Every interaction shapes how employees view their future with your company. Whether you are refining existing initiatives or building a new framework, these actionable insights will improve the employee experience and empower employees to do their best work.

What is employee experience and why does it matter?

Employee experience (EX) includes every interaction employees have with your organization, starting on day one. It covers onboarding, career development, workplace culture and the day-to-day work environment. Each touchpoint shapes how employees feel about their role and their future with your company.

When organizations take a thoughtful approach to EX, they can better align employee needs with business goals. This helps create a workplace where employees feel supported, engaged and motivated. It also drives measurable results. According to the SHRM, 36% of workers in the U.S. ranked employee experience in the top two most important HR priorities. 

Focusing on EX doesn’t just benefit individual employees. It helps build a culture of trust and belonging that supports long-term success.

9 ways to build a better employee experience.

Here’s how to build a better employee experience:

1. Understand employees’ needs and wants.

Building a better employee experience starts with listening. Use employee feedback surveys and focus groups to understand what matters most to your employees. These surveys can uncover how supported employees feel by their managers and whether their roles align with their strengths. Then, take visible action based on that data. When employees see that their feedback drives change, trust and engagement increase.

2. Promote well-being through workplace initiatives.

Holistic well-being is personal, dynamic, subjective and multidimensional. It includes not only physical and mental health, but also social connection, financial stability and how people experience work. Coaching, care navigation, financial tools and culture-building initiatives can all play a role in helping employees feel supported in every area of life.

Our latest research shows a strong connection between well-being and employee engagement. According to the WebMD Health Services Center for Research, well-being scores among highly engaged employees were 70% more favorable than among disengaged employees. When well-being improves, so does the employee experience.

3. Create a seamless onboarding process.

First impressions matter. A strong onboarding program helps new employees feel welcome, understand expectations and get comfortable in their roles faster. Introduce new hires to their managers early on and clarify how their roles fit into the bigger picture. One way to do this? Give new hires a clear roadmap for their first 90 days.

4. Set clear expectations early on.

Starting a new job can feel overwhelming and uncertainty only makes it harder. Set performance expectations and check in regularly to help new employees build confidence. Employees are more likely to feel connected and motivated when managers provide consistent feedback.

5. Support employee growth and development.

Employees want to grow, not just in their roles, but throughout their careers. Offer opportunities like mentorship, leadership training or skill-building workshops to help them expand their strengths. Encourage managers to have regular development conversations and shape roles that evolve with each employee’s goals. Post internal job openings and support lateral moves to help employees grow within your organization.

6. Embrace a culture of collaboration and teamwork.

Strong teams fuel innovation. Encouraging cross-team collaboration through brainstorming sessions, project-based teams or company-wide initiatives helps employees feel connected and engaged. Managers play a key role in setting the tone for collaboration and making sure each team member understands their role and how it contributes to shared goals. Plus, when teams work well together, productivity and innovation naturally improve.

7. Keep top talent engaged.

Retaining high performers starts with creating a workplace where people feel supported and know their contributions matter. Engagement grows when employees are trusted to bring their strengths to the table and see the impact of their work. Recognize great performance, involve employees in meaningful decisions and check in often to understand what motivates them. While flexibility and well-being help, it’s purpose, autonomy and belonging that keep top talent invested.

8. Conduct structured performance reviews and career discussions.

While real-time feedback supports daily engagement, structured performance reviews set the stage for long-term growth. Quarterly check-ins provide clarity on progress and future goals. When managers treat these conversations as two-way discussions focused on performance and potential, they build trust and help shape evolving roles. This alignment helps employees grow in ways that also support organizational goals.

9. Maintain positive relationships during offboarding.

Employees’ last days at your company are just as important as their first. A smooth offboarding process like exit interviews, knowledge transfer sessions and alumni networks keeps the door open for future collaboration. Today’s departing employee could be tomorrow’s best rehire or brand advocate.

Leadership and HR shape the experience.

A great employee experience doesn’t just happen. It’s shaped by the people at the top. Leaders set the tone for workplace culture, while HR teams bring those ideas to life through structured programs and policies.

Leadership plays a big role in fostering trust. When managers communicate openly, recognize hard work and create space for honest conversations, employees feel more engaged and supported. Still, burnout is highest among in-office workers, 9% higher than hybrid and 3% higher than remote workers.

HR teams focus on turning strategy into action. They introduce well-being initiatives, solicit employee feedback through surveys and create career development plans that make work more meaningful. 

Feedback only works if you act on it.

Crafting a strong employee experience isn’t just about collecting feedback. It’s about taking action so that employees feel heard and valued. If employees raise concerns about workload or career growth, leadership should acknowledge the issue and communicate next steps. Sentiment analysis and anonymous surveys can help spot trends, but trust is built when employees see real follow-through.

When organizations commit to listening, responding and improving, employees feel more connected.

Organizations may face challenges in building an employee experience.

In the past several years, organizations have experienced changes in how they support different work arrangements, and many have struggled with how to adapt to hybrid work models. Finding the right balance between collaboration and flexibility in the workplace can be tricky, especially when some employees are remote while others are in the office.

Another challenge is aligning the employee experience with company culture. If employees don’t see leadership following through on company values, engagement efforts can feel hollow.

Ignoring these obstacles can lead to high turnover and low morale. That’s why it’s critical to listen to employees, adapt to changing needs and take a proactive approach to building a workplace where people feel valued.

How to measure the impact of employee experience initiatives.

Creating a great employee experience is one thing. Knowing if it’s working is another. Organizations can track progress through key metrics like employee engagement scores, retention rates and productivity levels. If engagement surveys show rising satisfaction or turnover rates start to drop, it’s a sign that initiatives are making an impact.

Real-time feedback tools help leaders identify trends. If data reveals that employees feel disconnected in a hybrid setup, leadership can introduce more virtual team-building activities or improve communication tools.

The key is to measure, learn and adjust. A good experience isn’t static. It evolves based on what employees need to feel supported and successful.

Designing an impactful employee experience starts here.

Creating a meaningful employee journey requires actionable strategies, ongoing evaluation and a commitment to improvement. By prioritizing initiatives like seamless onboarding, employee growth opportunities and workplace health initiatives, organizations build a workplace where employees feel valued and supported.

Treat employee experience as an ongoing effort rather than a one-time project. With a focus on engagement, communication and innovation, you can create a culture that attracts and retains top talent. Solutions like TINYpulse by WebMD Health Services support this effort by helping you gather real-time feedback, understand employee sentiment and take action.

Want to build a workplace where employees thrive? Contact WebMD Health Services today for expert strategies and solutions that drive employee well-being.

Employees across all industries are experiencing work-related mental health concerns.

While it’s true that things like family and relationships, financial worries, and physical health issues can have a major impact on our mental health, work continues to play a big role in our day-to-day stress and emotional well-being. In fact:

• The American Psychological Association found in 2023 that “workplace stress… remains at a concerning level, with 77% of workers having reported experiencing work-related stress in the last month.”

• The Society for Human Resources’ Employee Mental Health in 2024 Research Series found 45% of workers feel “emotionally drained” from their work, and 51% feel “used up” at the end of the workday. 

• The connection between work and mental health is so important that former U.S. Surgeon General published a Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being, outlining ways organizations can enable workers to thrive at work and at home.

Burnout rates are troubling across the globe.

