Workplace Wellness in 2025: What Leaders Need to Know
Workplace Wellness in 2025: What Leaders Need to Know
Written by: Paula Antalffy 1-2 minute read
As the expectations around employee wellbeing evolve, businesses must rethink traditional approaches to wellness. In our new ebook, Beyond Benefits, we explore why DE&I initiatives, mental health support, and employee benefits are falling short and how forward-thinking leaders can build more effective, people-first policies.
We take the findings and insights of top consultancies and thought leaders to bring you a breakdown on exactly what trends will be shaping workplace wellbeing in 2025 and share actionable tips about what you can do to ensure your team stays happy, engaged and motivated.
Here is a short extract from our ebook:
POINT 1: DE&I Initiatives Need Reimagining for Greater Impact
Today, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) initiatives remain a crucial part of organisation success. For HR managers, line managers, and workplace wellness experts, this topic continues to be front of mind. Businesses are also heavily investing in these programs — with $19 billion spent annually on diversity training in the U.S. alone.
This onslaught of funding invested in DE&I isn’t a surprise. Firms with inclusive cultures experience a 22% lower turnover rate, leading to greater employee retention and stability. These companies are also 1.8 times more adaptable and 1.7 times more likely to lead in innovation within their markets. However, data is also increasingly showing that many traditional DE&I methods are proving insufficient in creating the desired outcomes.
The positive correlation between DE&I and a company’s ability to thrive is clear, but the ways in which these programs are implemented often fall short of achieving their full potential.
Many traditional DE&I practices, while well-intentioned, can unintentionally backfire:
Unconscious Bias Training (UBT): Though widely adopted, UBT has come under scrutiny for its potential to reinforce biases rather than reduce them. Employees may leave the training more aware of their biases but without the tools to overcome them.
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): While ERGs provide a space for minority groups to connect and find support, they can sometimes exclude employees who belong to multiple minority categories or who feel that they don’t fit neatly into a single group. These groups also sometimes fail to address the intersectionality of individual identities.
Quotas: Mandated quotas for diversity can cause resentment among employees who don’t benefit from them, leading to scepticism about the qualifications of those hired through DE&I initiatives. This undermines the credibility and trust needed for a successful diverse workforce.
Whistleblower Hotlines: Though intended to provide a safe space for reporting discrimination, these hotlines often result in a culture of fear and the possibility of retaliation, creating further barriers to open communication within diverse teams.
The Need for a Reimagined Approach
The evolving workforce is another key reason businesses need to rethink their DE&I strategies. In the UK alone, there are 4 million self-employed workers, according to IPSE, a non-profit representing the self-employed. Traditional DE&I initiatives often overlook this growing group of workers who don’t fit the full-time employee model. As a result, they can feel isolated and miss out on vital workplace support systems.
It's essential for businesses to adapt their DE&I efforts to include these workers and ensure they feel valued and supported.
So how can businesses shift towards a more holistic approach to DE&I?
Fostering Psychological Safety: Create a culture where employees feel secure in expressing their ideas, concerns, and identities without fear of judgement or retaliation. This is essential for diverse teams to collaborate and thrive.
Emphasising Intersectionality: Recognise that employees may belong to multiple social categories, and ensure DE&I initiatives address these complexities. This leads to more inclusive workplaces that cater to the diverse experiences of all workers.
Supporting Gig and Remote Workers: Expand DE&I efforts to include gig, remote, and other non-traditional workers. This ensures that everyone, regardless of employment status, feels valued and has access to the same support and resources.
To learn about the other trends shaping employee wellbeing today – download our full ebook here!
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