Beyond Perks: Why Corporate Wellness Is Now a Business Imperative
By Pieter Taute
In boardrooms and HR departments across the world, one truth is becoming impossible to ignore: wellness at work isn’t just about yoga mats and fruit bowls—it’s about the very fabric of business performance and employee retention.
The 2024 Indeed Global Work Wellbeing Report, in partnership with Oxford University’s Wellbeing Research Centre, presents data that should serve as a wake-up call. With over 250 million data points from more than 25 million people across 19 countries, this is the most robust global snapshot we’ve ever had on work wellbeing. And the message is clear: when companies invest in the wellbeing of their people, they outperform those that don’t—on the stock market, in employee productivity, and in long-term resilience.
Wellness as a Signal of Strategic Maturity
Only 22% of people say they’re thriving at work. That’s not a statistic—it's a business crisis.
Corporate leaders often measure success through profitability, innovation, and market share. But investors are increasingly recognising another powerful indicator: the Work Wellbeing Score. According to Oxford's analysis, companies with high scores in employee happiness, purpose, satisfaction, and low stress significantly outperform stock market benchmarks. Their simulated portfolio—the Work Wellbeing 100—beat the S&P 500, Nasdaq Composite, and Russell 3000 over the last three years.
So what’s behind this connection?
It’s Not Just About Pay—It’s About People
While foundational needs like compensation and flexibility still matter, the most influential drivers of wellbeing are social: belonging, inclusion, and feeling energised at work. These are not intangible soft skills—they are strategic assets. Yet, global data shows we are consistently falling short in delivering them.
This has real consequences. Nearly 60% of respondents report feeling stressed at work most of the time. And stress doesn’t just affect morale—it drags down creativity, collaboration, and customer experience.
Companies like H&R Block, Delta Air Lines, and Accenture—leaders in the Work Wellbeing 100—have embedded wellness into their culture. Their investment in human capital shows up in their performance. They’ve made it clear that caring for employees isn’t a cost—it’s a competitive advantage.
Wellness Signals Culture. Culture Signals Value.
When your organization ranks high on the Workplace Wellness Index, you’re sending a message—to candidates, customers, and investors—that your company is future-ready. The index acts as a proxy for cultural health, leadership accountability, and operational sustainability.
Put simply: companies that care, do better. Not because it looks good on a careers page, but because wellbeing drives retention, engagement, and innovation. And in today’s economy, people are the only truly renewable source of competitive advantage.
What HR and Business Leaders Should Do Now
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Measure what matters: If you’re not actively tracking employee wellbeing, start. The four key indicators—happiness, purpose, satisfaction, and stress—are as vital as quarterly earnings.
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Close the experience gap: Prioritize inclusion and belonging. These aren’t just DEI issues—they’re performance levers.
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Tell your story: Your workplace wellness achievements should be as visible as your financial ones. Candidates are watching.
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Lead with care: Culture change starts at the top. Train your managers to be not just task-drivers, but trust-builders and energy-givers.
The Bottom Line
Work wellbeing is no longer a fringe HR concern—it’s a central pillar of business resilience and investor confidence. Leaders who embrace this shift won’t just survive the next disruption—they’ll define what success looks like beyond it.
Because in the end, investing in people isn’t charity. It’s strategy.