9 Employee Wellbeing Metrics That I Believe All Employers Should Keep an Eye On

As I step into my workspace each day, I realize that the environment I'm in significantly impacts my mood, productivity, and overall well-being. The way my workplace is designed, the culture it fosters, and the support it offers can either uplift or drain me.

It's a space that can either inspire creativity or induce stress, and it's crucial to recognize this impact.Like me, most employees today experience elevated stress levels and disengagement.

Phenomena such as the Great Resignation and Quiet Quitting have undoubtedly aggravated the situation.Changes in the workplace were called upon to address employee burnout, stress, and engagement.

Business analysts now recognize that a company that takes employee well-being for granted is losing. One 2023 study by World Economic Forum shows that prioritizing employee well-being boosts revenue and innovation.

Today, companies have begun introducing wellness programs, keeping an eye on far-reaching benefits. Employees too today expect more than just a decent salary.One study by Deloitte in March 2023 for instance highlights just the same.

It says, 68% of employees think taking care of themselves is more important than moving up the ladder. At this juncture, two natural questions must pop up in your mind as an employer:

One, what are the tangible metrics of employee well-being, and two, how do we measure them?

This blog discusses modern insights into an effective employee wellness program. This program offers data-led solutions for common workplace challenges.

What are Employee Well-being Metrics?

Now that we understand what employee well-being encompasses, let's discuss how to measure it. Put simply, employee well-being metrics are specific ways to gauge an employee's well-being.

These are data points used to assess the current state of employee well-being. They also measure the success of well-being initiatives at an organization. They provide a way for organizations to quantify various aspects of employees' well-being.

Now that we've established the importance of measuring employee well-being, let’s dive deeper into the five core elements that define this well-being. Sometime earlier, I came across Gallup’s blog on well-being as centered around five elements:

5 Pillars of Well-being

1. Career well-being

Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.
– Confucius.

Meaningful work is an integral part of a fulfilling life. When Gallup asked people worldwide what they wanted most, the typical reply was a good job.

Till some decades earlier,career well-being was limited to just profit earned and overtime work. But in time, we have come to realize that career well-being goes onto includes much more than that.

It includes work fulfillment, aligned values and goals, work-life balance, positive relationships, feeling gratitude at work, being appreciated, and job-life satisfaction.

2. Social well-being

By nature, humans are social beings. Psychology affirms that solid and supportive relationships are necessary for a sense of belonging. Emotional support lies at the center of social well-being. This support comes from meaningful engagements with friends, family, and colleagues.

3. Financial well-being

Are you an apt planner of your finances? Do you struggle with your finances by the middle of the month? Truth be told, we all have been there at least once in our life. No wonder today, since high school, kids are empowered with financial literacy.

And so be it, for employees too, financial well-being is at the crux of a satisfied life. It includes stable income,financial balance,wise spending, and future savings.

To quote Warren Buffett, “Never depend on a single income. Make an investment to create a second source.” To follow Buffett, investment including in oneself and assets that have high intrinsic value is my go-to motto for financial wellbeing.

Dezerv is one website that I religiously follow.Their blog on '5 Personal Finance and Money Management Habits Adults' has helped me personally in management of my finances. Following simple financial habits like these have led me towards a sense of security about my economic situation.

4. Physical well-being

Maintaining physical well-being involves exercise, a balanced diet, and rest. A healthy body and mind reduce stress and lower the risk of chronic diseases. Physical well-being is the foundation for all other forms of well-being.

5. Community well-being

Being part of a community is an overlooked treasure. If you ask what being part of a community brings to the table, I’d say having a community is like having a safety net for when life throws lemons at us.

The support and affection that I share with my community at work, at my office facilitated yoga class and my neighborhood act like a mental trampoline that I can fall back on when life gets tough.

With a clear understanding of the five pillars of well-being, we can now explore the tangible metrics that help assess these dimensions.

9 Employee Wellness Metrics that I Urge Companies and Leaders to Look Out For

1. Employee Satisfaction Surveys

Now, speaking of myself, I consider my satisfaction as something that covers everything from job fulfillment to my relationships with colleagues. When I am satisfied at work, I am as well more engaged and productive.

Although different employees may have varying interpretations of job satisfaction. But in my opinion, it is most likely about workers experiencing a hike in pay, job stability, or benefits.

Allen Schweyer, a researcher at the Conference Board, says employers should take it as a sign when employees dislike certain aspects of their jobs. Regular surveys to gauge satisfaction and morale are vital to moving the needle.

When done accurately, a research paper publsihed by Walden University suggests that employee surveys are a valuable source of information about a company's workforce. They offer nuanced insights on improving a company's effectiveness and efficiency.

2. Employee Engagement Scores

Employee Engagement scores help employers see employee connection to work and the company. Employee engagement is an essential prerequisite for a thriving and united workforce.

