Survey shows nearly half of employers do not have a well-being strategy today

It will likely surprise few to learn that 86% of employers indicate mental health, stress and burnout are a top priority according to Willis Towers Watson (WTW) 2021 Wellbeing Diagnostic Survey. Awareness around all these topics has been on the rise, however action is slower to come. The survey, which received responses from 322 U.S. employers who employ 5.3 million workers, reports that 49% of employers indicate they have not yet formally articulated a well-being strategy; only a quarter of respondents said they have articulated and adopted one. Seventy-three percent of employer respondents suggest that within three years they plan to differentiate and customize their well-being program from other organizations to meet employee needs.

“The organizations that most effectively move the needle are those that develop a comprehensive strategy that supports all aspects of their employees’ wellbeing,” says Regina Ihrke, senior director, Health and Benefits, WTF. “It’s also important to articulate that strategy to employees, conduct manager training and measure effectiveness.”