While burnout is a distinct concept, research from WebMD Health Service’s Center for Research shows that burnout is closely linked with mental health. The current burnout rates both in the U.S. and abroad are startling. A study by McKinsey finds that 19-38% of workers from 14 different countries report burnout symptoms “sometimes, often or always.” WebMD Health Service’s 2024 Workplace and Employee Survey found one-third of employees are experiencing persistent burnout, and that employee perceptions of burnout increased over 25% from 2022 to 2024. Here’s what we found across different sectors of the workplace:

• Service-oriented sectors (education, government/public administration, healthcare and hospitality) reported low well-being scores across all measured dimensions (physical, work, social, mental health and financial).
• The burnout rate for business and professional services was 22% higher than hospitality, the sector that experienced the lowest burnout rate.
• When it comes to employee experience (including factors such as role clarity, autonomy, manager support, engagement and organizational care), which can influence engagement and mental health, service-oriented sectors typically reported lower ratings, while construction and business professional services reported the highest ratings across each dimension of employee experience.

State of employee mental health by industry.

Let’s take a closer look at mental health statistics in five different industries:

Oil and gas.

Workers in the oil and gas industry are under immense pressure to avoid mistakes that could result in loss of life and environmental destruction.¹ Jobs are highly physical, with long hours and difficult schedules in remote, isolated locations. Workers often struggle to get quality sleep and keep up a healthy diet. Moreover, with two-week shifts they’re away from the support of friends and family for extended periods of time.

Research has shown that workers in the oil and gas industry tend to experience a heightened level of psychological distress. Specifically, workers report anxiety and depression more frequently than the general population.²

In addition:

• The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that the extraction industry (oil, gas, minerals) is among the major occupation groups with the highest suicide rates: two times higher than the national rate for males and three times higher for females.³
• The CDC also finds workers in the construction and extraction occupation group had the highest drug overdose death rates (162.6 deaths per 100,000 workers).⁴
• 19% of oil and gas workers experience psychological disorders.⁵
• Occupational stressors in the oil and gas industry have a negative effect on safety, and mental health and fatigue are risk factors for workers.⁶
• Just 50% of oil and gas workers say empathy is a core part of their organization’s workplace culture.⁷
• Oil and gas workers are clamoring for increased flexibility in scheduling in order to meet the demands of work and life. But just 50-60% of employees in the industry say their leader is supportive when they need to change their work schedule.⁸

Technology.

The technology industry is known for its pressure-cooker environment. Employees work long hours, laser-focused on the next big breakthrough, and overwork is seen as a measure of dedication. The rapid pace of technological change (AI, for example) also means workers are under constant pressure to stay current and adaptable.

Recent developments are adding to mental health concerns. CIO Magazine reports that “the industry has seen mass layoffs amid growing demand to keep pace with constantly evolving technology. These factors are combining to create a state of exhaustion among IT workers, engineers, and cybersecurity pros.”⁹

In 2022, The Burnout Index surveyed 32,644 tech professionals across 33 countries and found:   

• 62% of tech professionals feel physically and emotionally drained due to the demands of their job.   
• 69% of women and 56% of men feel run down and drained of physical and emotional energy after a workday.  
• 2 in 5 of the workers surveyed show a high risk of burnout with 42% of these considering quitting their role in the next 6 months.  

Those in management roles are also feeling the pressure. According to a 2023 Mental Health in Tech Report, a “growing number of individuals in managerial roles within the tech industry are experiencing heightened levels of depression and anxiety.” The report also notes that 55% of respondents “admit to escalating controlled substance usage as a response to stress induced by the fear of potential job cuts.” 

Health care and health systems.

Perhaps more than any other industry, health care workers have experienced unprecedented stress and impacts to their mental health over the last five years. The COVID-19 pandemic ushered in longer working hours and an increased patient volume, leading to burnout and high rates of turnover in all aspects of health care. Amidst staffing shortages, these essential workers often faced anger and harassment from the public. The CDC links harassment to poor mental health, finding that in 2022 of those who experienced harassment on the job:

• 85% reported feelings of anxiety
• 60% reported feelings of depression
• 81% reported feelings of burnout

A report by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) finds that the current mental well-being of frontline health workers is still poor and many are considering leaving the industry, with stress and burnout cited as the main reasons.¹⁰  The NIH also indicates that high rates of depression appear to be a persistent problem which should be addressed as a public health priority.¹¹

The American Hospital Association cites a recent study revealing the following stats about health care workers:

• 93% of reported stress
• 86% reported anxiety
• 77% reported frustration
• 76% reported exhaustion and burnout
• 75% said they were overwhelmed

WebMD Health Service’s 2024 Workplace and Employee Survey also found the health care industry reported the lowest level of mental well-being relative to all other industries.

Manufacturing.

Manufacturing employees face unique stressors that contribute to mental health concerns. They work long hours at jobs that are often physically taxing and highly repetitive. Shifts run around the clock, meaning some workers’ sleep schedules are perpetually in flux, impacting overall health and safety on the job.

A study shows that the manufacturing industry ranks amongst the highest in terms of the prevalence of depression relative to other sectors¹², and this creates safety concerns. A report from the Manufacturers Alliance conducted by Big Health finds that “on-the-job injuries and accidents are more likely to occur when employees experience mental health difficulties like insomnia, anxiety, or depression.”

A study conducted by financial company The Standard found 54% of manufacturing workers know a coworker impacted by substance abuse or addiction. The same study also found that 30% of manufacturing respondents reported moderate mental distress, and of those respondents with mental health issues, 51% reported depression and 45% reported anxiety.

Rob Vallentine, a mental health advocate and expert writes: “The research continues to tell us that people in manufacturing are more likely to struggle with substance abuse, with suicidality and with other mental health concerns.”

Like many industries, layoffs can happen suddenly, creating financial stress. The industry is also dominated by males, a demographic that is less willing to open up about mental health concerns, leading to delays in treatment and the potential to turn to substance misuse to alleviate mental health symptoms.

Higher education.

Like health care, higher education is another industry that was particularly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The industry has also been impacted by the recent pushback against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and the pressure to conform to new federal directives that have affected many universities’ federal funding.

Whether stress and exhaustion is coming from the increased workload of faculty and staff in higher education, the need to carefully navigate DEI territory, or greater mental health needs and support required for the students they teach, a study finds 33% of faculty say they are often or always physically exhausted; 38% are often or always emotionally exhausted; 40% are worn out, and 50% feel that way every day.

The authors of the study say educators are burned out. They write, “Like many workers who struggle with low pay, lack of advancement opportunities and feeling disrespected, higher education faculty members struggle to keep it together because of exhaustion and the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.”¹³ A Healthy Minds Study backs up this sentiment, finding 57% of respondents said they feel burned out because of their work either somewhat, to a high degree, or to a very high degree.

Another study finds:

• About 10 percent of professors screened positive for symptoms of major depression on a patient health questionnaire.
• About half the sample report having at least one symptom of depression.
• One in five professors agree that supporting students in distress negatively impacts their own mental health.

WebMD Health Service’s Workplace and Employee Survey also finds that education workers reported the second highest level of feeling “overwhelmed” (a measure of burnout) compared to other industries studied.

Help prioritize workplace mental health with support from WebMD Health Services.

To some degree, work will always create a certain amount of stress that, when left unchecked, can negatively impact our mental health. But it’s clear from our review that unique factors within certain industries, as well as current events, play a role in how workers are feeling about their mental health today.

The bottom line for all employers—no matter what industry—is to offer employees the tools and resources to better cope with mental health concerns. Doing so has significant upsides for the business in terms of increased engagement, lower health care costs, reduced absenteeism/presenteeism, and reduced turnover.

WebMD Health Services has extensive experience creating well-being programs that cater to the unique needs of employees across a range of different industries. Contact us at connect@webmd.net or request a demo to learn how we can customize a well-being program for your organization.

