Workplace wellness is no longer seen as a perk — it's a business strategy with measurable returns. A Wellhub survey of 1,500 CEOs found 82% believed their programs deliver a positive ROI.
Productivity tops the list of CEO priorities, with 56% citing it as the main driver of wellness investment. Yet the benefits extend further: 67% reported fewer sick days, 80% said wellness helps attract talent, and 73% linked it to stronger retention. Wellness is also credited with boosting brand reputation (76%) and reducing health care costs (68%).
"Engagement is the best predictor of ROI," said Cesar Carvalho, Wellhub's co-founder and CEO. Employees value fitness and mental health benefits most, he noted.
What Programs Work
Gym subsidies remained the most common fitness benefit (53%), followed by onsite fitness (39%) and outdoor options (39%). But personalization is increasingly key. One-third of employers (33%) now offer wearables, apps, gamified challenges, or wellness aggregator platforms that allow employees to tailor their experience.
Mental health support is widespread, with 51% of organizations providing counseling services. Paid mental health days (45%), stress workshops (40%), and employee assistance programs (39%) were also common. On the financial side, retirement plans (47%) were in the lead, while education assistance and loan repayment programs were on the rise.
HR's Role: Overcoming Barriers
Despite broad support, CEOs remained concerned about engagement and cost. Thirty percent were worried employees won't use wellness benefits, while 29% cited expense and 27% said ROI is difficult to measure. Utilization often spikes early, then falls off — a challenge HR must address.
Regular reporting, multi-channel promotion, and leader advocacy all help increase participation. As Frank Giampietro, EY's chief wellbeing officer, noted: "When wellness becomes part of the culture, not just a benefit, adoption follows."
The full feature on workplace wellness programs is available to SHRM members. A separate feature on how HR can best present ROI data on workplace wellness to the C-suite is also available.
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