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By Rejoice Esi Asante (PhD) Declining mental health, poor work-life balance, a lack of psychological safety and leader support have been reported as the main issues affecting employee health and well-being in contemporary times. Many employees are experiencing burnout and workplace stress, working long hours and unable to disconnect, while others face unsupportive leaders or job insecurity. These challenges are associated with the new stresses of modern work environments coupled with the rise in the desire for flexible work models, decline in overall employee engagement and connection as well as technological changes. Mental health and stress are the leading cause of absence from work. The average number of absence days per employee per year according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) 2025 Report, has risen to 9.4 days, the highest in more than 15 years. The common causes of absences generally include mental health, stress, minor illnesses among others. Majority of organisations are now taking steps to identify and reduce stress in the workplace. Findings show that more employers are indeed taking mental health seriously and stepping up their efforts to increase awareness about it across their workforces (CIPD, 2025). The new global management system standard on occupational health and safety, ISO 45001, put physical, mental and cognitive health at its core, while driving high safety standards, which reflects the need to prevent occupational ill-health to bring quantifiable benefits to workers and the organization. Accordingly, the ISO standard, requires that health hazards are identified and controlled, including those classed as ‘psychosocial’ (workload, work hours, bullying etc), as well as those arising from other hazards (BS 45002.1:2018). Health risks at workplaces are increasing as a result of an ageing workforce (by 2050, 25% of the world’s population will be over 60 years), inactivity, mental health, obesity, smoking, alcohol and nutrition (Pillans, 2019). This article delves into the basis of employee health and well-being, that is why it matters and also the basics, examining the pillars of employee health and well-being. Employee Health and Well-being Employee health and well-being is a holistic concept that covers the physical, mental, emotional, and social health of individuals in the workplace. It also covers the happiness of employees within a workplace. Understanding it is crucial for creating a healthy and productive workplace. Its growing importance reflects an understanding that a healthy, supported workforce is a strategic asset for business success, not just a matter of corporate responsibility (Oyster Team, 2025). It reflects the overall physical, mental, and emotional state of the workforce—fashioned both in and out of the work environment. Health is defined as being free from illness or injury. Well-being is much broader, incorporating factors of mental health, including economic and social wellbeing. Physical well-being has to do with maintaining a healthy body, mental well-being, addressing psychological aspects of work life, including managing stress, fostering mental resilience, emotional well-being focusing on creating an environment where employees can express their emotions including happiness, and social well-being which highlights the importance of building strong relationships and supporting networks within the workplace, to foster a sense of belonging and community (Atoss.com n/d). The World Health Organization’s (WHO) holds a holistic approach of health, incorporating wellbeing, ‘the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy’ (WHO, n/d). Wellbeing in the workplace is about helping people to maximize their physical and mental health (Pillans, 2019). The world, especially countries in the West, are witnessing a shift in emphasis around health and wellbeing at work, focusing on promoting mental wellbeing and supporting healthy lifestyles. There are safer and healthier workplaces now than there have ever been. The International Labour Organization (ILO) states that “Workplace wellbeing relates to all aspects of working life, from the quality and safety of the physical environment, to how workers feel about their work, their working environment, the climate at work and work organization (CIPD, 2007). Considering Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, once the basic needs within the workplace are met first, i.e. occupational health and safety, the foundation, the basic needs within the workplace, then people can move up the hierarchy (Maslow, 1954). Workplace wellbeing can help to fulfil the self-fulfillment aspects of Maslow’s hierarchy. Research shows that over the last century the incidence of injuries at work has fallen, the risk of death by communicable disease has decreased while advances in treatments for diseases such as cancer have also reduced death rates. However, the incidence of ‘lifestyle’ diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes are on the increase (Pillans, 2019). The Basis – Why it Matters? ‘Health’ is now a global public policy issue with an increased focus on disease prevention and reducing mortality. Increases in chronic health conditions due to poor health lifestyles and the social determinants of health, shaped by economic activities and global policy. This can be seen in initiatives such as the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. As a result, health risks and health promotion within the workplace are receiving renewed focus and being considered within the global context of public health policy (Field. K, n/d). Employee well-being also matters because increase productivity and performance, high retention rates, reduced absenteeism and healthcare costs, improved company culture and reputation as well as burnout, can be achieved. A Report on Health and Wellbeing at work 2025, show that 52% of workers reported feeling bored while 62% reported feeling miserable, another 63% reported feeling lonely. Although in the minority, often feeling exhausted and under pressure, should be of concern to employers since these factors can lead to stress, potentially raising the risk for negative employee outcomes (CIPD, 2025). The drivers and outcomes of poor physical and mental health, were found to include poor physical and mental health, a number of correlating workplace factors like high workloads, being put under excessive pressure, exhaustion, poor relationships with colleagues and poor perceptions of line managers are all associated with a greater