Why many wellbeing programmes struggle to deliver their full value
Most organisations genuinely want to support employee wellbeing. Over the years, many have introduced health assessments, employee assistance programmes, fitness initiatives, mental health support, and wellbeing campaigns. The intention is positive. The challenge is that these programmes often sit across multiple providers, platforms, and communication channels.
As a result, employees may not always know what support is available, while HR teams can find it difficult to understand which programmes are being used and where additional support may be needed. According to CIPD’s Health and Wellbeing at Work 2025 report, 64% of organisations are taking active steps to reduce workplace stress, yet only half believe those efforts are effective – highlighting how good intentions do not always translate into outcomes.
At the centre of any wellbeing strategy is a simple question: will employees use the support available to them? Organisations can invest in a wide range of wellbeing programmes, but their impact often depends on how easy those programmes are to find, understand, and access. If employees need to move between multiple platforms, passwords, providers, and communication channels, even valuable support can become difficult to navigate.
The challenge of flexibility and personalisation
Workforces are rarely the same. The wellbeing priorities of a manufacturing business may differ from those of a professional services firm, and the challenges facing a growing mid-sized organisation may differ from those of a large multinational employer. Workforce demographics, operating models, and budgets all influence the type of support an organisation chooses to provide.
A standardised approach to wellbeing does not always deliver the desired outcomes. As workforce demographics change and new health concerns emerge, organisations need the flexibility to adjust their wellbeing programmes over time and align support more closely with the needs of their people.
For example, an organisation operating in a high-pressure professional environment may place greater emphasis on mental wellbeing resources, manager support, and resilience programmes. A logistics or manufacturing business may focus more heavily on physical wellbeing, occupational health support, or injury prevention initiatives. Other organisations may choose to prioritise financial wellbeing, family health resources, or preventative health screenings.
The objective is not to create a single model of wellbeing, but to give organisations the ability to build a programme that reflects the needs of their own workforce. A flexible approach can also make it easier to introduce new services over time without creating additional complexity for employees. As organisational priorities change, wellbeing programmes can evolve alongside them while maintaining a consistent employee experience.
Sustaining employee engagement
A common challenge for many wellbeing programmes is sustained engagement. Many organisations invest in wellbeing with good intentions, only to see participation fall away once the initial launch has passed. Employees may be aware that resources exist, but awareness alone does not necessarily translate into ongoing use.
Employees also engage with wellbeing in different ways and at different stages of their lives. Some may be looking for preventative health resources, while others may need access to mental health support, financial wellbeing guidance, or clinical services. Personalisation can help create a more relevant and accessible experience by presenting resources in a way that reflects individual needs and preferences.
Technology is only part of the equation. Organisational culture, leadership support, clear communication, and trust also shape whether employees feel encouraged to use the resources available to them.
Importantly, engagement should not be measured solely by participation numbers. The more meaningful question is whether employees can easily access support, find information that is relevant to them, and make use of the resources available when they need them. The goal is not simply to increase platform usage, but to make wellbeing support easier to access, more relevant to employees, and more closely aligned to the needs of the workforce.
From data to decision-making
Many organisations collect wellbeing-related information through health assessments, surveys, claims data, and programme utilisation reports. Bringing those insights together into a meaningful view can be difficult, and HR and benefits teams often have access to data but limited visibility into broader workforce health trends.
Viewed in isolation, each data source may provide only part of the picture. Survey responses may indicate rising stress levels, participation data may show low engagement with certain resources, and claims trends or health assessments may highlight areas where preventative support could be considered. When reviewed together, these signals can help organisations build a more informed view of workforce wellbeing.
This challenge is also changing conversations between employers, insurers, and brokers, which have historically centred on cost, claims experience, and renewal terms. Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2026 estimates that declining global employee engagement costs the world economy roughly US$10 trillion a year, close to 9% of global GDP. This underlines why wellbeing and engagement data are increasingly relevant to broader workforce and benefits conversation, even if they do not on their own determine claims outcomes.
Bringing these different sources of information together, rather than leaving them scattered across separate systems, is where technology has a genuine role to play.
A more connected and comprehensive approach: LocktonThrive
LocktonThrive has been developed as a central wellbeing platform that brings together multiple wellbeing services, resources, and reporting capabilities in one place. It is designed to address the fragmentation and flexibility challenges many organisations face by giving employees a simpler way to access support, while giving employers greater visibility across their wellbeing initiatives.
Rather than asking employees to navigate several providers and systems, the platform provides a single point of access for a range of wellbeing services. Organisations can select providers and services that align with their workforce needs and adjust those choices as priorities evolve.
An organisation may initially focus on services such as telemedicine, mental health support, and fitness programmes, and introduce additional services such as financial wellbeing, sleep support, or chronic condition management as workforce requirements evolve. For employers, this creates a more connected view of their wellbeing offering; for employees, it simplifies access to the support already available to them.
A connected platform can also make it easier to identify opportunities for support. For instance, if an employee completes a wellbeing assessment that highlights elevated stress levels, they may be directed towards relevant mental wellbeing resources.
To help sustain engagement, LocktonThrive includes features such as health tracking, wellbeing content, surveys, and wellbeing challenges, giving employers insight into employee interests and wellbeing priorities that can inform future programme decisions.
Health tracking features can help employees monitor areas such as physical activity, sleep, hydration, or other personal wellbeing goals. Surveys and pulse checks can help employers understand how employees are feeling and whether existing programmes are meeting workforce needs. Regularly refreshed content, such as articles, videos, podcasts, or educational resources, can also encourage employees to stay connected to wellbeing topics throughout the year.
On reporting, LocktonThrive consolidates relevant information into role-based dashboards and population-level wellbeing insights. A Chief People Officer may want a high-level view of participation and workforce trends, a benefits manager may need more detailed provider utilisation data, and occupational health teams may focus on emerging health risks. By presenting relevant information in a clearer way, the platform can help stakeholders make more informed decisions about programme design, communication, and investment.
As with any reporting tool, dashboards do not replace judgement or decision-making. Their value lies in making information easier to interpret, discuss, and act on across different teams and stakeholders. The objective is to provide the right information to the right people at the right time, helping wellbeing programmes remain aligned with workforce needs and organisational priorities.
Looking ahead
The conversation around employee wellbeing continues to evolve. Organisations are increasingly seeking ways to make wellbeing programmes easier to access, easier to manage, and more relevant to employees.
Ultimately, the value of any wellbeing programme depends on whether employees can access the support they need and whether employers can make informed decisions about future investment. A connected approach can help organisations move closer to both goals.
Wellbeing is not a one-time initiative. It is an ongoing process that evolves alongside the workforce and the organisation itself, requiring regular review, thoughtful communication, and the flexibility to adapt as needs change.
As employee expectations continue to evolve, organisations that simplify access to wellbeing, personalise support, and use meaningful insights to guide decision-making will be better positioned to build healthier, more engaged, and more resilient workforces.
Authored by
Dr. Nisha Nair | SVP, Head of Wellbeing
People Solutions, Lockton India
Ashok Singh | Senior Director
People Solutions, Lockton India
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