Workers are increasingly receptive to receiving help. In Europe, 37 per cent of employees say they would prefer better support for their wellbeing over a 10 per cent salary increase, according to the TELUS Mental Health Index (MHI). In Singapore, that number is 46 per cent, while in the United States, 57 per cent of workers say they would consider switching to an employer offering the same pay but better wellbeing support. Organisations are responding – large companies spent an average of US$10.5 million on wellbeing programs in 2023, with global corporate spending projected to top US$94.6 billion by 2026.
Yet despite the ROI, clear demand and steep investment, employee engagement dropped in 2024 for only the second time in 12 years – a decline as steep as during pandemic lockdowns, according to Gallup. Anxiety, depression and chronic stress remain widespread across industries, costing organisations nearly 82.5 days in lost productivity per year per employee experiencing depression, and 75.5 days per year per employee experiencing anxiety, according to the MHI.
So where’s the disconnect? The answer often lies in how programs are designed and delivered. Even well-built programs can underperform when engagement, alignment or communication aren’t fully in place. Here are five common oversights that prevent wellbeing programs from realising their full potential.
The issue: Designing wellbeing programs from the top down without understanding what employees actually need.
The consequence: Low adoption and engagement rates, wasted resources.
The solution: Make meeting employees’ requests a top priority. Forty-eight per cent of HR professionals say addressing the needs of a diverse, multigenerational workforce drives their benefits decisions – more than cost, customisation or available options. Listening sessions, pulse surveys and open feedback channels can help organisations understand what employees truly want. One UK company held more than 50 employee workshops and multiple pulse surveys to co-design its wellbeing strategy, which led to measurable improvements in staff efficiency, engagement and culture. When we interviewed workers in Canada, for example, they mentioned that expert-led sessions on handling stress, mental health and physical health would be most beneficial.
The issue: Choosing one-size-fits-all solutions that ignore diverse employee needs and life stages.
The consequence: Critical life moments go unsupported, impacting productivity, engagement and retention.
The solution: Shift to programs that offer holistic support across the wellbeing continuum – from feeling well to struggling to feeling unwell. Each stage requires different types of support and intervention. These stages are not fixed points, but run along a spectrum that people naturally move across throughout their lives and careers. For example, up to 84 per cent of mid-career women experiencing menopause symptoms report a mostly negative effect on their work when unsupported. By contrast, when organisations make menopause support visible, they see measurable improvements in job satisfaction and engagement.
The issue: Tracking participation rates and app downloads instead of actual wellbeing impact.
The consequence: Programs that look successful on paper but fail to improve employee wellbeing or productivity.
The solution: Shift to outcome-based measurement frameworks that track employee satisfaction, absenteeism and health indicators rather than simple participation rates. The TELUS MHI survey, for example, helps leaders see where strain is rising before it shows up in absenteeism, burnout or turnover. In a recent New Zealand survey, workers with poor sleep had lower mental-health scores, productivity and concentration than those who slept well – showing how small wellbeing shifts can have a big impact on how employees show up at work.
The issue: Focusing on technology platforms without addressing change management, communication and manager training.
The consequence: Tools that employees don't use – or don't even know exist.
The solution: Invest in comprehensive rollout strategies that prioritise communication, education and ongoing support. Wellbeing-focused training equips managers with emotional intelligence and stress management skills, enabling them to model healthy behaviours and create psychologically safe environments. Regular check-ins can help identify burnout risks early and help ensure employees understand what’s available, how to access it and that using these resources won't impact their career prospects. In one study, teams that held monthly 30-minute leader-employee check-ins saw significantly lower burnout after a year.
The issue: Treating wellbeing as a standalone HR initiative that’s separate from business outcomes.
The consequence: Lack of leadership buy-in, unstable funding and difficulty sustaining programs long-term.
The solution: Integrate wellbeing into core business operations – from performance reviews to leadership goals and team metrics. When leaders see clear ROI in productivity, retention and culture, investment can become more sustainable. Research shows wellbeing initiatives can boost productivity by up to 21 per cent, with happier employees 13 per cent more productive, and organisations with a strong culture of health seeing lower turnover and stronger talent attraction.
Avoiding these mistakes requires a structured approach:
Wellbeing isn't just a benefit today. Organisations that get it right can build resilient, high-performing teams where employees thrive and business objectives are met.
Success requires sustained leadership commitment, cross-functional collaboration between HR, IT and operations, and clear communication about program value and usage. By avoiding common planning and implementation mistakes with a structured approach, leaders can build sustainable programs that can help deliver real results.