Wellbeing in the Workplace 2025: Small Steps, Lasting Impact

People aren’t just looking for benefits—they’re looking for something they can actually use. 

One thing is becoming clearer in 2025: employees are turning to wellbeing supports that feel practical and easy to integrate into daily life. The stressors may be complex, but the solutions that gain traction are the ones that feel doable.

Resources like short meditations, desk-friendly movement, and everyday habit builders are examples of the kinds of tools employees may find approachable. For HR, weaving in practical options like these can help wellbeing efforts feel more usable.

What is wellbeing in the workplace? 

Health and wellbeing in the workplace goes beyond programs or perks. It’s about creating conditions where employees feel supported—mentally, physically, socially, and financially—so they can focus, contribute, and stay engaged. 

When wellbeing is missing, the early warning sign is often presenteeism: employees who log in or show up, but lack energy and focus. It’s a quiet drag on morale, safety, and performance, and it often comes before absenteeism or burnout.  

Employees are seeking support that fits into their real lives. The stressors are complex, but the solutions that work are the ones that feel doable.

Why is wellbeing important in the workplace? 

Because disengagement is costly. According to Gallup, disengaged employees cost the global economy $8.8 trillion in lost productivity—roughly 9% of GDP. And the 2025 Workplace Wellness Report confirms the connection between burnout, presenteeism, and turnover. 

For HR leaders, the takeaway is that wellbeing isn’t an add-on—it’s directly tied to retention, productivity, and culture. 

How do you promote wellbeing in the workplace? 

Wellbeing at work is shaped by culture, leadership, policies, and benefits. But for employees, it often comes down to one question: can I get the support I need, when I need it? That’s why a vital part of any wellbeing strategy is offering expert-led resources in flexible formats—available anytime, anywhere, without barriers. 

The types of support that resonate most are often the ones that feel simple and practical, including: 

• Resilience and mindfulness: guided meditations, stress-release practices, and quick resets. 

• Mental health support: on-demand tools for coping skills, stress management, and self-care. 

• Physical health in routines: desk-friendly stretches, short yoga flows, and everyday movement tips. 

• Everyday wellbeing habits: journaling, nutrition, and habit-building tools for sustainable change. 

The common thread is clear—when support feels relevant and achievable, employees are far more likely to embrace it.  

What’s emerging in workplace wellbeing this year?

In workplace wellbeing, a few themes continue to come through—such as mindfulness in short bursts, guidance for building sustainable habits, and everyday health woven into routines. These reflect the kinds of supports employees are most likely to embrace because they fit into real lives, not ideal ones.

Mindfulness and stress relief in short bursts
From short meditations to guided breathing exercises, employees often turn to quick, calming tools they can use without disrupting their day. They may not have an hour to unplug—but they will use a resource that fits between meetings, helping them reset and refocus in the moment.

Guidance on building sustainable habits
Resources that help with journaling, mindfulness, or other everyday practices remain popular because they provide frameworks that turn intent into consistent action.

Everyday health woven into routines
Content around nutrition and non-exercise movement, like desk-friendly yoga or short stretch flows, resonates because it makes health achievable within the workday itself.

For HR leaders, these themes point to the value of small, doable actions that build resilience over time. Embedding this kind of support into strategy increases the likelihood of uptake and long-term impact.

💡 Better Days Start with Better Nights
Rest fuels everything—from focus and productivity to mood and resilience. Watch this quick video to see how LifeSpeak supports healthier sleep, one habit at a time.

What do these trends mean for HR leaders?

What resonates most are short, approachable, on-demand resources that fit into the reality of employees’ lives. That’s exactly why LifeSpeak focuses on making wellbeing support simple, flexible, and grounded in expert guidance.

That’s where the right wellbeing solution matters. LifeSpeak’s practical, expert-led content that helps employees build sustainable habits in mental health, resilience, fitness, nutrition, and beyond. 

For HR and benefits teams, the takeaway is simple: 

• Lead with relevance. Highlight high-interest topics like mindfulness, stress relief, and healthy routines in your internal communications. 

• Pair benefits with everyday tools. Core health offerings gain traction when complemented by approachable resources people can use right away. 

• Design for flexibility. Formats that work across job types, schedules, and environments ensure no employee is left behind. 

• Support your managers. Supporting your managers is just as critical—leaders need resources of their own to model and sustain wellbeing. 

• Lower the barriers. Private, on-demand access gives employees the freedom to engage when and how they need it. 

When wellbeing feels approachable and aligned with real needs, employees engage. With expert-led, on-demand resources, HR teams can turn that engagement into measurable outcomes—for individuals and for the business. 

Key takeaways 

• Provide tools that are short, practical, and easy to fit into the workday.

• Mindfulness, resilience, and everyday movement continue to resonate. 

• Support that feels approachable, flexible, and on-demand lowers barriers and boosts usage. 

• HR leaders who align benefits with these themes are more likely to see stronger engagement, retention, and performance. 

Want to go deeper? 

The Workplace Wellness Report unpacks how whole-person support impacts performance, safety, and retention—with employer case studies and outcome data. 

Download the Workplace Wellness Report today to see the full trends and insights shaping wellbeing in the workplace. 

FAQ: Wellbeing in the Workplace 

What is wellbeing in the workplace?

Wellbeing in the workplace means creating conditions that support employees’ mental, physical, social, and financial health so they can focus, contribute, and stay engaged.

Why is wellbeing important at work?

Employee wellbeing directly impacts engagement, retention, and productivity. Gallup estimates disengagement costs the global economy $8.8 trillion—about 9% of GDP.

How can HR promote wellbeing in the workplace?

There’s no single answer, but a key piece is providing expert-led, accessible resources. Employees engage most with support that feels practical—like mindfulness tools, stress relief, everyday movement, and healthy routines.

What wellbeing trends are emerging in 2025?

Employees are gravitating toward quick mindfulness practices, habit-building guidance, and physical health tools that fit into daily routines.

How do managers fit into workplace wellbeing?

Managers play a pivotal role in shaping team culture. Supporting manager wellbeing helps leaders model healthy behaviors and sustain engagement across the workforce.