At WebMD Health Services, we’ve spent almost three decades developing our research-backed solution to empower people and foster real change, improving health and well-being outcomes for the individuals we support and for our clients.

Behind these programs is our Center for Research—a team of researchers with deep expertise in behavioral science, epidemiology, industrial/organizational psychology, data science, psychometrics, mixed method research, advanced analytics, informatics, and other related fields.

Our focus at the Center is anchored in conducting research that provides the foundation of scientific evidence for our solution, directly informs product strategy, and advances our knowledge on issues relevant to workforce well-being and employee experience.

In addition, the Center for Research:

• Builds our understanding of the effectiveness of well-being programs and strategies;
• Demonstrates the value and impact of investment in well-being;
• Explores the relationship between organizational culture and the employee experience, emphasizing the importance of culture in driving organizational and individual change; and
• Defines best practices for program design and evaluation.

What has the Center for Research been up to?

2024 Workplace and Employee Survey

This research sought to understand trends and dynamics around employee perceptions of their work and workplace, including the impact of burnout and financial stress. We explored employee experience across generations as well as diversity, inclusion, equity and belonging, and how these factors relate to dimensions of well-being and burnout.

Measuring Participation: A Participation Index

This research is focused on building a body of evidence on the role of sustained participation in a well-being program. It is grounded in early research that demonstrated a clear linkage between program participation and health risk change over time (i.e., more participation over time resulted in more risk improvement over time). This study was recognized as one of the 25 most important studies in workplace health promotion for its contributions to the industry and was highlighted as Paper of the Year in 2019 by the American Journal of Health Promotion.

Behavior Change Framework

WebMD’s attention to behavior change is what sets us apart from the competition. Our Behavior Change Framework is designed to support participants’ well-being by guiding them through momentary (short-term) behavior change that leads to sustained (lasting) behavior change. The framework breaks the process of behavior change into four stages and can be applied to participants who want to make a new healthy change or those looking to maintain their current healthy behaviors. Within this framework we also acknowledge that any behavior change is not easy and requires a blend of both intrinsic motivation and the right environmental factors coming together at the right time to succeed. Our Framework was created by the Center Team to guide the design, development and evolution of our WebMD Health Services products and services.

Turning leading edge research into actionable strategies.

The Center for Research is committed to providing practical guidance and actionable strategies that empower our clients and individuals we support, and we strive to bring these insights into everyday practice.

For more information about how the Center for Research can help advance well-being in your organization, contact us at connect@webmd.net.

2024 was another challenging year for the workplace, resulting in the lowest levels of employee engagement we’ve seen in over a decade. Employers recognize that this unsettled environment is taking a toll on employees and now see well-being as an integral part of their workforce strategy.¹ In 2025, we’ll see employers remain committed to their investments in workplace wellness. Let’s explore a few areas where we predict employers will focus their efforts.

Trend #1: Burnout is real.

WebMD’s Center for Research conducted a study and found a third of all employees are experiencing persistent burnout. Employee perceptions of burnout also increased by over 25% from 2022 to 2024. Our research found increased levels of burnout among members of Gen X, senior managers and director level employees, and those working onsite versus more flexible work arrangements (e.g., hybrid).²

We defined burnout based on four primary dimensions: feeling emotionally drained, feeling negative about work, feeling unable to have an impact and feeling overwhelmed with workload. It’s not the day-to-day, short-term stress or pressures we might occasionally feel, but rather is something that is chronic, intense and unrelenting.

We know that individuals who experience burnout have higher absenteeism, decreased productivity, an impaired quality of work, and are more likely to be looking for a new job. Unfortunately, most employees say they don’t think their company is doing enough to prevent and improve burnout. To really move the needle on burnout, attention needs to be paid to both the employee-centered factors and to organizational-level factors.

So how will employers respond? We expect them to:

• Work to understand how burnout shows up within their organization and the driving forces around why it’s happening.
• Examine the work environment, workload, and managers’ expectations; create clarity around what is expected for the individual and their work.
• Dig into leadership strategy to understand the important role leaders play in setting the tone for how work gets done (see also Trend #4).
• Pay attention to employee voice, focusing on culture and fostering community through a holistic listening strategy so employees feel heard, seen and valued.

Trend #2: Benefits to support women’s well-being across their lifespan.

With five generations of women now in the workforce, there is a wider range of women’s health care needs employers must consider when developing their workplace well-being and benefits strategy—from the childbearing years to menopause and beyond.

Most organizations support the childbearing years well, but until recently we’ve not seen the same level of support for menopause and caregiving benefits. Over two million women enter menopause each year in the U.S.³ By 2030, the world population of menopausal and postmenopausal women is projected to increase to 1.2 billion, with 47 million new entrants each year.⁴ Women going through menopause are the fastest growing demographic in the workforce, and it’s estimated that 85% of women experience menopause symptoms at work⁵, impacting their overall productivity. Health care spending for women is also 21% higher than for men. So, with this as a backdrop, we’ll see employers:

• Continue to support women with preventive care, pre-conception planning, fertility benefits, and post-pregnancy support.
• Add new benefits to support the menopausal years, which might include access to Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), flexible work arrangements, and workplace accommodations.
• Raise awareness of menopause as a business issue, begin to normalize conversations about menopause and aging, and train managers to be supportive.
• Offer holistic caregiving support that includes resources for childcare and elder care, parental leave for new mothers and fathers, and family caregiver leave.
• Listen to what employees are asking for when it comes to the full spectrum of women’s health care needs.

Want to learn more about how to support menopause in the workplace? Check out our E-book: The Importance of Being a Menopause Friendly Workplace.

Trend #3: AI may be a potential catalyst for change in employee well-being.

We included AI in our trends list for 2024 and it’s obvious that this will be an ongoing topic of interest. As we look to 2025, we recognize the potential for AI to enable transformative innovations in the field of workplace well-being. Like last year, there’s still caution and reservation around applications of AI, especially when it comes to privacy, inappropriate use of data, and bias—and employers will need to overcome employees’ potential mistrust of AI. While we don’t expect organizations to use AI to replace the more clinical aspects of well-being, we do expect it to support the operational and the administrative aspects of their strategies, including:

• Optimizing the well-being experience using data analytics and aggregation to support personalized solutions and enable targeted communications;
• Helping with benefits administration and increasing benefits awareness; and
• Working closely with vendors to understand how and where AI is being used in their solutions.⁶

Trend #4: The role of leadership in fostering a culture of well-being.

Leaders have a profound impact on the success of employee well-being in any organization. When leaders prioritize well-being, it signals to employees that their health and happiness matters. This is critical because employees who feel their employer cares about their overall well-being are three times more likely to be engaged at work, less likely to report experiencing burnout, and more likely to be thriving in their overall lives.⁷ They’re also less likely to actively search for a new job, and five times more likely to strongly advocate for their company as a great place to work.⁸ What are the actions we’ll see to equip leaders with the skills to support employee well-being in 2025?

• Encourage open dialogue and communicate the importance of well-being to the entire organization.
• Create safe feedback loops for employees to share their opinions with leaders (employee listening).
• Include well-being in leadership training.
• Model the healthy behaviors they want their employees to practice and recognize leaders who prioritize well-being.
• Introduce accountability for well-being outcomes in performance plans.

Moving Forward

2025 holds a wealth of opportunities for organizations to elevate their corporate well-being strategies and create workplaces that prioritize and nurture the health and happiness of their employees. By embracing these workplace wellness trends, organizations can chart a path forward where well-being isn’t just a buzzword, but a fundamental pillar of organizational success.

