The Future of Work Includes Well‑Being: What Employers Need to Know

According to Gallagher’s 2025 U.S. Benefits Benchmarking Report, nearly 1 in 3 employers plan to expand their voluntary benefits by 2027, and 58% already promote preventive care — both critical drivers of employee satisfaction, engagement, and retention.

This trend reflects a broader evolution in workplace culture, where benefits have moved from being reactive to proactive, and supporting mental, physical, and emotional health has become not just good policy, but a key competitive advantage.

Why This Shift Is Happening Now

Today’s workforce faces compounding stressors: chronic health issues, mental health strain, lack of work-life boundaries, and the lingering impacts of burnout. Traditional benefits, while essential, aren’t equipped to address the daily habits and behaviors that impact employee well-being long before someone ends up in a doctor’s office.

That’s why leading employers are rethinking what “health” means at work. They're investing in preventive, holistic benefits that do more than treat illness — they build resilience, boost energy, and prevent burnout.

From Cost Center to Culture Driver

Well-being is no longer just about reducing healthcare costs (though it does). It’s about fueling the conditions that lead to high-performing, engaged, and loyal teams.

What’s driving this momentum?

Retention & recruitment: Employees increasingly choose companies that value their health and happiness.
Mental health normalization: There's growing recognition that stress, anxiety, and burnout require more than a hotline, they require everyday support.
Flexible leave models: As mental health days and well-being PTO gain traction, companies need the programming to make them meaningful.
The ROI of prevention: Proactive care and daily wellness tools reduce downstream costs — from absenteeism to long-term chronic disease claims.

What Forward-Thinking Employers Are Doing

The organizations leading the charge are:

Prioritizing proactive care. They’re offering resources that support daily movement, mental well-being, and sleep, before issues become crises.
Supporting flexible well-being time. As more companies roll out mental health or self-care days, they’re giving employees structured, on-demand resources to use that time effectively.
Integrating well-being across HR functions. From onboarding to manager training, well-being is being embedded — not siloed.
Measuring what matters. Instead of just checking the box on benefit offerings, they’re tracking engagement, satisfaction, and outcomes.

What This Means for Employers Today

This is a critical moment for HR and benefits leaders. The expectations have shifted, and so has the bar. If your benefits strategy isn’t keeping up with this new standard of care, you risk losing talent, burning out your team, and falling behind.

The opportunity? To become an employer that doesn’t just talk about well-being, but actually enables it.

Start by asking:

Are we investing in the day-to-day health of our employees, or just reacting when things go wrong?
Do we offer structured, accessible tools for movement, mindfulness, and recovery?
Are we equipping our people to use time off for true rest, not just errands and catch-up?
Are we aligning our well-being benefits with the culture we claim to have?

This Is the Moment to Rethink Well-Being

Well-being is becoming a strategic pillar of business success. The companies that embrace this shift won’t just have healthier employees, they’ll have more resilient cultures, more competitive talent brands, and more sustainable bottom lines.

Discover how FitOn Health can help you build a healthier, more resilient workforce, supporting your goals for long-term employee well-being and organizational success. Contact us today to learn more.