More than half of employees dismiss workplace wellbeing as a ‘tick-box exercise’

More than half of UK employees believe their employer’s health and wellbeing strategy is little more than a tick-box exercise, despite widespread investment in wellbeing benefits.

Research by Vitality, based on a survey of 1,000 employees, found that 52 per cent believe workplace wellbeing initiatives are implemented for appearance rather than impact. This comes even though almost two-thirds said their employer provides formal health and wellbeing benefits (63 per cent), wellbeing support tools such as apps and employee assistance programmes (65 per cent) and training on issues including stress management (64 per cent).The findings highlight what appears to be a growing disconnect between the support employers provide and how employees perceive its value.

While 60 per cent of respondents said they believe their employer genuinely prioritises employee health and wellbeing, only 57 per cent felt the support available actually meets their needs.

The research suggests employees are looking for a more personalised approach. More than half (55 per cent) said they would like health and wellbeing support tailored to their individual needs, while 61 per cent said they would be more likely to engage if interventions were personalised.

The findings also point to the potential business impact of closing this gap. More than three-quarters (76 per cent) of employees said better health and wellbeing support would make them more productive at work.

The results build on findings from Vitality’s Britain’s Healthiest Workplace report, which estimated that the average UK employee loses 49.7 productive working days each year through absenteeism and presenteeism linked to poor health.

Gary Impett, director of corporate at VitalityHealth, said the findings should prompt employers to focus less on the volume of wellbeing initiatives and more on whether they deliver meaningful outcomes.

“When more than half of workers describe health and wellbeing support as a tick-box exercise, it raises an important question: are organisations measuring the impact of what they offer, or whether it’s actually making a difference?,” Impett said.

“The message from employees is clear. They don’t want more wellbeing initiatives for the sake of it. They want support that feels relevant to their lives and will actually improve their health.

“This matters because employee health isn’t just a health and wellbeing issue, it’s a business performance issue. The right interventions, the ones which are specific and personal to the needs of your employees, have the potential to improve productivity, engagement and resilience, but only if employees genuinely value and use what’s being provided.”

The research was conducted on behalf of Vitality by Opinium between 12 and 22 June 2026 among 1,000 employees working across SMEs and large organisations in the construction, education, hospitality, IT and real estate sectors.