Why companies and organizations should invest in holistic wellness activities

Organizations worldwide are facing a growing number of challenges, exacerbed since the pandemic, and especially prominent for Gen Z and Millenials:

• High levels of stress, anxiety and burn-out (1);

• Poor mental health (1);

• Increased physical ailments;

• Growing levels of loneliness (33% worldwide) and depression;

• Lack of meaningful connection (emotionally, socially and/or spirituallly);

• High levels of disengagement and dissatisfaction, especially at work;

• Overall issues of insecurity and overwhelm (due to pandemy threats, climatechange, global inflation, digital overload, growth of AI, etc.).

(1) 25% of employees report burnout, 60% experienced at least one mental-health challenge (India=70%), globally=59% (McKinsey report)

These issues are corralated with higher absenteism, turnover, mistakes & accidents, as well as lower engagement, efficiency, productivity and job satisfaction.

Because of the increasidly growing costs linked to those issues (millions of dollars a year!),“many employers have responded by investing more into mental health & well-being than ever before (2)”, rightfully so!

(2) 80% of organizations globally offer some kind of wellness programs; yoga, meditation, well-being days, trainings, etc.

“Employment can and does have a profound impact on health, both positive and negative. Supportting optimal employee health could result in billions of them living longer, happier lives—while benefiting their employers. The global opportunity is equivalent to raising the global GDP by 4 to 12 % (benefiting employers, employees, their families, the societies in which they live, and government finances.)”

“Employee wellness programs have often been viewed as anice extra, not a strategic imperative. But the data showotherwise. The ROI on comprehensive, well-run employee wellness programs can be as high as 6 to 1 “(Harvard Business Review).