It is clear that employers are in a position of influence here and that workforce well-being and culture have emerged as the essentials to drive business value. Over the next year employers will be asking the tough questions, like:

• How do we make work and the workplace better?
• What adjustments to workplace culture and the employee experience do we need to make retain employees, engage employees, and be successful?
• As an employer, how can we best enable our employees to navigate ongoing struggles that affect their holistic well-being?
• How can we best harness the power of new technology in ways that enhance well-being, rather than detract from it?

Of course, all of this is taking place against an extraordinarily tense backdrop of economic, environmental, and geopolitical uncertainty that creates higher stress and financial strain on our employees, solidifying what we’ve known for many years: employees need holistic well-being that encompasses more than just their physical health.

There is no going back now. Employees increasingly want employers to support them with their well-being. They’re looking to employers to help them solve the caregiving crisis, to assist with health concerns like obesity and provide equal support for menopause, and to allow for better work/life integration. Technology (AI) is being evaluated for the role it will play in bringing some of these solutions to employees.

We’re rounding up the discussion of all of these issues with our annual well-being trend analysis. Let’s dive in to our first trend for 2024.

Trend 1: The inextricable link between workplace well-being and employee engagement forces a sharper focus on work culture.

A wake-up call for employers.

Focusing on employee well-being isn’t just a nice-to-do, but a must-do. However, the last several years have convinced a critical mass of employers that well-being is inextricably linked to the engagement and productivity of the workforce and, consequently, the bottom line.

Employees themselves deserve much of the credit for pushing employers to think differently. The pandemic enabled workers to more openly question the traditional practice of treating the employee who logs off at 5PM as separate from the human being at home. They began to demand to be treated as a whole person and to insist that their overall well-being was something employers should care deeply about. And, as the Great Resignation proved, employees were willing to walk away from employers who didn’t respond to these expectations.

This is not to say that employers never cared about worker well-being. Many did. The difference is that they sometimes treated employee engagement and employee well-being as two different things, often looked at in isolation (think an engagement survey and a well-being survey). Yet what we know—and what Gallup noted in a study way back in 2015—is that workers with high well-being also tend to be highly engaged.¹ They’re less likely to miss work because of poor health, less likely to change employers, and more likely to report “excellent” performance in their role at work.²

Moving from simply offering employee well-being initiatives to integrating with workforce strategy.

So, it stands to reason that organizations that focus on improving the well-being of employees will likely achieve higher engagement. But are employers increasing their commitment to employee well-being? The data suggests that they are.

• Aon’s 2022-2023 Global Well-being Survey found that 87 percent of organizations have at least one well-being initiative, and 83 percent have an actual well-being strategy, an increase of more than 25 percentage points since 2020.³
• Mercer’s recent study found that 64% of employers plan to enhance health and well-being offerings in 2024.⁴

We’re also seeing signs that well-being is now viewed as a key part of workforce strategy, not a separate endeavor. Fidelity and Business Group on Health’s 2023 Health and Well-Being Survey found that in 2021, 42% of employers viewed their health and well-being strategy as an integral part of their workforce strategy. In 2023 that figure jumped to 66%, an increase of over 57%.⁵

Just as importantly, we are also seeing employers link well-being to broader business objectives. For example, the Aon study found that more than 80% of organizations are integrating well-being into their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I); Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG); Health and Safety; and Total Rewards programs.

What the reevaluation of work itself means for well-being.

Yet another shift is the reexamining of all aspects of the workplace that contribute to or detract from employee well-being. Workers are questioning long-held norms around work itself. Why should we prioritize work above all else? Who said we need to be available for work requests on nights and weekends? Why can’t work fit into life—instead of the other way around?

This shift has been fueled in part by younger generations who aren’t blanketly accepting that one should be defined by what they do for a living. They are setting boundaries around their work and their life. They want to feel connected to the organization’s mission and vision and to feel a part of something bigger than themselves.

And workers in general want workplaces to acknowledge that work plays a critical role in our mental well-being. A global study from the Workforce Institute at UKG found say their job is the biggest factor influencing their mental health. That same study found that managers have a greater impact on our mental health than doctors and therapists, and equal to that of spouses and partners.⁶

Employers will begin to expand the scope of what drives employee well-being.

Most organizations have recognized the link between employee engagement and well-being. But if employers don’t take that critical next step of examining work culture to uncover the underlying root causes that contribute to so much worker stress, burnout and poor mental health, it will be difficult to move the needle closer to a true culture of well-being.

We’ll see employers begin to address issues that we haven’t traditionally associated with well-being, but contribute mightily to it, including:

• A lack of trust between employees and the employer
• Norms around expected working hours and unrealistic workloads
• Social determinants of health
• Poor work/life balance
• Mismatch between skills and job requirements
• Lack of a sense of purpose/feeling disconnected from the organization’s mission/vision
• Poor managers
• Lack of recognition
• An environment that is not psychologically safe
• A lack of social connections or belonging at work

We’ll see an effort to focus on the things that employees need to feel valued, supported and engaged across all aspects of their well-being, including physical, emotional, and social connectedness. Enlightened employers in 2024 will focus on the elements of work that will help employees thrive, like these five factors identified by employees in a Mercer Global Talent Trends 2022-2023 study:⁷

• Feeling valued for my contributions;
• Work that fulfills me;
• Having fun at work;
• A sense of belonging; and
• Having a manager who advocates for me and provides meaningful feedback.

Trend 2: Obesity management, menopause and healthy aging are evolving priorities to support the holistic well-being of employees at work.

The objective of many programs with an employee well-being strategy is to keep employees healthy while reducing health care cost spend. But we know we can’t achieve that if we maintain a status quo approach. As new treatments, research, and trends come to the forefront, it’s our job to evaluate and re-evaluate solutions in order to recommend the right program expansions. For 2024, we’re looking at three new priorities around three long-standing challenges to support holistic employee well-being: obesity management, menopause and healthy aging.

Obesity management.

Obesity continues to be a major health concern in the United States:

• According to the CDC, 42% of U.S. adults are obese.⁸
• By 2030, it is estimated that 1 in 2 adults will be obese by 2030 and 1 in 4 will be severely obese..⁹
• Obesity prevalence rates are projected to be higher than 35% in all states and above 50% in 29 states.¹⁰
• Obesity is linked to heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer which are among the leading causes of preventable, premature death. The CDC estimates this translates to a medical cost of nearly $173 billion annually in the U.S. ¹¹

Newly available prescription drugs to treat obesity will shape the obesity discussion in the coming year.

Prescription drug options for treating obesity continue to dominate the media. This class of prescription drugs, known by several brand names, mimic the effects of a hormone that can help people feel full.¹² When used appropriately and with correct dosing in conjunction with appropriate lifestyle behavior modifications, these prescription medications can result in a significant amount of weight loss. Unfortunately, when lifestyle modifications and regular medication use are abandoned, weight loss may reverse. There are still many aspects of weight-loss medications to sort through, like the long-term effects of usage. Even so, the emergence of these drugs has started to change the conversation around obesity.

Obesity has long been thought of as a personal failure and a lack of willpower, a condition caused by eating too much and not exercising enough. Now, attitudes are starting to shift and there is general acknowledgement that obesity is a disease. As Dr. David Rind, chief medical officer for the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, noted: “It’s become more and more obvious over the years that obesity is a medical issue, not a lifestyle choice,” Rind said. “We’ve been waiting for drugs like this for a very long time.”¹³

According to new research released by Mercer, less than half of large employers currently cover the new generation of obesity drugs. But, an additional 18% are considering adding them to prescription drug coverage.¹⁴ Reducing the prevalence of obesity in the employee population can lead to a reduction in health care costs, which is inarguably good for employers, but many are worried about the short-term costs and how to develop reasonable policies around who gets access to these drugs. It will be interesting to continue to monitor the inclusion of these treatments under employee medical plans in the coming year.