Yet, even leading global companies struggle with it. So, how do we ensure the most employee engagement for our company?

For this, my take is read Vantage Circle's ultimate guide on the Employee Engagement survey. See if it can your company curate an appropriate survey.

Once you are done with the survey and get the results, take time to review, reflect, and then take action. Conducting a survey in an online mode is no longer a mammoth task anymore.

However, usually the tougher part is knowing what exactly to do with the results.

3. Absenteeism Rates

Researchers Cascio & Boudreau in 2015 defining absenteeism write, "Absenteeism is any failure to report for or remain at work as scheduled, regardless of the reason."

Commonly used synonyms for absenteeism include absence, sickness, skipping, and taking leave. As per a blog published in Forbes on March 2024, Dr. Bryan Robinson asserts that actually people end up skipping work because of mental health problems and a toxic work environment.

Absenteeism is a crucial measure of organizational health and well-being. So, this only makes sense to measure well-being. This would help authorities to form functioning interventions.

According to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the absenteeism rate is measured by dividing the number of absent days by the number of workdays at one time.

Wellness experts posits that an absence rate below 1.5% is alarming.When a company lacks an effective employee wellness program and yet has a lower rate of absenteeism it might imply one thing.

Employees might be reluctant to take sick days and choose to come to work despite feeling unwell. Admit or not, we all have been there, done that. This situation, called presenteeism, leads to less productivity, worse health, and more tiredness.

4. Turnover Rates

Turnover behavior is a vital cost area for employers. A research paper published in the National Library of Medicine in 2013 suggests that well-being most likely affects employees' job commitment. Factors such as psychological withdrawal from work and the inability to perform well lead to resignation from a company.

Gallup's latest measure in May 2024 shows half of U.S. employees (51%) are watching or actively seeking a new job, continuing a recent upward trend.

Turnover is an expensive problem, with voluntary turnover costing U.S. businesses as much as $1 trillion annually.

Chances are, converting turnover rates into money will make the leadership understand the urgency of the matter.

If we check out AIHR's guide on measuring employee turnover rate. Then, we can calculate our company's turnover rate. Higher turnover rates are also a signal of job dissatisfaction and burnout.

5. Work-Life Balance Assessments

Balance could mean a hundred things to a hundred different people. But there's no denying that balance is intrinsic to our well-being as a human race. At this age of hyper-productivity and a rat race for over-achievement, healthcare costs is compromised.

However, the consequences of a disturbed work-life balance are detrimental to the employee's well-being and the company. Overworking, poor work-life balance, and juggling many deadlines hinder productivity.

Well-being experts thus suggest companies opt for corporate wellness programs. These programs provide tools and resources to help employees become more resilient.

When assessing work-life balance, there are two approaches: subjective and objective.

Self-reported measures are subjective, but objective assessments give reliable data on WLB.

Once these assessments are over with, employers can figure out their employees' work-life balance. Further, employers may choose a wellness program that's the best fit.

6. Mental Health Service Utilization Rates

"Burnout is not a badge of honor"
– Greg Mckeown,Effortless.

Often, employees wear the badge of being a workaholic on their sleeves. While many think it is a badge of honor, as Mckeown says, it's not. There has always been a time when we all must have worked overtime, ran madly after deadlines, and remained nothing short of a corpse by the end of the day.

Add to it the struggles that daily living brings. Imagine having the tools to effortlessly balance my work and personal life.

Although many workplaces today have mental health services in place, the usage rates are meager. The reasons for this could be manifold.

Lack of awareness

Sometimes, we're stuck with paper if employees don't get on board due to a lack of awareness.

"Thriving employees fuel a successful workplace. Yet, monetary success isn't the only reason to measure employee well-being."
– Modern Health.

Time factor

Another reason is inflexible work hours. When the timing of these services clashes with employees' availability, they remain unused.

Social Stigma

The stigma associated with seeking mental health services also counts here. This is because people are very mindful of their image in the workplace.

Vantage Fit features an amazing blog on how managers can support their employee's mental health at work.

7. Health and Wellness Program Participation

As employers, you must understand that a health and wellness program alone is not enough. The task is to get our employees to take part. Many organizations miss out on these programs because they are unaware, lack manager support, or lack motivation.

Employees often hesitate to take part in health and wellness programs due to various factors. Sometimes, it is due to limited time and insufficient awareness. At other times, it is privacy concerns and the stigma against mental health that discourage participation.

It is here that tracking the participation rates is essential. When tracked, they can be examined from case to case to take relevant action.

Some trending Health and Wellness programs across wellness platforms includes the following.

1.Mental health Resources

Initiatives include counseling, stress management webinars, and in-built office rejuvenation spaces. These resources are some primary investments that companies can make for their employees.

2.Health and Wellness Education

Workshops on healthy eating, mindfulness at work, and easy exercises are doable at work. Vantage Fit’s for instance, share thoroughly researched material on the same in their blog. These are both practical and written with an emphasis on the employee as a center point.

