not leave people less happy, less healthy or less fulfilled. Physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being is intricately tied to work, productivity and performance. Investing in employee health and well-being is both an ethical obligation and a strategic organizational imperative with tangible returns. This report offers a plan that goes beyond the behaviour of individuals. It sets out the mechanism for changing a company’s culture, addressing specific workplace requirements and improving health and well-being at every level of the organization – thereby developing a healthier, more productive workforce. It shows why prioritizing a healthy workforce is essential and beneficial, as well as providing practical guidance that will help employers feel enabled and empowered to seize the opportunity. Firstly, the case for investing in holistic employee health is substantial. With more than 3.5 billion people dedicating a substantial portion of their lives to work, the workplace plays a crucial role in fostering holistic health. Investing in health presents a global economic value opportunity worth 17% to 55% of average annual pay per employee. Organizations that invest are likely to reduce healthcare costs, enhance productivity, improve talent management, boost company performance and strengthen organizational resilience. Increasingly, investors are emphasizing employee health and well-being as a crucial component of the social element of ESG criteria, recognizing its impact on long-term organizational success and shareholder value. Regulatory pressures are also mounting globally, with stricter standards and compliance requirements being introduced to ensure workplace well-being, such as those from the EU and the United States’ OSHA. Applying these rules not only reduces the risk of breaking them but also improves a company’s reputation as socially responsible. This helps meet growing demands for transparency made by consumers, employees and communities. Secondly, disparities in holistic health and burn- out symptoms across various industries and demographics underscore the need for tailored interventions. Employees who identify as women, LGBTQI+, younger, neurodivergent, or with lower levels of education or income report poorer health outcomes than their counterparts. It is therefore important to understand the root causes of poorer health and create inclusive workplaces. A one- size-fits-all approach will not reap the full rewards; leaders must recognize and address the needs of different demographic groups and develop targeted interventions that enhance holistic health and reduce burn-out. Employers and employees must work in partnership to improve health, as neither can achieve the best results on their own. Unless employers help all employees achieve their full potential, they risk limiting the health and well- being of their workforce, restricting their societal and economic contributions, and missing out on substantial value creation for their organization. Finally, leaders should address workforce health by taking a strategic approach, committing to making smart investments that tackle both symptoms and root causes and measuring the impact of those investments over time. Returns on investment can be evaluated using customized metrics that extend beyond the traditional markers of sickness, absence, disease, safety and injury. A four-step approach to building an investment case requires employers to understand the status of employee health and well-being within the organization, calculate the investment case opportunity, use pilot programmes to measure intervention effectiveness, and monitor improvements over time. Advances in data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) offer substantial opportunities to integrate health metrics into core organizational strategies. For example, AI could be used to translate specific workplace safety information, customize health-emergency protocols for a building, or aggregate reputably sourced health tips and links into an employee newsletter. In conclusion, leaders should recognize that creating a healthier workforce is not an isolated goal but a foundation of organizational performance and resilience. By prioritizing employee health, organizations can transform work into a source of life enhancement, unlock human potential and reap financial benefits. This report provides the evidence and tools for leaders to feel empowered and enabled to take those crucial steps today. Thriving Workplaces: How Employers can Improve Productivity and Change Lives 36