Menopause.

Despite the fact that every woman will go through menopause at some point in her life, there has been shockingly little discussion about it. Until now.

A recent Mayo Clinic study found that the potential direct and indirect costs of absenteeism, lost work productivity, increased health care costs, and lost opportunities for career advancement caused by menopause are staggering. Additionally, according to the study, menopause costs American women an estimated $1.8 billion in lost working time per year.¹⁵ Moreover, menopause often takes place at a time when women are most likely to move into top leadership positions and be contributing meaningfully to the organization.¹⁶

So while millions of women have suffered in silence—enduring common menopause symptoms like hot flashes, brain fog, joint pain, insomnia, weight gain and anxiety that can last for six to 10 years—relief is on the horizon. Much of it is taking place in the workplace.

Progressive employers have realized that helping women during this phase of their life isn’t just a nice thing to do—it’s also critical to retaining and sustaining the engagement of a critical component of their workforce—women. Put simply, it’s not just an issue of gender and age, it’s a business issue.

We will see employers stepping up efforts here, including offering additional health care benefits, forming Employee Resource Groups, training managers to be more educated and empathetic about menopause, and offering workplace accommodations like additional leave and more flexible work schedules. These employers will break down the stigma of talking about menopause in the workplace, much like we have done with mental health. At WebMD Health Services, our Health Coaches are trained in women’s hormonal concerns and have been dispensing good advice regarding menopause for years. We’re excited that this issue is being more openly discussed in well-being circles like ours and in society in general.

The average life expectancy in the U.S. now exceeds 73 years for men and 79 years for women, and many people are living vibrant lives well into their 80s and 90s.¹⁷ Research by AARP¹⁸ and McKinsey¹⁹ finds that older adults view age as “just a number,” and are optimistic about their future. As the McKinsey study notes, it’s important to focus on capacity, not age, and recognize the potential that older individuals have to contribute meaningfully to the workplace long past 65, once considered the traditional age of retirement.

McKinsey found that purpose, stress, physical activity, lifelong learning, meaningful connections with others and financial security are the factors that most strongly influence our health as we age. Well-being programs are well-poised to deliver many solutions to help older employees age well and increase their healthspan, or the period of time individuals are enjoying good health as they age. Expect to see targeted campaigns focused on this cohort in 2024. Given that the 50-plus age group is expected to contribute $12.6 trillion to the U.S. economy by 2030, it’s easy to see how focusing on keeping this employee cohort happy, healthy and engaged is an important priority.

But it’s not just older workers we should be concerned about. By 2030, it’s estimated that Gen Z will make up about 30% of the workforce in the U.S.²⁰ By focusing on their well-being now, we’re investing in the longevity and sustaining power of our people.

Trend 3: Employers are taking a more proactive, preventive approach to employee mental health.

While the pandemic may have subsided, we’ve emerged into an uncertain economy, high inflation, escalating climate events, social discord at home, and war in Europe and the Middle East. These factors, combined with job-related and financial stress, are taking their toll on workers and leading to unprecedented levels of anxiety and depression in the workforce. Business Group on Health’s 2024 Large Employer Health Care Strategy Survey found that 77% percent of large employers reported an increase in the mental health needs among their workforce, with another 16% anticipating that mental health needs will continue to increase in the future.²¹

Workers also increasingly expect employers to support them with their mental health. A 2023 study by the American Psychological Association found that 92% of workers said:

• It is very (57%) or somewhat (35%) important to them to work for an organization that values their emotional and psychological well-being; and
• It is very (52%) or somewhat (40%) important to them to work for an organization that provides support for employee mental health.²²

As we discussed in Trend 1, employee well-being is linked to engagement and productivity. And so, in 2024, we’ll see employers step up with increased access to mental health support and services and a deeper, more considered approach to employee mental health that goes beyond simply checking the box, including:

• A year-round focus on mental health. There is considerable work to be done to continue break down the stigma of mental health in the workplace. For example, 43% of employees reported worrying that if they told their employer about a mental health condition, it would have a negative impact on them in the workplace. In 2024 we’ll see a more sustained effort by employers to reduce the stigma through campaigns that go beyond Mental Health Awareness Month. Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) will play a key part in expanding awareness and acting as a liaison between leadership and employees.
• Manager training. Managers play a critical role in tackling workplace mental health concerns. Not only are they the front line to employees when it comes to educating them about the resources available to them, they can also be a major source of the stress employees experience. We’ll see stepped-up efforts to educate managers in recognizing mental health issues among their workers (think mental health first aid training); support to help them become more flexible, empathetic leaders; and encouragement to more openly address mental health in all-employee forums.
• Expanded EAP services. In addition to increasing the number of free counseling sessions, employers will continue to promote the EAP’s services and make it easier for employees to access them. Part of this will entail communicating about what employees should expect when they call the EAP and emphasizing that the EAP is not just for serious mental health concerns, but also for everyday challenges that affect our well-being.
• Supplemental networks for virtual or in-person care. While most health plans provide some support for behavioral health services, it comes with restrictions that limit the amount of coverage and care people can receive. And, given the mental health provider shortage, it can be difficult to locate mental health providers who are taking on new patients. By expanding to networks that specialize in mental health services employees can gain greater access to care in a way that suits them—either in-person or virtually.

Trend 4: Artificial intelligence (AI) and the future of well-being solutions and their delivery – cautiously embracing.

 In 2023, it seemed AI was all we could talk about. Now that the dust has settled a bit, we’re reflecting on how AI may be applied in the well-being sector in 2024.

How AI will impact the future of workplace well-being.

From using AI-generated data to deliver the best possible well-being intervention at the right time and in exactly the right way, to enhancing and augmenting services that previously required human intervention, to being able to detect health risks early, there is certainly excitement about the possibilities AI brings to the world of well-being, but not surprisingly, some hesitations as well.

• Personalization. Well-being is inherently personal, so anything that enhances our ability to deliver personalized solutions is a game-changer. AI will allow well-being providers to provide more sophisticated and unique data-driven recommendations to individuals that incorporate their health status, preferences and behaviors. Additionally, employees can receive more information about their progress, which can sustain motivation and increase satisfaction and engagement. This will help organizations deliver solutions that truly resonate with participants and ideally lead to greater behavior change and overall satisfaction with the well-being program.
• Virtual well-being “assistants.” From nutrition advice to exercise suggestions to tips for managing stress, AI-based chatbot solutions can offer 24/7 tailored, personalized support while helping to build motivation to keep participants engaged in their well-being. And, given the shortage of mental health providers, these chatbots can serve as a short-term intervention while waiting to see a therapist. Plus, AI assistants continuously refine solutions based on user input, ensuring that recommendations are always on point.
• Early detection. AI-powered wearable devices have the capability to monitor biometric data like heart rate, sleep patterns and physical activity and determine if any of these indicate a potential health problem. If a risk is identified, the individual can receive the right intervention, potentially warding off a more serious (and costly) condition.²⁴ New AI solutions can also use people’s voices to detect signs and severity of mental health conditions to connect people to the right type of resources. These applications can also track mental health over time to determine whether specific interventions are effective.²⁵

Finally, AI can enable employers to become more targeted and efficient in their approach to employee mental health. For example, algorithms can analyze text-based communication (like employee surveys, chats, or emails) to detect signs of stress, burnout or other mental health issues, allowing companies to target the appropriate support to their workforces.²⁶ AI may even be able to foster a more inclusive work environment by helping organizations identify and address potential biases and discrimination that may be impacting employee well-being and mental health. AI can also help EAPs become more efficient in finding and recruiting counselors, processing new patient requests, and matching people with the right therapist.²⁷

Potential downsides of AI.

