By Life In Humanity Analysis Desk
“Investing in employee wellbeing could boost the global economy by $11.7 trillion, according to the Forum’s Thriving Workplaces report. Only a quarter of workers in the US, UK, Canada and beyond are actually happy at work, according to De Neve’s research with Indeed, so changes are urgently needed in this area,” according to the World Economic Forum [WEF] in its 18 December 2025 story titled “The top global health stories from 2025” updated on 13 January 2026.
The report’s foreword reads “Workforce health and well-being are pivotal to economic vitality and societal prosperity. As burn out rates rise, chronic diseases become more common and people work longer, there is an urgent need for organizations, policy-makers and stakeholders to prioritize employee health. The economic imperative is clear: investing in employee well-being can substantially improve returns, enhance productivity, reduce healthcare costs and foster a resilient and engaged workforce.”
For specific details on the gigantic contribution of employee care to organizational productivity, click on this meticulous article that we have produced about Rwanda.
“This report is a call to action”
“This report is a call to action for leaders to recognize that the health and well-being of their employees is critical to the future success and sustainability of their organizations. While small actions taken today can build towards substantial impact tomorrow, many stakeholders are uncertain how to make the required changes in the most effective way,” underlines the report before adding “The path forward is clear:
looking after the health of employees positively impacts the performance of organizations, the future of work and the development of economies and societies. Everyone has a role to play in creating and demanding a healthier workplace, but radical health transformation at an individual or organizational level cannot happen overnight. Such transformation cannot be made by organizations working in isolation; it requires collaborative effort across the public and private sectors.”
The report indicates that employers have to put employees’ holistic health first, for various reasons. “Investing in holistic employee health can create almost $12 trillion in global economic value. As the world grapples with rapid technological advancements, demographic shifts and evolving work paradigms, it is vital to invest in employee health. Why prioritize workforce health? Organizations that prioritize health often see marked improvements in productivity, reduced absenteeism, lower healthcare costs and heightened employee engagement and retention.
They are better placed to adapt to increased regulatory pressures on workplace health and safety standards and withstand greater focus from investors and the public on how organizations are meeting environmental, social and governance criteria. Moreover, a healthier workforce is a more resilient and adaptive workforce, more capable of navigating the uncertainties and challenges of a rapidly changing world. Health is ‘more than the absence of disease or infirmity’, as the World Health Organization (WHO) puts it. Modern concepts of health include mental, physical, spiritual and social function.”
Professor Arthur C. Brooks serves as the Parker Gilbert Montgomery Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School and Professor of Management Practice at the Harvard Business School. According to the Harvard Business School, Brooks is one of the world’s leading experts on the science of human happiness, appearing in media and traveling the world to teach people in private companies, universities, public agencies, and faith communities how they can lead happier lives and bring greater well-being to others. This bestselling author — in a 28 November 2025 piece headlined “Why Making Your Employees Happier Pays Off” released on Harvard Business Review— echoes “Recent research shows that understanding well-being and maximizing it through managerial practices not only raises employees’ quality of life—it significantly increases productivity and profitability as well.”
Current situation
“Work can and should enhance health, yet it is not doing so for a sizeable proportion of employees. In a McKinsey Health Institute survey of more than 30,000 employees worldwide, only 57% reported good holistic health (an integrated view of an individual’s mental, physical, spiritual and social functioning), with important differences in holistic health and burn-out symptoms found across different industries and demographics. For example, employees who are women, younger or neurodivergent, or who report lower education levels or poor financial status, tended to report poorer employee health outcomes than their counterparts,” the report highlights.
The substantial number of today’s workers and the huge amount of work which the workers face renders it compulsory for the world to urgently seek a remedy. The report explains “Today, more than 3.5 billion working adults each spend roughly 90,000 hours (or about 45 years) of their lives at work. This underscores the workplace’s potential to profoundly influence health – not just for the benefit of employees but also for their families and the communities in which they live.
Several trends are impossible to ignore: more people working than ever, an ageing population living and working longer and escalating levels of burn-out. The current state of the workforce, coupled with these trends, demands a rethink of employee health to avoid a potential crisis for health and business. A healthy workforce is not just a matter of corporate and societal responsibility; it is a strategic necessity and a substantial business opportunity.”
