Are you behind on your well-being strategy?
Our understanding of how to support employees’ health and well-being holistically has evolved substantially over the past ten years, and new tools and technology – powered by AI – offer capabilities we couldn’t have dreamed of even five years ago. If you haven’t made any fundamental changes to your well-being strategy recently, it may well be time for a thorough re-assessment.
But as you get started, it’s important to have a vision of the future of well-being, as well as what is state-of-the-art today. Any important goal takes planning. If you were building a house, you’d have a blueprint to follow. Your blueprint for workforce well-being should incorporate the elements of a future-ready program: holistic, personalized and proactive, integrating physical, mental, financial and social health into a seamless employee experience.
What next-generation wellness looks like
Personalized health plans will sit at the center of innovative employee wellness initiatives. The combination of new technologies like artificial intelligence and tailored human support will be pivotal in creating an experience that is more personal, efficient and effective in guiding employees through their health journeys.
AI-driven health insights have the potential to tailor wellness programs to individual employee needs, from nutrition and fitness plans to mental health support. Employees will be able to request in plain language what they need, and an AI-assisted portal will find and connect them to resources, programs and services within the employer’s benefits ecosystem. For example, an employee could say, “I have low back pain.” In response, the AI navigator will seamlessly direct them to the appropriate program, and the employee doesn’t even need to know the name of the provider.
Integrated digital health tools will also play an important role in future wellness programs. Wearables, health apps and virtual care platforms will provide real-time health monitoring and access to telehealth, making wellness support more convenient.
Companies will also have the ability to prioritize mental well-being with on-demand therapy, stress management apps and workplace culture shifts that promote psychological safety. Financial well-being programs will be another valuable support tool. With increasing financial stress impacting health, employers will offer student loan assistance, retirement planning and financial literacy programs. And expect a shift from reactive to proactive care, including genetic testing, functional medicine, and access to preventive care and longevity clinics that can support long-term health.
Starting now
Employers can start to elevate their well-being game now. Use employee surveys and health data to confidentially tailor benefits that truly support workforce needs. Employers can listen to the voice of their employees when they are designing their health and well-being strategy and services, filling the current gap between what employees want and what employers think their employees want. There is opportunity now to invest in AI-driven health coaching, on-demand telehealth and digital platforms that integrate physical, mental and financial wellness.
And it’s time to move toward measurable outcomes. Employers can rethink their well-being incentive strategy to move away from measuring participation to focusing on how many employees or members are meaningfully engaged in the programs and services and are achieving measurable results. The quality of the user experience will be even more important than ever, as employers will discontinue programs and services that are getting low utilization or nominal outcomes.
For organizations to achieve their well-being goals, this is the right moment to build a strong foundation for future progress.