Besides, conducting expert moderated seminars on health awareness on ocassions such as Breast Cancer Awareness day, World Arthritis Day or World Diabetes Day are some great ways of showcasing genuine concern for your employees by adding to their knowledge and awareness buidling.

3.Telehealth

It refers to the use of technology to deliver healthcare services remotely. There are so many benefits that employers can't ignore offering telehealth. Not only does it make care more accessible for employees, but it's also a chance to cut healthcare costs.

4.Stress management

Workplace stress occurs when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources, or needs of the employees. It is here that companies ought to offer stress management programs.

5. Fitness classes/programs

Free and built-in at-work fitness classes are a great way to boost employees' well-being. They save them time, money, and energy when commuting. To speak of my case, a built-in yoga center at Vantage Fit has enabled me to invest in yoga while saving my time and energy on my way back home.

8. Workplace Safety Incidents Assessments

The impact of workplace safety incidents on employee well-being is significant and varied. Injuries can cause pain, ongoing health issues, or even permanent disability.

Naturally, this hinders employees' work capability and daily engagement.

Psychologically, safety incidents can trigger stress and lower job satisfaction. An unsafe workplace erodes trust and affects employees' mental health. Ultimately, both psycho-physio consequences can result in decreased productivity and increased absenteeism.

A certain level of occupational hazard is inevitable. Yet as employers, we should remember to measure the frequency and severity of workplace injuries.
OSHA's guide on the detailed ways of scientific identification and assessment of workplace hazards and injuries is an useful resource on the subject matter.

9. Feedback on Manager Support

To improve the world, we have to start with the workplace. And to make the workplace better, we start with the manager. It is easy to spot employees supported by managers. They are willing to resolve the most pressing problems gracefully and steadfastly.

For a more engaged organization, start with the manager
–Gallup

Managers are better placed to deal with work balance, employee's cognitive overload, or stress. That's why companies want to see how well managers support their employees.

Let's suppose I am a manager. It is my words and actions that could add a layer of humaneness to my workspace. My support could sometimes mean the world to the employees.

Employees engage with employers and brands when they're treated as humans worthy of respect.

Feedback on manager support lets employers see the barriers to a good manager-employee relationship. One useful model here is by Culture Monkey that suggests using the Situation, Behavior, and Impact (SBI) model to assess employees' feedback on manager support.

How does Employee Well-Being Differ from Wellness?

In common parlance, well-being is the overall state of one's 'being' wherein one is generally satisfied and healthy. By extension, employee well-being encompasses employee satisfaction, fulfillment, and psycho-physio health.
Now,as per Gallup, wellness is being physically healthy and having the energy to do what you want without suffering constantly. However, there is a striking difference between wellness and well-being.

While wellness is essential to well-being, it is only one part of a thriving life. Well-being encompasses a well-lived life's mental, physical, and broader holistic dimensions.

For instance, I may eat healthy, sleep well, and exercise adequately. But if I put my mental well-being on the backseat, I am very well not working on my well-being.

On one hand, wellness metrics like physical health and quality of sleep are tangible and thus easily measurable. Yet, measuring well-being is tricky because it goes beyond what the eyes can see. Traditionally, wellness was attributed to physical aspects of health, including healthy eating habits and exercise.

This is partly why physical wellness metrics are easily quantifiable and measurable.One research report published by Harvard Business Review analysed how Johnsons & Johnsons saved big on healthcare costs by focusing on employee wellness programs.

Employee well-being extends beyond just physical health to include the mental and emotional.

Bottomline

This blog has established some critical performance indicators for well-being. The next step is to tailor wellness programs based on the data insights they reveal.

Further, consider an employee feedback loop.

An employee feedback look should enable employees to share their thoughts and concerns about their well-being. It would also help in regularly evaluating, monitoring, and improving their well-being. Finally, you may link up the well-being metrics and their feedback on your desired business outcomes.

This will present you with an accurate and consistent set of data. This data is a sneak peek into how to make employees more productive and reduce turnover.

As simple as it sounds, a happy employee is a productive employee. Consider the well-being metrics laid down above and take a leap of faith. To quote Meghan M. Biro,'employees engage with employers and brands when they're treated as humans worthy of respect'.Curate a corporate wellness program that best suits your company.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What challenges exist in measuring employee well-being?

Unsustainability in the program, lower employee acceptance, and lack of support from leadership.

2. How can employee well-being metrics impact employee retention?

When employers focus on well-being, employees are more likely to stay committed.

3. What role do well-being metrics play in attracting top talent?

Employers should make the office more appealing to attract top talent. They may also work towards better work-life balance and mental health.

References

World Economic Forum

Deloitte

Gallup

Dezerv

Walden University

Great Place to Work

Cascio & Boudreau

Forbes

WHO

Harvard Business Review

National Library of Medicine