The WEF’s Thriving Workplaces report underscores that the reality that leaders are experiencing stands stark. “Failing to prioritize employee health risks creating a sicker, unhappier and less productive workforce, burdened with higher healthcare costs and diminished productivity. The good news is that, conversely, the path to a healthier workforce can yield substantial returns for executives, investors, policy-makers and other stakeholders, including more robust organizations, vibrant communities and, ultimately, a healthier society.”
Employee health gaining tract
The report states “Companies of all sizes are entering a period in which it is essential to manage human capital with the same level of discipline as financial capital as part of their total business strategy. To date, environmental and corporate governance issues have dominated the ESG [environmental, social and governance ] agenda, but the social pillar – which guides how companies manage relationships with customers, suppliers, communities and employees – is gaining consideration.
Investors are increasingly paying attention to how companies manage employee health and well-being, recognizing their criticality to long-term organizational success. Also, there is growing scrutiny on labour practices, employee satisfaction, support for employees’ mental health and thinking around workforce stability.”
The report adds that companies listed on benchmarks like the S&P 500 Index are now assessed not only on financial metrics but also on employee factors. The latter ones include aspects such as job satisfaction, happiness, stress and purpose at work. “Similarly, stock exchanges, including the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, are developing ESG reporting guidelines that mandate disclosures on employee health and well-being metrics, such as working hours, rest periods and equal opportunities.”
The report goes on, underlining that, around the world, governing bodies increasingly recognize the importance of employee health and well-being, and that regulatory pressures are climbing. “For example, the European Union has introduced stricter standards for workplace well-being, such as the European Framework Directive on Safety and Health at Work, the Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work 2021-2027, the Work-Life Balance Directive and the European Framework Agreement on Telework.
EU regulations state that risk management within the workplace should encompass stress, thereby requiring psychological risk assessments and appropriate prevention methods. In the US, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) increased penalties for workplace health and safety violations to $15,624 per violation in 2023, with non compliance leading to hefty fines, lawsuits and reputational damage.”
The report adds that adherence to these regulations decreases compliance risks and upgrades a company’s reputation as a socially responsible entity. “There is increasing expectation from consumers, employees and communities that organizations should be transparent about labour practices, diversity and inclusion, mental health support and work-life balance. Companies that fail to meet these expectations risk losing their reputation and trust among employees and customers alike.”
The report stresses “The time to act is now. Employers should not wait – decisive action taken today can secure a healthier, more productive future. With more than half of the working population reporting suboptimal employee health, change is imperative. Today’s workers face unprecedented challenges across sectors and geographies.
Contemporary threats to health include a rise in mental health disorders and obesity; unmet needs from conditions such as diabetes, cancers, brain health disorders and cardiovascular conditions; and concerns about how climate change will affect food security, infectious diseases and access to healthcare.”
According to Arianna Huffington, the author of Thrive and The Sleep Revolution, “Well-being is the ultimate productivity multiplier. And when companies invest in their people’s well-being, it’s a win-win — creating workplace cultures where individuals can maximize their productivity and creativity, which in turn enables businesses to grow and maximize their impact.”
Action needed and what is being done
The report points out that the opportunity mentioned in the first section is maximized by helping all employees across diverse demographics to attain good health. “Employers and employees must work in partnership to improve health, as neither can realize the full benefits on their own. Employers who are not helping every member of their workforce achieve their full potential risk affecting the health and well being of their employees, limiting their societal and economic contributions and missing substantial value creation for their organization.
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.”
The WEF emphasizes “The Forum’s Centre for Health and Healthcare is working with its partners to strengthen both the investment case and evidence base for prioritizing holistic workplace health to improve productivity and the overall health resilience of the global workforce. Through the Healthy Workforces and Chief Health Officers communities, leading organizations are working with De Neve and other researchers to illuminate and harmonize the most critical workplace measurements and metrics.”
The WEF’s Thriving Workplaces report stresses “There is an urgent need to improve employee health. Stakeholders who take immediate action will reap substantial benefits.”
Brooks says, on his LinkedIn account, says “Every workplace wants happier employees. But perks and ping pong tables are not the answer. The real solution is deeper and more difficult to explain. Happiness is not a vague feeling; it’s a construct — measurable, improvable, and grounded in decades of behavioral science. It’s achieved through helping people build lives of meaning, connection, and contribution — in and through their work.