While there’s no doubt that AI presents interesting opportunities to maximize the value of well-being solutions, we’d be remiss if we didn’t address some of the pitfalls of AI when it comes to well-being. We know that AI is not foolproof and is only as good as the data it is trained on, so inaccuracies can happen. And, as we know, human behavior is unpredictable and complex, so even the best AI application may not be perfect. AI may also generate incorrect information or biased content. Therefore, quality assurances and validation should still be performed by human experts before leveraging AI content. There is also the trust factor. Well-being data is personal and employees may draw the line regarding how, when and where their private health information is utilized by their employer.

Finally, there will be situations where AI cannot take the place of genuine, thoughtful human interaction. As Brian Evergreen, founder and CEO of The Profitable Good Company, related in a recent podcast: “There are organizations who will automate anything and everything possible. And they’ll learn by feedback from the market that there are certain touch points of human experience that are critical.”²⁸ So, in the end, it will be up to us to decide how we can best channel the benefits of AI to address the well-being needs of our populations.

The workplace has gone through tremendous change over the past three and a half years.

The pandemic and shift to remote work; the Great Resignation; and “quiet quitting” are just a few of the monumental changes that have unsettled workplaces and upended traditional norms.

In the early days of the pandemic, worker productivity actually increased in spite of these shifts. McKinsey attributes the rise in productivity to the “bold and innovative response” many firms took, including rapidly shifting to online channels, automating production tasks, increasing operational efficiency and faster decision-making.

Now, however, worker productivity is declining and organizations understandably want to know why.

Some have cast blame on remote work, claiming that remote workers are less productive and more prone to distractions at home. Yet research has found that remote workers are actually 13% more productive than their in-office counterparts, less likely to take sick days and more likely to be satisfied with their jobs.

Certainly, more research needs to be conducted to determine the full impact of remote work on productivity. What is abundantly clear, however, is that there is a huge disconnect in the way employees feel about remote work and how managers view it: employees feel they are much more productive working remotely, while managers disagree.

Part of the disconnect may lie in the fact that managers can’t “see” the work being done, so they underestimate the number of hours employees are putting in, and also feel a general lack of control over the people they manage. This is leading many senior leaders to mandate in-office time, despite its unpopularity with their workforce.

Aside from the speculation and disconnect about remote work, what other factors might be contributing to the recent decline in worker productivity?

• An uncertain economic outlook. The threat of recession still looms, leading to hiring freezes and layoffs (particularly in the tech sector), which increase workload and reduce productivity for the employees who remain. Supply chain problems, geopolitical uncertainty, and extreme weather are also contributing to a general jitteriness in the economy.
• Personal financial insecurity. Workers are also feeling shaky as much of the savings they amassed during the pandemic have now been exhausted due to high inflation. As we know, employees who are worried about their finances are more likely to be distracted at work and often devote work hours to handling financial issues.
• Worker burnout. A survey by Aflac found that more than half (59%) of all American workers are experiencing at least moderate levels of burnout. The same survey found that 46% of workers felt their mental health has negatively impacted their productivity.
• Workforce turnover. The Great Resignation, during which an estimated 47 million Americans voluntarily quit their jobs to take a new job or exit the workforce altogether, has had a huge impact on workplaces.
• Lack of purpose at work. On the heels of the pandemic, many employees are questioning whether the work they do is fulfilling and meaningful. Lack of connection to a larger purpose can leave workers feeling less motivated and lead to “quiet quitting,” where employees do the bare minimum of work required.
• Poor employee engagement. Gallup’s State of the Global Workforce: 2023 Report found that while the percentage of engaged workers has increased slightly over the past year, the majority of the world’s employees (59%) still are not engaged, and 18% are actively disengaged. Gallup has long asserted that worker engagement is highly correlated with productivity.

10 things employers can do to shore up worker productivity

There is no one easy solution to boost productivity at work. Rather, a combination of efforts centered around well-being, clear expectations, feedback loops and skill building can help employees stay engaged and productive. Here are some examples:

1. Invest in employee well-being. A healthy employee is a productive employee, so offer a well-being program that gives your people the tools to focus on nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress management and resilience. Just as critical is the tone that leadership sets around the importance of employee well-being and self-care.

2. Set clear expectations around job responsibilities. When our priorities are unclear, or we don’t have a strong sense of the goals we need to achieve at work, we tend to spin. Younger members of the workforce, in particular, need clearly delineated objectives. Gallup recently found that less than four in 10 young or remote or hybrid employees clearly know what is expected of them at work.

3. Give managers the tools to be empathetic leaders. In today’s world, leaders need to practice empathy in order to get the best from their people. Offer training to upskill managers to demonstrate more caring, concern and understanding of the feelings and circumstances of their employees, and help them create psychologically safe workplaces. When people feel they can bring their authentic selves to work they will be more engaged and therefore more productive.

4. Provide access to training and learning and development. Sometimes a lack of productivity can be caused by a skills mismatch. Ensure people have access to training and learning and development programs that give them the right skills for the job, and the ability to continue to learn and grow in their roles.

5. Connect everyone to the larger purpose. Increasingly, employees want to feel that their work has meaning. Continually make the connection between work and how it ties in to the overall goals of the company, and the greater good in society, if applicable.

6. Communicate openly and frequently. Good communication starts at the top, so ensure there are multiple touchpoints with senior leaders who can keep employees updated on the organization’s performance and goals (see number 9). Also encourage managers to have regular check-ins with employees to check progress and align on priorities.

7. Encourage employees to take breaks. Contrary to popular belief, taking regular and frequent breaks during the work day tends to increase, not decrease, our focus and productivity. Breaks could include short meditations, a walk outside, or a quick fitness class.

8. Allow for flexibility. Not every employee does their best work from 9 to 5. If the business allows, let employees set work hours according to the times they’re personally most productive. This could also include compressed or four-day workweeks.

9. Offer tools to combat stress and burnout. Employees cite work as one of the greatest sources of stress in their lives, so it makes sense to offer tools to help them better manage stress before it leads to burnout. Apps or short courses that help people reframe negative thinking are effective.

10. Recognize and reward employees. Praising people formally or informally gives them a sense of accomplishment, makes employees feel valued for their work, and is a great motivator. Both manager-to-direct-report and peer-to-peer recognition can positively impact productivity. There are many ways to recognize employees—from formal recognition platforms to simple handwritten notes. The important thing is to make it a regular part of the culture.

When you come down to it, productivity in the workplace is really all about the employee experience. Workers who feel supported in their well-being, understand what’s expected of them, and feel equipped to make a meaningful contribution to something larger than themselves will naturally be more productive. If you’d like help for how to deal with worker productivity concerns in your organization, contact us at connect@webmd.net.

What are point solutions?

Because health plans and even well-being programs can’t address every employee need, organizations often contract with vendors to provide what are known as “point solutions.” Point solutions can take the form of a standalone app or digital tool that employees access from their mobile phones or a desktop. Examples of point solutions include help for diabetes management, musculoskeletal health, or weight management programs. Point solutions can also address mental health, such as text/chat therapy, mindfulness/meditation programs, and programs to reduce stress and increase resilience. In short, they’re a convenient way for employers and health plans to fill gaps in the benefits they provide to employees or members.

What is point solution fatigue?

