The ROI Debate on Workplace Wellbeing

How to ensure your workplace wellbeing program produces a positive return on investment year after year.

Every now and again we come across articles that suggest workplace wellbeing programs do not achieve a positive return on investment. We also sometimes hear this from people leaders who have previously implemented wellbeing initiatives, and unfortunately, are later left questioning the initiative’s value.

Research questioning these programs often focuses on the premise that a successful wellbeing program will improve the health status of employees. It is hoped that this improvement in employee health will translate into a positive return for the organisation. This can include reducing sickness absence, improving productivity, reducing workplace injuries, and reducing employee turnover.

This blog post is not about questioning the quality of the data, the methodology, or the size of the sample used. It is not about highlighting all of the intangible benefits a program provides. It is also not about emphasising all of the research articles or our very own case studies that demonstrate that workplace wellbeing programs do deliver a positive return on investment. Instead, this article focuses on the approach we take to help maximise the benefits an organisation can gain from a well-designed program.

Our approach is a little different.

Yes, our primary focus is to improve people’s lives and we primarily work to facilitate this by helping people to enhance their wellbeing. Where we tend to buck the trend however is that we choose to broaden workplace wellbeing programs to focus on so much more than simply improving the ‘health status’ of your employees. Sure, our programs achieve this, but by helping an organisation to reach its broader strategic objectives, we can achieve a much greater return on investment.

If the program can influence employee behaviour through a formalised behaviour change framework, coupled with a high degree of customisation, the program is more likely to enable the organisation to achieve a positive return on investment.

Consider these examples as part of a workplace wellbeing program vs. those that focus only on ‘health improvement’:

• Enhancing an organisations brand awareness in the community by creating a program that specifically allows family, friends and third-party providers to participate.
• Educating front-line staff to better communicate and effectively interact with current and potential new business customers.
• Take employees on a journey of self-discovery to uncover unconscious bias to create a more inclusive and cohesive working environment.
• Engage a global workforce to learn about the organisation’s global supply chain to enhance cohesion.
• Promote awareness of fraud in a fun and engaging way to ensure staff are looking after themselves and their customers.
• Challenge employees to learn about different cultures and languages to celebrate diversity.
• Guide employees to identify behaviours and strategies that improve understanding and promote the organisations values.

Each of these programs can be effectively integrated into a workplace wellbeing program to increase its return on investment.

Key Recommendations

For anyone looking to implement an effective wellbeing program to achieve a positive return on investment:

• Ensure that whatever program you implement, it is built on a formalised behaviour change framework.
• Ensure that the program can be heavily customised to meet your organisation’s specific requirements and broader strategic objectives.