Employee wellness program statistics now play a central role in shaping HR strategies, helping companies understand what employees need, where wellbeing gaps exist, and which interventions drive results. This guide brings together the latest insight, trend data, and organisational wellbeing research from trusted sources, for HR professionals, managers, and decision makers to develop a healthier workplace this 2026.

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Global Workplace Wellbeing Statistics at a Glance

Around the world, organisations are seeing a clear shift in how employees relate to their mental health, stress levels, and wellbeing at work. These global workplace wellness statistics reveal the latest insight into burnout, access to support, and program participation

Topic Global Stat (Value) Source Why It Matters for HR
Burnout / Stress 44% of employees said they experienced stress “a lot of the previous day” (global) Gallup – State of the Global Workplace Signals widespread strain that impacts productivity, absenteeism, and morale.
Access to Wellness Programs Around half of organisations globally report offering some form of wellbeing or wellness program. OECD – Health at a Glance Shows growing organisational investment in workplace wellbeing initiatives.
Participation in Wellness Programs Only about 20–30% of employees use available wellbeing programs regularly. McKinsey – Addressing Employee Burnout Indicates a major engagement gap and need for better program design and communication.
Financial Stress 53% of employees say money worries negatively impact their work performance. PwC – Employee Financial Wellness Survey 2023 Financial wellbeing is directly tied to productivity, engagement, and retention.
Cost of Poor Mental Health Poor mental health is estimated to cost the global economy about US$1 trillion per year in lost productivity. WHO – Mental Health in the Workplace Underlines the potential ROI of preventive mental health and employee wellness programs.

Workplace Wellbeing Statistics by Region

Mental health at work sin't the same around the world. Below is a region-by-region breakdown of the latest employee wellness statistics covering mental health, burnout, workplace wellness programs, financial stress, absenteeism, and employee engagement trends.

UK Workplace Wellbeing Statistics

Workplace wellbeing statistics in the UK indicate some of the highest burnout and stress levels in Europe. Cost of living pressures and rising mental-health-related absenteeism continue to shape employer priorities.

25% of uk workers feel their job impacts their mental health negatively
  • 76% of UK workers reported moderate to high stress levels (up from 59% in 2021) [1].
  • 63% of UK organisations saw an increase in mental-health-related absences [2].
  • Cost of poor mental health to UK employers: £51 billion per year [3].
  • Only 29% of UK employees say they are “thriving at work” [4].

Europe Workplace Wellbeing Statistics

Workplace wellness statistics across Europe highlight chronic stress, demographic workforce shifts, and increasing investments in workplace health promotion.

27% of long-term sick leaves in Europe are due to psychological disorders
  • Across the EU, 44% of employees report work-related stress [5].
  • 18 million construction workers in the EU are at risk of mental health issues [6].
  • Stress is reported as the second most common work-related health problem in the EU, affecting 44% of workers [7].
  • Musculoskeletal and psychosocial disorders account for over half of all work-related health problems in the EU [8].

Canada & US Workplace Wellbeing Statistics

North America leads in adopting digital wellbeing tools, EAP usage, and hybrid work models, yet burnout levels remain high.

36% of canadian employees and 59% of us workers report burnout
  • Burnout affects 52% of US employees [9].
  • 57% of US and Canadian workers report daily stress [9].
  • 1 in 3 Canadian workers report high levels of psychological distress [10].
  • Mental-health-related disability claims up 28% in Canada [11].

Asia & Australia Workplace Wellbeing Statistics

Asia-Pacific regions show rapidly growing investment in organisational wellbeing, especially in digital wellbeing tools and holistic wellness offerings.

29% of workers in asia are aware of having an EAP and 60% of australian workers have experience a mental health issue in the past year
  • 47% of employees in Singapore report feeling burned out [12].
  • More than half of Australian workers hide a mental or even physical health condition to avoid discrimination at work [13].
  • Australia: 1 in 3 workers experience high psychological distress [14].
  • 35% of Indian employees say their mental health declined in the past year [15].
  • Psychological injury claims in Australia represent 9% of all serious workers’ compensation claims [16].
  • In Hong Kong, 60% of employees report poor mental wellbeing [17].
  • 78% of workers in the Philippines have a moderate to high risk of experiencing mental health issues [18].

Employee Wellness Program Statistics & Participation

Employee wellness programs are widely available, yet engagement remains one of HR’s greatest challenges.The table below summarises key global statistics on program awareness, EAP utilisation, participation, preferred support channels, and the measurable impact of wellness initiatives.