It’s estimated that 50% of organizations today offer access to between four and nine point solutions—some say this number can reach 12.¹ While point solutions are great for ensuring that you’re providing the latest and greatest health and well-being benefits, when there are too many it can become confusing for participants to know where to go for what type of health care need. And this leads to point solution fatigue.

What are the risks in having too many point solutions?

The greatest risk is that participants might become so overwhelmed by the number of point solutions available that they abandon them altogether. But, perhaps most importantly, when participants must go to multiple apps for singular needs there is no sharing of information between apps, and each solution feels siloed and transactional versus holistic and outcomes-focused.

There are also risks to the business. From an administrative standpoint, you need the internal resources to juggle relationships with numerous vendors who only address one health care need. It’s also hard to track and measure overall improvements in employee well-being when results originate from various standalone solutions. And, of course, there’s the expense of vetting and contracting with numerous providers, not to mention software troubleshooting. Lastly, from a branding perspective, when there’s no consistent look and feel across well-being solutions, you lose that sense of cohesion in your program.

How can you be smart about the point solutions you offer?

Here are some tips:

• If you’re an employer, work with your health plan(s) to understand the specific health care needs of your population to help prioritize which concerns to address. Then segment your population so people receive information only about point solutions they’re likely to use.
• Since four in 10 adults in the U.S. are managing two or more chronic conditions, try to select solutions that can offer support in multiple areas of health.²
• Before signing on with a new vendor, do some due diligence to ensure that this kind of support isn’t already provided by an existing vendor.
• Understand how point solution vendors will communicate with employees and coordinate outreach among vendors so participants don’t feel bombarded with messages.
• Consider creating a microsite or well-being hub on your intranet homepage to offer a one-stop shop point of access to all your well-being solutions.
• Constantly reevaluate point solutions to determine whether they’re still relevant and in line with your employee engagement strategy. Health care and your employees’ needs are changing all the time, so you don’t want offerings to become stagnant.

Can well-being programs help solve the point solution fatigue problem?

We believe that having a comprehensive well-being platform – one that can assess participants’ current health and provide an array of personalized lifestyle and condition management solutions, daily habits programs, wellness challenges, social connections, and rewards and incentives – can help to eliminate the need for multiple standalone vendors.

But we do acknowledge that sometimes external vendors are necessary to get important programs and services to participants. For example, though we currently offer stress coaching specialists – and will soon have mental health coaching specialists – we recognize that if someone needs very specific mental health help or support, we’ll need to refer the participant to a client’s EAP or a health plan’s behavioral health services. The same is true for support for financial wellness, caregiving for an aging parent, and pain management.

That said, we are judicious about the point solutions we do add to our platform. We take care not to add multiple point solution vendors in one category because we vet and ensure we are offering the best. We think this is the best way to offer employees and members what they need while making the experience as seamless and user-friendly as possible.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

In summary, our strategic partnerships, services, and solutions empower organizations to create a well-rounded program that gives people the personalized tools and resources they need to achieve real results, without overloading them. If you’d like to learn more, please visit our website or contact us at connect@webmd.net.

Years of research from Gallup has found that employee engagement with work and well-being are both reciprocal and additive. In other words, each influences the future state of the other and both contribute to how employees act, feel and perform. Together, these factors serve as “a super-charger for a thriving, productive workplace.”

Let’s explore the specific ways working with a health coach can impact employee health and well-being and, in turn, engagement in the organization.

Health coaching for employees improves health and well-being.

Health coaching is an effective way to help your employees with one-on-one support on their well-being journey and has the potential to create positive change not only for an individual’s health but also for the health of the organization. Health coaching also gives employees the motivation and encouragement to start and keep working on health goals. Our research shows that engaging with a health coach is effective in helping employees improve their health by managing and reducing specific health risks, including smoking, physical inactivity, poor sleep, and emotional health.¹

Over 80% of employees who engage with the WebMD Health Services’ health coaching program achieve meaningful positive changes in their health. Specifically, coaching participants experienced meaningful improvements in exercise frequency, healthy eating practices, sleep habits and ability to manage stress.¹

Employees struggling with obesity who commit to working with a health coach have great success with weight loss. Through our Positively Me® program, we’ve helped one in three participants experience clinically meaningful weight loss of 3% or more of their starting weight.¹

Health coaching provides support for employees managing chronic conditions.

Six in 10 adults in the U.S. have at least one chronic disease, and four in 10 have two or more.² Chronic diseases—like heart disease, diabetes and cancer—are the leading drivers of the nation’s $4.5 trillion in annual healthcare expenditures.³ And, chronic conditions cost U.S. employers $575 billion and 1.5 billion days of lost productivity.⁴ Yet many of these conditions can be improved and better managed by making healthy lifestyle and behavior choices—which is precisely where a health coach for chronic conditions comes in.

For example, consider an employee who is newly diagnosed with diabetes. A health coach can create and facilitate a personalized plan of action to help this person:

• Understand the diet modifications they should make;
• Make a plan to increase physical activity; and
• Adhere to clinical recommendations and medications.

Our data shows that this type of one-on-one coaching for condition management (CM) can equip employees with the tools and support they need to make meaningful improvements in their health.

After working with a health coach, over half of our CM participants moved to a lower condition acuity (severity) level. More so, we have consistently reported improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol and BMI levels as well as improvements in clinical measures (e.g., medical adherence; A1C levels for employees with diabetes; use of beta-blockers and other drugs to control high blood pressure).

An analysis of WebMD’s book of business found that the expected number of inpatient hospital stays decreased by 21%. For each additional coaching session, it decreased by 8%. Emergency room visits also decreased by 16% after employees first engaged with a health coach. For each additional session, it decreased by 11%.¹

Improved health, better management and fewer setbacks due to chronic conditions means workers enjoy a better quality of life, miss fewer days of work, and are more productive when they are on the job. In fact, our research indicates that improved health risk drives productivity and decreases time away from work due to health issues.¹

Health coaching empowers people to be actively engaged in their healthcare.

Despite their best intentions, doctors often can’t spend time with patients to answer all of their questions or help them fully understand their treatment plan. This can leave patients feeling confused and unmotivated to actually change their behaviors.

There is a body of research that supports the connection of patient engagement (i.e., when employees are actively involved in their healthcare experience), to better health outcomes and lower costs. Employees who work with a health coach are enabled to become empowered to take control of their health because they have that extra layer of support. Plus, health coaches consider an employee’s lifestyle, responsibilities, time constraints, and current habits to make personalized recommendations that they can realistically implement—like making minor adjustments to what they buy at the grocery store, or relevant ways to get more movement in throughout the day.

Cultivate happier, healthier, and more productive employees with health coaching.

Adding the services of health coaches to your well-being program can help employees make tangible improvements in their health based on their own interests and goals. Health coaching also helps to reduce current and future health risks and lends support to those managing costly chronic conditions. Additionally, the presence of health coaches in an organization strengthens the culture of well-being and contributes to improved employee morale and productivity. If you’re interested in setting up a program for your organization that includes dedicated health coaches, visit our website or contact us at connect@webmd.net.

Several years ago, I remember there was a lot of discussion within the industry about how well-being programs are measured to show value or success.

WebMD Health Services and other well-being industry experts argued that the definition of success should be broadened beyond return on investment (ROI) as the primary success measure to include more holistic measures—like how a focus on well-being can lead to improved productivity, employee morale, retention, and job satisfaction. This is often termed “Value on Investment (VOI).”

And so, over the years, we have seen increased interest in measuring engagement as one indicator of well-being program success. Research supports this notion—in fact, a recent study found that the more people participated in their organization’s well-being program the greater their improvements in their health over time.

The challenge has been, of course, how to measure engagement.

Engagement defined.

