Well-Being in the Workplace: A Wake-Up Call for Employers and Employees Alike

Well-being in the workplace isn’t about free fruit in the breakroom, step challenges, or mindfulness apps that no one uses. It’s about something much deeper, much more human. As someone who has spent years studying, observing, and working in the space of health and wellness—both at the individual and organizational level—I’ve come to a firm belief: well-being is personal, but the workplace has a responsibility to empower it.

Individuals are the architects of their lives. No one can force another person to be healthy, eat better, move more, or prioritize their mental well-being. That’s a choice. But what I’ve also seen, time and time again, is that many workplaces make that choice far harder than it needs to be.

Well-Being Can’t Be Forced, But It Can Be Supported

Let’s be clear: it’s not an organization’s job to make people healthy. It is, however, an organization’s responsibility to remove the barriers that make health harder—barriers that are often built into the culture, the workload, and the unspoken expectations of the workplace.

When employees don’t have the time, energy, or support to take care of themselves, we can’t act surprised when burnout, chronic illness, and disengagement skyrocket. If your culture rewards working late but punishes stepping away for a workout, if your leaders talk about mental health but glorify exhaustion, if your benefits include wellness perks but your workload is crushing—your workplace is part of the problem.

Empowerment Over Enforcement

Some companies take the wrong approach to workplace wellness. They create rigid, one-size-fits-all programs and expect employees to participate, assuming that compliance equals impact. But well-being isn’t a checkbox—it’s an ongoing, deeply personal process.

What works instead? Empowerment.

• Make well-being the norm, not the exception. Flexible schedules, autonomy over time, and a culture that supports movement, nutrition, mental health, and recovery should be the standard.
• Create an environment where making a healthy choice is the easiest choice. Offer high-quality food options, create spaces for movement and restoration, and reduce the friction around accessing health services.
• Use total rewards and benefits as tools for well-being. Health insurance, mental health resources, paid leave, fertility benefits, financial wellness programs, and fitness reimbursements should be designed not just as perks, but as tangible ways to remove obstacles to better health.
• Listen to your employees. Ask what they need, observe their challenges, and design wellness initiatives that truly support them—not just the ones that look good in a benefits package.

Addressing the Skepticism: Why Aren’t Employees Engaging?

One of the biggest frustrations employers voice is: “We’re investing in well-being, but employees aren’t using it. What else can we do?”

First, recognize that engagement doesn’t happen just because something is available. The key isn’t just offering benefits—it’s embedding well-being into the culture and making it easy, relevant, and personalized.

Second, understand that employees may be skeptical. Many have seen workplace wellness initiatives come and go, or they assume participation will be used against them (“If I use mental health days, will I be seen as weak?”). To increase engagement, organizations need to focus on:

• Leadership Buy-In. Employees take cues from leadership. If the CEO is emailing at midnight but promoting “work-life balance,” the message doesn’t land. Leaders must model well-being.
• Personalization. A generic wellness program won’t resonate with everyone. Use data from employee surveys, claims analysis, and usage trends to tailor offerings. If engagement is low, find out why—don’t assume.
• Psychological Safety. Employees won’t engage in wellness if they fear judgment or repercussions. If someone is worried about being seen as “lazy” for taking a mental health day or stepping away for a walk, they won’t do it—no matter how great the benefits are. Organizations must actively reinforce that well-being is valued and protected.

Employees Must Take Ownership of Their Well-Being

Organizations can provide all the tools in the world, but employees must take action. A company can offer therapy benefits, but it can’t force anyone to go. It can provide gym discounts, but employees have to show up. It can create a culture that encourages breaks, but individuals have to actually step away from their desks.

Well-being is a two-way street. Employers must empower, but employees must engage. There’s no benefit, program, or cultural shift that can override personal responsibility. If an organization is investing in total rewards, wellness benefits, and flexible work policies, employees need to take advantage of them—if they align with their personal health journey.

If you’re an employee, ask yourself:

• Do I actually know what wellness benefits my company provides?
• Am I using the resources available to me?
• What’s one small action I can take today to improve my well-being?

Measuring Success: The Role of Accountability

Workplaces track everything—revenue, sales, productivity—so why not track well-being impact? Employers should measure not just participation, but outcomes. Instead of just tracking gym reimbursement usage, look at trends in absenteeism, turnover, stress-related claims, and employee sentiment.

On the flip side, employees need to hold themselves accountable. If an organization is making real efforts to support well-being, but employees aren’t engaging, the responsibility isn’t just on the employer. Health isn’t something that just “happens.” Action leads to change.

A Wake-Up Call and a Challenge

For employees: Your health is yours. No workplace, no boss, no program is going to do it for you. You have to take ownership of your choices and take action, even when it’s inconvenient. The workplace can support you, but it can’t save you.

For employers: If you truly value well-being, prove it. Remove the systemic barriers that make healthy living a challenge. Model the behaviors you claim to support. Use benefits and total rewards to create a work environment where well-being is seamlessly integrated into the employee experience. And if engagement is low, don’t just blame employees—look at whether your approach is accessible, meaningful, and culturally aligned.

So, What’s Your Next Move?

• Employers: What’s one barrier you can remove for employees today? How can you make wellness part of your culture—not just a program?
• Employees: What’s one resource you haven’t taken advantage of yet? What action will you take to prioritize your well-being?

Workplace well-being isn’t a perk—it’s the foundation of a strong, engaged, and high-performing workforce. The question isn’t whether organizations should prioritize it.

The question is: Will you step up and lead the way?

About the Author

I’m Becky Thomas—a strategic population health consultant, certified health and wellness coach, and advocate for holistic, sustainable well-being. With years of experience in workplace wellness and leadership development, I’ve worked with organizations and individuals to remove barriers to health and create meaningful, lasting change. My passion lies in empowering people to take ownership of their well-being while challenging organizations to foster cultures that truly support health—not just on paper, but in practice.

These thoughts and perspectives are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.