Topic Global Stat (Value) Source Why It Matters for HR
Program Awareness Only 24% of employees strongly agree that their employer cares about their wellbeing. Gallup (2022) Low perceived support reduces likelihood of employees seeking help through wellness programs.
Participation Rates Average participation in wellbeing programs is 20–30% globally. Mercer – Global Talent Trends (2023) Indicates a significant utilisation gap despite broad program availability.
EAP Utilisation Typical EAP utilisation remains between 5–10%. IFEBP (Employee Benefits Survey) Low usage highlights need for better communication, accessibility, and stigma reduction.
Preferred Support Channels 52% of employees prefer accessing mental health support through virtual or digital options. APA – Work & Well-Being Survey (2022) Shows demand for flexible, confidential, and remote wellbeing solutions.
Top Barriers to Participation 43% of employees fear negative career consequences for using mental health services. APA – Work & Well-Being Survey (2022) Stigma and confidentiality concerns remain major obstacles to EAP engagement.
Impact on Productivity Poor mental health contributes to an estimated US$1 trillion in lost productivity annually. World Health Organization Demonstrates the business case for preventive mental health and wellbeing interventions.
Absenteeism Impact Wellness programs can reduce absenteeism by up to 1.5 days per employee per year. RAND Workplace Wellness Study Reduced absence translates into direct labour cost savings for organisations.
Stress & Burnout Reduction Evidence-based mental health programs generate ROI of 4:1 through reduced burnout and improved wellbeing. Deloitte – UK Mental Health Report (2022) Demonstrates measurable organisational benefits of investing in preventive support.

Employee Financial Wellness Statistics

Financial wellbeing is one of the strongest predictors of overall employee mental health, engagement, and productivity. The following evidence-based insights show how money-related stress affects performance and why organisations are expanding financial wellbeing benefits.

  • 57% of employees report that money is their top source of stress, making financial pressure a leading contributor to poor workplace wellbeing [19].
  • Financial stress causes workers to lose an average of three hours of productive time per week [20].
  • Employees experiencing high financial stress are twice as likely to be looking for a new job [21].
  • Employees under financial strain are four times more likely to be absent or tardy due to stress-related sleep issues, secondary employment, or mental health challenges [22].

Health and Wellness in the Workplace Statistics

Evidence from global research consistently shows that companies prioritising structured wellbeing initiatives experience meaningful improvements across multiple workforce outcomes.

  • Workplace wellness programs reduce sick days by an average of 1.5 days per employee per year [23].
  • Employees who feel supported in their wellbeing are three times more likely to be engaged at work.
  • Organisations with strong wellbeing strategies see up to 11% lower turnover, reinforcing the connection between proactive mental health support and long-term retention [24].
  • Research also shows that employees participating in structured wellbeing initiatives report significant reductions in burnout symptoms.
  • As part of global workplace wellness program statistics, organisations with integrated health promotion approaches are increasingly documenting improvements in:
    • Employee resilience
    • Higher participation in organisational activities
    • Fewer stress-related performance dips

How to Use These Workplace Wellbeing Statistics in Your HR Strategy

So, now tha tyou have all this information... What can you do with it? HR teams can use this data to design more effective, equitable, and evidence-driven wellbeing strategies.

1. Build a Strong Business Case

  • Use global data on stress, absenteeism, and productivity loss to quantify organisational risks.
  • Incorporate cost-of-poor-mental-health figures to justify investment.
  • Highlight ROI benchmarks.
  • Demonstrate the link between wellbeing and retention, using turnover reduction statistics as supporting evidence.

2. Prioritise Interventions by Region

  • Different regions experience different stressors; tailor programs using regional wellbeing statistics.
  • For example, high burnout among North American workers may require access to digital mental health tools, while European workforces may need stronger psychosocial risk prevention.
  • Use local data to determine whether to emphasise counselling, financial wellbeing support, workload interventions, or manager training.

3. Design a Holistic, Equitable Wellbeing Program

  • Ensure that mental, physical, and financial wellbeing are covered, not just one category.
  • Provide multiple access points (counselling, self-guided digital tools, workplace trainings, AI companionship)to accommodate various employee preferences.
  • Address barriers uncovered in the data /stigma, fear of career repercussions).
  • Ensure wellbeing resources are culturally sensitive and accessible for diverse workforce groups.
  • Meditopia for Work offers all of this and more! Send us a mesage to discuss specific solutions to your unique corporate wellbeing needs today.
meditopia for work suppors employees wellbeing globally through personalized wellness programs for work

4. Increase Awareness and Engagement

  • Communicate programs clearly across multiple channels: onboarding, emails, manager reminders, intranet, and mobile apps.
  • Equip managers with scripts or talking points to normalise conversations around wellbeing.
  • Leverage champions or ambassadors to reduce stigma and highlight early wins.

5. Measure Success Continuously

  • Track utilisation, satisfaction, EAP engagement, stress scores, absenteeism, and turnover trends.
  • Compare year-over-year changes to evaluate whether interventions reduce burnout or improve engagement.

6. Make Preventive Care the Foundation

  • Prioritise proactive mental health support (education, early screening, coaching) instead of reactive-only interventions.
  • Use data to identify high-risk groups (e.g., frontline workers, high-turnover teams, hybrid employees).
  • Meditopia for Work can help you design preventive plans, send us a message to discuss more!