Pandemic Accelerates Workplace Wellness Trends

Dreamstime M 112580093

Wellable, a wellness technology platform that helps employees thrive with holistic well-being educational modules and activities, has released the results of its 2021 Employee Wellness Industry Trends Report. The report revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated workplace wellness trends, with a focus on mental health and emotional well-being.

The survey explored three key areas: investment trends, decision influencers and vendor criteria. This year, the report also includes a special section dedicated to COVID-19 and its impacts on the future of work and well-being. 

Notable findings include the following: 

  • Mental health programs are seeing a rapid increase in adoption and investment as the pandemic triggers and exacerbates mental health conditions. Specifically, 88% of employers are increasing their investment in mental health programs, including stress management and resilience (81%), and mindfulness and meditation (69%). 
  • Telemedicine programs experienced significant increases in popularity, with 87% of employers planning to invest more in the coming year—a full 25% higher than the previous year. 
  • Almost all (92%) of the health insurance brokers surveyed believe that the safety measures, sanitary practices and social distancing guidelines established during the pandemic will remain, to some degree, even after the pandemic has subsided. 
  • Almost all (94%) brokers expect that employers will expand their virtual wellness services. 
  • A majority (89%) of brokers believe that employers will continue to offer flexible scheduling to support their caregiver employees after the pandemic. 

"Building wellness programs that actually meet employee needs can be difficult in the most reliable of times, but following what could only be described as the most volatile year in recent history, this task has become exponentially more complicated," said Brighid Courtney, director of Wellable Labs, Wellable's research and thought leadership group. "Organizations need to reevaluate their definition of wellness and how they can make a difference in employee lives." 

Wellable Labs will be host a complimentary webinar on January 13, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. EST to discuss these findings and how organizations can make better decisions in 2021.

More in Research