Employee wellbeing is one factor that companies have been struggling to embrace for a long time now. Historically, it was the least concerning issue among employers, as they were not bothered about the satisfaction or the challenges of the employees' workloads in daily work life.

With cutting-edge technology, as companies thrive for their excellence, employers' expectations of work rise significantly. These challenging times impact significantly on an employee's overall wellbeing.

Why Do Employees' Health and Wellness Matter?

From product development to sales, employees form the very backbone of your organization. They are the heart and soul of the business. Unhealthy and sick employees are prone to absenteeism, decreased productivity, and higher job turnover.

It is a wake-up call for employers to consider investing heavily in wellbeing initiatives for their employees' fitness and satisfaction.

20 Interesting Employee Wellbeing Statistics Every Leader Needs To Know

Here is a list of research and statistics that shows many aspects of employee health and wellness as your reference.

1. 52% of 1153 remote employees said they were mistreated and shunned by their coworkers.

A Harvard business review found that employees who worked from home for some of their work lives experienced mistreatment and distrust from colleagues who came to the office.

Backbiting, slagging, and misunderstandings during group projects are among the main concerns among remote workers. 84% reported dragging their worries for a few days to weeks, doing the work challenging with the team.

2. 41% of remote employees surveyed felt more stressed than office workers.

Unplugging from work and work-life balance are affected while working remotely. It leads to stress and engagement issues among remote workers. Also, a joint ILO-Eurofound report revealed that remote employees experience stress compared to only a quarter of office employees.

3. 83% of disabled remote workers said it helped them continue their careers.

As the entire world has shifted to remote working, Policy Connect reports that remote working is the most sought-after means of continuing one's work.

As per GitLab's Global Remote Work, 14% of remote employees have some disability or chronic illness. These employees can contribute to the workplace because they work from home.

4. 49% of employees enjoy more flexibility while working from home.

The annual report by Flexjobs reports that employees enjoy flexibility perks while working from home. It helps them save on travel and food expenses.

76% of employees preferred working from home because of work-life balance. They can spend quality time with their family, which helps them reduce stress. 97% report that flexible jobs impact positively on their lives.

5. 59% of US employees want to continue working remotely after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 62% of American employees started working from home in March. Gallup's study reports that 59% of them will prefer their post-Covid 19 lifestyles even when the office reopens.

6. 19% of remote workers struggle with emotional stress and loneliness.

In Buffer's annual report, "State of Remote Work," 19% of 2500 surveyed employees reported facing struggles and loneliness while working from home. Miscommunication and unavailability of resources make the job much more challenging as sometimes they have to work alone without any help.

7. 76% of respondents agreed that some type of wellness initiative should be offered.

Research by SHRM indicated that three-quarters of respondents offered wellness programs, resources, or services to their employees. Among these respondents, 50% reported increased employee participation than in previous years.

8. Nine out of ten businesses have at least one wellness initiative.

IFEBP, in its 2017 wellness trends report, indicates that organizations were involved in offering wellness initiatives. More than 9 in 10 offered a wellness program, where on average such programs were continued for 7.6 years.

9. Smoking cessation tops the list as the most popular physical wellbeing program.

With a 91% vote, Fidelity, in its 2017 survey, reports that smoking cessation tops the chart in physical wellness programs. It is followed by physical activities (86%) and weight management (79%).

10. Financial security programs are popular.

In its 8th annual survey of health and wellbeing, Fidelity reported that 84% of companies offer financial security programs like debt management tools or loan counseling. These initiatives have increased their popularity by 76% as compared to the previous year.

Economic security programs are the third-most popular offering, following physical well-being programs (95 percent) and emotional health programs (87 percent).

11. 59% of respondents agreed that investing in employee health and wellness programs can lower healthcare costs.

A study by NSBA reports that offering workplace wellness programs is useful for saving employee healthcare costs. Employees who participate religiously in wellness programs are physically active and feel less sick.

These healthy employees are more productive and agile at work, which helps produce quality results and customer service.

12. Well-structured wellness programs offer a higher return on investment value.

Considering the return on investment (ROI) factor is essential when accessing wellness programs. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, investing in well-designed health and wellness programs can bring a higher ROI value of $1.50 to $3 per dollar.

More and more companies are investing in wellness programs to reduce injuries and other health issues. Also, a study by ISDH reports that for every dollar invested in wellness programs, the organization can save $5.82 in lower employee absenteeism costs.

14. 77% of employees believe that wellness programs have a positive impact on workplace culture.

A survey carried out by Virgin HealthMiles Inc. and Workforce Management Magazine reports that health and wellness programs help in elevating the culture of wellness at work.

This study found that the fitness of employees and the organization share a common bond. Keeping a check on your employee's health results in job morale, commitment, and satisfaction. 16% of employees' work adversely affects their sleep, according to health and wellness statistics.

15.16% of employees' work adversely affects their sleep, according to health and wellness statistics.

Stress in the workplace has caused a lot of mental health issues for employees. According to the study, 16% of professionals admitted that their sleep patterns were affected, preventing them from sound sleep.

When there is a lack of sleep, it leads to a deterioration of health. As a result, employees can suffer from anxiety and depression.

16. At least 25% of the employees at the workplace feel drained out.

During working hours, it is easy to get drained out due to work deadlines or work pressure. According to CareerBuilder’s study, one–quarter of employees feel drained out and exhausted at the end of the day and 20-30% of employees feel anxious and have high levels of absenteeism due to job motivation.

17. Because of workplace wellness programs, 61% of employees could make better lifestyle choices.

According to statistics on wellness programs in the workplace, 61% of employees revealed that companies that encouraged fitness programs helped them make better lifestyle choices.

Encouraging fitness in the workplace helps to foster employee health. It also leads to better productivity and job satisfaction.

18. 77% of employees think that encouraging corporate fitness programs at the workplace enhances the company's culture.

According to the American Psychological Association, 77% of workers admitted that corporate fitness programs affect the company's culture. Only 17% would recommend the company as an excellent place to work.

19. Employees who believe their voices are heard 4.6 times more often feel empowered and are more likely to perform well.

According to a study, employees' voices need to be heard to bring equality and inclusiveness to the workplace. Employees are likely to perform better where there is more significant gender and ethnic diversity.

Companies can make better decisions and strategies when they get a broader range of perspectives from various societies.

20. 96% of employees believe in showing empathy to promote employee retention.

Empathy is an essential part of emotional intelligence. It is also the ability to feel other people's emotions and also manage one's own emotions.

According to a study, empathy in the workplace showed mixed results. Almost 95% of CEOs feel that their organization is empathic. When the culture of empathy is incorporated into an organization, employees feel respected and valued.