Most modern workplaces emphasize stimulation over alignment, offering more perks, more tools, and more digital noise, all in the name of engagement. But these interventions often distract from the deeper need: helping people build lives of meaning and integration. Leaders, it isn’t up to you to manufacture happiness, but what you can do is cultivate the conditions in which it grows. Design cultures where people feel needed, where they can earn their success, and where their daily efforts connect to something larger than themselves, and build a serious strategy rooted in what makes people thrive.”
“Where to start?”
The report acknowledges that each organization carries unique needs and opportunities to address employee health and well-being, based on size, organizational set-up, geographic spread and level of resources. Nevertheless, the report suggests six “simple principles each organization could follow to create a successful employee health and well-being intervention portfolio.”
The first principle is to understand the baseline and value at stake. “Start by assessing the baseline health status of employees through surveys. Alongside the baseline, it is important for each organization to understand the potential value of revising a workforce strategy and the risks associated with doing nothing.”
The second one involves developing initiatives for a sustainable healthy workforce. “One-off efforts will not build a healthy workforce. Achieving sustainable results requires a long-term, systemic approach with high-quality, evidence-based interventions. This should be complemented by a clear vision of what the organization is attempting to solve, leading to a targeted approach to improving health, in alignment with the overall organizational strategy.
Short-term projects may yield immediate benefits, but real change comes from a complete plan that includes clear leadership behaviours and effective tools. The updated strategy can then build on current efforts, such as programmes focused on diversity and inclusion and psychological well being. This strategy should be sponsored by the board and empower lower-level teams to drive autonomous, aligned interventions.”
The third mechanism demands piloting interventions to test and learn. The report suggests “Deploy, test and learn. Set up pilot programmes to try out and refine strategies. This allows for targeted testing, continuous improvement, learning from failures and ensuring that only the most effective interventions are scaled. Begin with small, manageable programmes addressing immediate needs to start building momentum and create longer-term impact.
Interventions do not need to be complicated – simple actions, such as encouraging employees to take ‘movement breaks’ during work or training managers to discuss mental health with their teams, can be highly effective. Shift away from offering reactive interventions at an individual level in favour of implementing more proactive interventions, especially those aimed at teams.”
Movement breaks nowadays stand crucial since excessive sedentary behavior has proven disastrous, as elucidated in this article: Too much sitting, little life: the silent pandemic threatening the world.
The fourth principle requires to track three to five metrics to measure success. “Start with three to five KPIs [Key Performance Indicators] that drive workforce health and organizational performance, ideally ones already tracked or easy to implement. Refine these KPIs for optimal insights. Assess broader effects by updating the investment case and re-surveying employee health. Use these insights to steer the strategy – whether that means stopping, redirecting or scaling interventions. Systematic measurement validates the investment in a healthy workforce.”
The fifth principle includes assuring that leadership commitment and sponsorship intervene to promote employee health in organizations. “Real change starts in the boardroom with executives making employee health and well-being a strategic priority. Executives must set the vision, hold themselves accountable and integrate health and well being into the core organizational strategy. They should also nominate an executive-team sponsor and a board sponsor as a signal of leadership commitment.
The sponsor does not need to be the chief HR, people or medical officer; it can be very powerful if another executive takes the sponsor role. Executives will need to be transparent in their communication and authentic in how they role model. They also need participate in health initiatives to create a supportive environment where employees feel encouraged to engage and be open about their health challenges.”
The report quotes Diego De Giorgi- Group Chief Financial Officer, Standard Chartered- as saying “As the executive sponsor of the well-being agenda at Standard Chartered, I believe that well-being at work is at the core of employee engagement and productivity. We want our people to feel able to bring their best selves to work and deliver sustainable high performance.
I am passionate about using my role to help create a positive and healthy work environment. This means listening to colleagues about their needs and supporting them to build well-being-related skills – such as resilience and adaptability, empathy, and personal energy management. Having an executive sponsor outside of the traditional HR setting demonstrates that well-being is for everyone and it’s a shared responsibility.”
The final principle recommends to embed employee health into organizational culture. “Creating a sustainable and healthy workforce is a long-term journey requiring a systemic shift in organizational mindset and culture. Employee health must be integral to everyday work life and embedded in daily practices, management analytics, leadership behaviours, the deployment of digital tools, policies and values.
This cultural shift demands continuous engagement, regular evaluation and flexible interventions to meet needs as they evolve. This approach will help break down some barriers, such as privacy concerns from employees or stigma about mental health. Fostering a culture of health and well-being is not just about immediate outcomes; it is about building resilience and long-term sustainability in the organization.”