feeling that work affects health negatively. Poor health and well-being of employees can have devastating influence on organization and it is important to understand the negative impacts. Employee health and well-being is crucial for organizations aiming to create supportive, productive work environments. According to the Oyster Team (2025), factors that affect employee wellness including ineffective onboarding (creating uncertainty about employee roles and responsibilities), lack of engagement strategies (feelings of being undervalued and disconnected from the organization’s mission), unsupportive leadership (lack of adequate guidance, feedback, or encouragement, plus authoritarian management styles), uncertainties about career stability (job insecurity leading to heightened anxiety) and poor work-life balance (long work hours and insufficient rest periods), among others can lead to increased stress and decreased engagement, reduced productivity and higher turnover rates, increased risk of psychological distress among team members, negatively impact mental health and job performance and cause depression, exhaustion, and anxiety. These can be curbed or reduced drastically by investing in the health and psychological well-being of employees. Investing in employee health and psychological well-being at work goes a long way to enhance organizational performance and workplace culture and other benefits. The American Psychological Association’s (APA), 2023 notes that investing in Employee Wellbeing Increases Profitability (Narvaez, 2024). Ample studies provide data-driven evidence that shows how investing in employee wellbeing can increase profitability. Majority (57%) of employees say work-related stress negatively affects their performance as they feel more workplace burnout, many of them report lower productivity, emotional exhaustion, feeling unmotivated, and a desire to leave their jobs. All of these issues directly influence a company’s profitability, meanwhile a lot of company leaders underestimate these struggles (Narvaez, 2024). The benefits of investing in health and wellbeing in the workplace contributes 44% better employee morale and engagement, 35% increase in healthier and more inclusive culture and 31% of lower sickness and absence. Studies show that well-designed wellness programs have a return on investment of $1.50 to $3 per dollar spent over a two- to nine-year period. Thriving and healthy workforces typically perform 2.2 times above average compared with organizations who don’t invest in their employees’ health and well-being (CIPD, 2018; US Chamber of Commerce, 2016; Black Dog Institute, Australia). The Basics – Pillars of Employee Health and Well-being Reports show that globally, 31% of adults don’t get enough physical activity which is problematic because inactive lifestyles put people at higher risk of diseases like Type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Physical activity is known to improve cognitive functions, which makes it easier for people to concentrate and perform tasks more efficiently. A healthy workforce could also lead to lower insurance premiums which accounts for 7.9% of employee compensation, on average (Narvaez, 2024). The Oyster Team (2025) observes that professional growth and fulfillment, meaningful relationships and connections, belonging and shared purpose, physical health and well-being and financial security and peace of mind, when addressed holistically, can empower employees to thrive in and out of the work environment, forming the pillars of employee health and well-being. Additionally, mental, emotional or psychological well-being as well as financial, career and social well-being form important pillars of employee health and well-being. The World Health Organization (WHO) healthy workplace model emphasizes the need to improve, mobilise and assemble physical work environment, assess and prioritise personal health resources, plan, improve, evaluate and execute psychosocial work environments, while ensuring leadership engagement, work involvement and ethics and values. The model identifies five keys to success, i. e. leadership commitment and engagement, involve workers and their representatives, business ethics and legality, the use a systematic, comprehensive process to ensure effectiveness and continual improvement and sustainability and integration (CIPD, 2018). Key Challenges and Strategies to Adopt To ensure employee health and well-being, it is important for organisations to address the following challenges: low employee engagement, lack of management buy-in, budget constraints, the one-size-fits-all approach as well as address remote work concerns. The Oyster Team (2024) suggested six initiatives that employers can implement to enhance the overall well-being of their workforce: creating a workplace culture where employees feel heard and valued, ensuring ongoing support and addressing concerns proactively, offering resources that promote physical and mental well-being, helping employees grow and stay engaged through meaningful guidance, supporting employees with perks and rewards that enhance their overall quality of life and implementing flexible work arrangements to promote work-life balance. Practices suggested in literature include adopting holistic strategies to address all dimensions of well-being, including mental and financial aspects, including the need to measure and evaluate programs, investing and securing future funding, gaining management support, listening to employees, cultivating a supportive culture and providing professional development opportunities. Atoss.com (n/d) also highlighted key trends such as the shift towards remote and hybrid work models, increasing awareness of mental health issues, the rise in digital tool usage for work and digital well-being, trend towards personalization, a focus on social connectivity, sustainability, inclusivity and diversity efforts, financial well-being support, continuous learning and growth, which are increasingly being recognized as essential to employee well-being. To conclude, it is important that the basis and the basics of employee health and well-being become the responsibility of all. Employers and employees owe it duty to ensure health and well-being by supporting organisations to drive strategies and overcome lack of engagement and unwillingness to participate. The three key recommendations to Human Resource Managers by CIPD Report, 2020, are to build mentally healthy workplaces based on prevention, investing in managers to boost employee well-being and making more of occupational health (OH).
