Health and wellbeing in the workplace: why supporting employees is good for business
With UK employees facing a number of health and wellbeing challenges, looking after staff has never been more beneficial – not just to employees, but to businesses too
The mental and physical health of the UK workforce isn’t in great shape. Our 10 years of Britain’s Healthiest Workplace report found anxiety and depression rates among UK workers have risen by 75% and obesity rates have gone up by 51% in the last decade. 2023 saw more than one in 10 employees on the brink of burnout[1].
Addressing these issues is critical for employers because poor staff health and wellbeing is severely hampering businesses, with each employee on average losing nearly 50 days’ worth of lost productivity over the course of a year due to presenteeism and absenteeism – an estimated £138bn in lost productivity to the UK economy during 2023[1].
Looking more closely at our insights taken from a decade of data, a number of trends have emerged in recent years highlighting the role employers can play in supporting staff. Why? Because it’s the right thing to do and good for business too.
Wellbeing worse for younger employees
Our report shows that mental health is a particular problem for workers, especially younger ones. In 2023, those under 35 were 63% more likely to suffer from depression and 55% more likely to have significant financial worries compared to older colleagues[1].
Obesity rates on the rise
In the past decade, obesity rates among UK workers under 35 shot up by 55%. This is another worrying trend that if not addressed could lead to higher healthcare costs for businesses[1].
Physical health needs work
In 2023, our research found that 37% of UK employees still didn’t reach weekly exercise guidelines – with women being more likely to be inactive than men[1]. Our recent Women in Sport Report uncovered a decreased workload or more flexible working hours would help them to be more physically active[2].
How to improve wellbeing in the workplace
While the report highlights the decline in employee health over the past decade, it also offers a solution for employers – improving wellbeing in the workplace can boost productivity levels.
Here are some ideas to help you get started.
1. Promote physical health
You can encourage your employees to exercise regularly with savings on gym memberships or organise weekly walking groups and fitness classes. Provide them with complimentary healthy lunches and snacks, to help improve their nutrition. Install several adjustable desks to help them change their posture regularly.
2. Support mental health
Allow your employees to take days off specifically to recover from poor mental health, helping prevent long-term stress and burnout. Set up counselling services at work to give them fast access to therapy sessions. In addition to exercise classes, you could consider adding mindfulness and meditation sessions to help support their mental wellbeing.
3. Foster a fair work-life balance
Flexible hours and hybrid working help employees to balance their work and life commitments. While working from home has become the norm, coming to the office a few days a week is good for team spirit and wellbeing. And, no matter where they’re working, regular breaks are important for health and productivity.
4. Financial wellbeing
Offer employees workshops on budgeting, saving and financial planning to help them manage their finances. And think about bringing in a dedicated financial adviser to help them with any financial concerns they may have.
5. Build a positive culture
Recognise success with regularly acknowledgement for hard work and celebrate employee achievements with weekly shoutouts through internal comms. Try to involve your whole workforce in business decisions to make them feel valued and heard. Organise regular team-building activities to strengthen relationships and improve morale.
Read more about our 10 years of Britain’s Healthiest Workplace insights here.
[1] 10 years of Britain’s Healthiest Workplace: The changing face of the UK at work, Vitality 2025
[2] Active women, healthy lives: Understanding barriers to women's participation in physical activity, Vitality 2024
Related: Stop the Drop - Proven tips to boost productivity at work
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