We say a person is engaged if they’re fully committed and intrinsically motivated to pursue their well-being goals. They typically have an emotional connection to improving their health. They could be an active well-being program participant, or they may be pursuing their personal commitment to well-being through other pathways. Either way, they’re actively taking steps to improve their current health status.

Our view on engagement measurement.

To us, there’s never just one metric to track, or even one set of variables to analyze. Ultimately, engagement should be measured based on your organization’s goals, the type of program you offer, and how long your well-being program has been around. In other words, just as well-being is personal, the metrics used to measure engagement and ultimately program success are, too.

That said, we typically advise clients the following:

• First, look at participation metrics to get an idea of how well a program is being utilized. If you see a high level of participation for completing activities—like taking a health assessment, joining a wellness challenge, or finishing a Daily Habits Plan—then you know your well-being program is already successful at getting people to participate.
• From there, dig into the data to determine if there are indications of engagement, or deeper connections into the program. There are many things you can look at using our reporting tool, Core Insights. For example:
  • How are people connecting with certain programs? Do they click a dashboard card? Sign up for a Daily Habits Plan after receiving health assessment results?
  • How frequently are participants interacting with the program(s)?
  • Are people achieving their goals, or abandoning them mid-way through?
  • Do they keep coming back to participate in different ways? Are we seeing indications of repeated and regular connections?
• Lastly, do some qualitative analysis to gauge whether people are delighted with their program experience. This feedback can be gathered through quick pulse surveys conducted throughout the year or even incorporated into your organization’s employee surveys.

Other signs employees are engaged with their well-being program.

You can also look to macro trends as a way of determining engagement. Organizations with robust well-being programs will typically see:

• Evidence of a culture of well-being. The Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO) has defined a healthy workplace culture as one that is intentionally designed with elements that support health and well-being. Leadership actively supports well-being, the workplace environment enables well-being, and employees are involved, empowered and recognize their contributions—these are all signs that employees are engaged in well-being.¹
• An increase in employee engagement scores. Research in this area suggests that employee engagement with work and employee well-being are highly related concepts. Numerous studies indicate that a well employee is an engaged employee.
• Fewer sick days and presenteeism. Our research has shown a link between employee health and well-being and both time away from work and productivity. You may also see a reduction in disability claims over time.
• Higher productivity. Research shows that employees in good health are more likely to deliver optimal performance in the workplace.²
• Lower turnover. When employees are allowed to care for their well-being and mental health through a corporate well-being program, they tend to stick around.
• Positive impact on both health and financial outcomes. Research—and more research—shows that well-designed, comprehensive, evidence-based programs can achieve both positive health and financial outcomes.

Engagement measurement needs to evolve with your program.

Measuring engagement isn’t something you do once. It’s important to revisit your measurement strategy on a regular basis and adjust it as your program matures and evolves. How you define success within the context of your program will evolve over time. How you think about engagement is also likely to evolve over time.

For example, in the first year, a well-being program should focus on getting people to participate, such as completing their health assessment and participating in biometric screening opportunities. Over the next year you may start to see participation broadening and behavior change starting to take hold as people work to improve their current health status. As the program evolves, your focus will shift from simply monitoring program uptake and participation to how people are connecting with program on multiple levels and how this influences behavior.

In summary, measuring program performance and well-being program engagement requires commitment—but it can be done through planning and strategy and using the right combination of reporting tools, employee surveys, and larger organizational metrics. Want to learn more? Reach out to connect@webmd.net to learn more about our engagement strategies.

Many of us also use opportunities such as the start of a new year to set new health-oriented goals. However, when it comes to New Year’s resolutions, just eight percent of people actually remain committed long enough to accomplish them.² That may seem discouraging, but it is possible to make lasting change.

By utilizing the principles of behavioral science, organizations can encourage their employees and members to make healthy choices an ongoing part of their lifestyle. What exactly is behavioral science? Well, it’s a school of knowledge that examines human behavior and provides theories on how to best influence them. It can be used to develop effective strategies for encouraging your population to initiate healthy habits, discontinue unhealthy ones and work toward better well-being—even after their initial inspiration begins to fade.

Why behavioral science pays off.

Companies across the country are feeling the financial burden of the expenses associated with unhealthy lifestyle choices. This includes the cost of health care expenses, and it also includes the costs associated with lost productivity for individuals who are unable to work or fulfill the full duties of their job role. In fact, one out of every four dollars employers pay for health care is related to unhealthy lifestyle choices or conditions—despite the fact that most large employers have workplace well-being programs.³

The good news is, many of these health risks and their associated costs can be mitigated. When behavioral science is utilized for the development of well-being tools and programs, employees can have a better chance of achieving and maintaining a healthier lifestyle. They’ll be more likely to follow healthy habits such as exercising, eating healthy, avoiding tobacco and getting regular health screenings. Together, these lifestyle changes can help to prevent chronic conditions such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes—which account for 75 percent of the nation’s health spending. ⁴

How WebMD utilizes behavioral science.

WebMD is committed to ensuring our own employees have access to evidence-based resources to support them with living healthy lifestyles. To make this happen, our employee well-being strategy leverages four behavior science principles:

1. Inspire your audience.

Confidence is key when it comes to well-being. It’s important to help people feel assured that they have the ability to achieve their health goals, whether they’re managing a chronic condition or simply trying to get more steps in each day.

• Create a trigger and provide reinforcement – Utilize various forms of outreach and messaging (web, app, phone, mail) to inform, inspire and encourage people to engage in your well-being initiatives. As they engage and begin to make progress, follow-up with congratulatory messages, encouraging them to keep going and remain engaged.
• Avoid decision fatigue – Rather than overwhelming people with so many participation options that they don’t participate in anything at all, craft a program design that aligns with your key strategic initiatives. Focus on your population’s unique needs and desires.
• Leave room for personalization – Behavior science demonstrates a positive correlation between autonomy and satisfaction. Allow people to set their own health goals and determine their priorities. You may find that their satisfaction with your well-being program improves as a result.

2. Start with small steps.

For many people, focusing solely on long-term health goals can be so daunting that they’re discouraged from getting started at all. While people should be encouraged to pursue long-term goals, supporting them achieving shorter-term accomplishments along the way helps them to appreciate their success and builds the motivation and confidence they need to continue their efforts.

For example, remind individuals working toward a target weight goal that every time they tighten their belt size, they’re losing weight! And, that they can and should keep going.

3. Celebrate accomplishments.

People have an innate desire to complete a meaningful “chunk” of something. Providing recognition and rewards throughout a well-being program experience can be a great way to help people celebrate smaller health accomplishments. Rather than offering a large incentive at the end of a well-being  challenge, divide it into smaller rewards throughout the challenge.

4. Inspire new social norms.

What others say and do can influence the way we act. According to a recent study, people eat a more nutritious diet and get more exercise when they perceive their co-workers as eating healthy and being physically active.⁵

To inspire your population and make well-being the norm at your organization, encourage participation in health-oriented games and competitions. At WebMD, we offer The Invitational Team Steps Challenge. During the competition, employees join a five-person team and compete against their co-workers to see who can track the most steps over the course of five weeks. It’s fun, easy and helps to encourage our entire staff to keep moving throughout the day.

Lasting change and a healthier outlook.

Healthcare costs related to poor health behaviors can be a burden for organizations. According to a recent study, the average health care cost for a healthy employee is roughly $3,000, and roughly $10,000 for an employee with at least one medical condition. ⁶

Improving the health and mitigating the health care costs of your population will require you to leverage the evidence-based techniques of behavior science. By following these principles, you can help encourage people to make day-to-day changes that can lead to lasting long-term health.