94 per cent of leaders say wellbeing is “critical to success”, but just 15 per cent have embedded it

Workplace wellbeing is firmly on the boardroom agenda, but a significant gap remains between what business leaders say matters and how organisations operate. That is among the key findings from research by SuperWellness, which found that 94 per cent of senior leaders believe employee wellbeing is critical to organisational success, yet just 15 per cent say it is fully embedded in everyday decision-making and working practices.

While 64 per cent report that wellbeing is reflected in business strategy, the findings suggest many organisations are struggling to translate leadership commitment into meaningful changes in how work is designed, managed and measured.

The disconnect raises questions about whether workplace wellbeing is being treated as a core business responsibility or remains a separate function, with limited influence on operational decisions, leadership behaviours and organisational performance.

The findings have informed the development of the Flourishing Organisation Standard, a research-led workplace wellbeing accreditation due to launch in January 2027, designed to help employers move from wellbeing initiatives towards a more integrated, evidence-based approach.

The research suggests senior leaders increasingly recognise that effective workplace wellbeing requires more than employee benefits and standalone programmes. Creating a positive and psychologically safe workplace culture was ranked among the top three priorities by 89 per cent of respondents, while benefits, events and individual wellbeing initiatives ranked lowest.

The findings point towards a growing recognition that employee health and wellbeing are influenced by organisational culture, management practices and working conditions, rather than simply the support available to employees.

Angela Steel, Founder and CEO of SuperWellness and Founding Board Advisor to The Flourishing Organisation Standard, said: “One of the clearest messages from the research was that organisations need greater clarity, not simply more activity.

“Leaders understand that wellbeing matters, but many are still asking the same questions; what should we focus on, what does good look like, and how do we know whether our approach is working? The Standard was developed to help organisations answer those questions in a practical, evidence-based way.”

The research also exposes a significant gap between the responsibilities placed on line managers and the support they receive.

While 95 per cent of leaders agree managers play a critical role in supporting team wellbeing, only 43 per cent believe managers have the necessary skills and confidence.

Just 35 per cent say managers are given sufficient time and support to fulfil this responsibility, while only 30 per cent believe they can successfully balance employee wellbeing with performance expectations.

The findings raise important questions about the growing reliance on line managers to identify and respond to employee health concerns, particularly when workload pressures and business demands may themselves contribute to poor wellbeing.

They also suggest that management training alone may not be enough without addressing the organisational conditions in which managers are expected to operate.

Wider commercial pressures remain a barrier to progress. Only 52 per cent of leaders say organisational change is managed with people’s wellbeing in mind, highlighting the potential disconnect between business transformation and workforce health.

The findings also reveal a significant challenge around demonstrating the business value of wellbeing investment. Although 81 per cent of leaders believe workplace wellbeing has a high or significant impact on financial performance, just 11 per cent say they have directly observed such improvements.

Only 32 per cent are confident in their organisation’s ability to measure the impact of wellbeing accurately. The gap between perceived value and measurable outcomes is particularly relevant as HR and wellbeing leaders face increasing pressure to demonstrate how investment contributes to organisational performance, productivity and long-term workforce sustainability.

Without reliable measurement, employers may struggle to identify which interventions are effective, where risks are emerging or whether wellbeing strategies are delivering meaningful improvements for employees.

The research also suggests employers are looking for greater consistency in how workplace wellbeing is assessed. Rather than prioritising external recognition, senior leaders identified clear standards, practical guidance and stronger evidence linking wellbeing to business outcomes as the most valuable elements of an accreditation framework.

The Flourishing Organisation Standard has been developed in response to these priorities. Its framework draws on a review of 57 international wellbeing and safety frameworks, 12 in-depth interviews with senior leaders and more than 70 questionnaire responses.

Development has also been informed by an Advisory Board with expertise spanning occupational health psychology, organisational psychology, HR, health and safety and senior business leadership.

The Standard assesses 16 components across prevention, support and flourishing, incorporating leadership, employee voice, measurement and integrated strategy.

It will offer Bronze, Silver and Gold accreditation levels, providing organisations with a structured way to assess their current approach, identify gaps and prioritise improvements.

The framework reflects a wider shift in workplace wellbeing towards organisational accountability, where responsibility for workforce health extends beyond HR teams and individual initiatives into leadership, governance and business strategy.

For employers, the challenge is increasingly not whether wellbeing matters, but whether the way an organisation operates supports or undermines the health of its people.

Launching in January 2027, the Flourishing Organisation Standard aims to provide a practical framework for addressing that challenge, helping organisations move beyond stated commitments towards measurable improvements in workplace wellbeing and organisational performance. Register here for more information: https://www.flourishingstandard.com/consult/