Wellbeing by design: A simple step-by-step guide to building a successful employee wellbeing program

Employee wellbeing has become a top priority for HR professionals and business leaders. But here's the challenge—despite wellness programs and initiatives claiming to support employees, healthcare costs continue to rise, burnout is prevalent, and employee engagement is struggling to meet expectations.

Are you ready to make your employee wellbeing strategy truly impactful or take your current program to the next level?

This blog dives into the key drivers of successful wellbeing programs, provides insights into why traditional approaches fall short, and introduces the innovative, free framework for employee wellbeing program success—a structured, data-driven method to optimize workplace wellbeing and improve organizational outcomes.

The hidden challenge of employee wellbeing programs

It's easy to assume that everything is fine if employees show up for work, complete their tasks, and occasionally participate in wellness incentives. But as Brooke Ossenkop, VP of Marketing, says, "Everyone says they're fine, but fine isn't thriving. The fine isn't sustainable. And fine certainly isn't the foundation for success."

The real problem lies below the surface, where employees face challenges they rarely vocalize.

• Maya, for example, might be consumed by financial stress and unsure how to pay her bills.

• Mike could be neglecting his health skipping doctor's appointments to meet work deadlines.

• James may be mentally checked out in critical meetings, questioning whether his contributions matter.

These are not isolated cases. According to Gallup, 50% of U.S. employees report struggling rather than thriving. And according to WTW, nearly half face challenges in at least two key areas of wellbeing, such as financial strain, mental health struggles, or physical issues.

Despite offering costly benefits, many organizations fail to support employees in a way that addresses their real issues.

The shift: Making wellbeing a business driver

"Wellbeing isn't just about making employees feel good," says Strategic Advisor Matt Percia. "It's about creating the conditions and environment to allow them to perform at their best, both at work and in life."

Research supports a strong business case for embedding wellbeing into organizational culture. A recent study by Aon shows that companies with effective wellbeing programs experience performance improvements that range from 11% to 55%. These organizations see benefits like lower healthcare costs, better retention rates, increased productivity, and stronger overall business outcomes.

The key takeaway? Wellbeing must move beyond check-the-box programs and into strategic performance drivers. Enter the PAVE Employee Wellbeing Strategy Framework—a roadmap to achieving that shift.

Introducing the PAVE Employee Wellbeing Strategy Framework

The PAVE Employee Wellbeing Strategy Framework offers a comprehensive, actionable strategy for creating impactful wellbeing programs. It's built to help HR leaders move from traditional, reactive approaches to proactive, data-informed strategies that support employees and deliver measurable results.

1. Picture the Future

Set a bold workforce vision for 3-5 years.

Many organizations launch wellbeing programs without a clear definition of success. Instead of focusing solely on short-term participation metrics, HR leaders should ask:

• What does a thriving workforce look like for us?

• How will wellbeing improvements impact key metrics like productivity, retention, and healthcare costs?

"Great wellbeing strategies focus on legacy—shaping the future of work," says Ossenkop. A recent WTW study even found that companies with highly effective wellbeing programs are twice as likely to report strong financial outcomes.

Guiding Questions:

• How do we define a thriving workforce?

• What business outcomes do we aim to achieve through improved wellbeing?

• What would employees say about their wellbeing experience in our organization?

2. Assess the Present

Audit existing programs to identify gaps and opportunities.

Successful programs begin with an honest evaluation of current wellbeing initiatives. Are your programs addressing employees' needs, or are they just another checkbox?

For example, Prisma Health used employee wellbeing data to uncover significant financial challenges among their team. Their targeted financial wellbeing initiative led to a 1,000% increase in webinar participation and significantly higher engagement in preventative care.

Guiding Questions:

• Where are employees struggling most—financial, mental, physical, or social wellbeing?

• Are our existing programs genuinely addressing these struggles?

• What barriers prevent employees from engaging in our initiatives?

3. Value the Opportunities

Prioritize high-impact changes.

Addressing every wellbeing challenge at once isn't feasible—or necessary. Organizations can deliver quick wins and build momentum by identifying and focusing on just two or three high-impact areas.

"When leadership sees measurable wins—like lower turnover or higher engagement—they are more likely to support long-term wellbeing efforts," explains Percia.

Guiding Questions:

• Which areas of wellbeing will drive the most significant business outcomes?

• What small improvements can we implement within 30-90 days?

• How can we share success to secure leadership buy-in?

4. Engage for Success

Embed wellbeing into the company culture.

It must become part of your organization's DNA to make wellbeing sustainable, not just another program. This means integrating wellbeing into daily routines and using leadership to model behaviors.

Employers should prioritize:

• Embedding wellbeing conversations into team meetings and performance reviews.
• Engaging employee resource groups to champion initiatives.
• Collecting and adapting to regular employee feedback.

"Employees won't connect with wellbeing because of another email," says Ossenkop. "They need to see leaders modeling and prioritizing wellbeing in the workplace."

Guiding Questions:

• How can we weave wellbeing into daily work routines?
• How will we showcase the value of wellbeing to employees?
• How can we ensure ongoing feedback informs our initiatives?

Making the shift to thriving workforces

Organizations that shift their focus from wellness participation to workforce thriving will unlock significant business benefits:

• Lower turnover as employees who feel supported choose to stay.
• Higher productivity from employees equipped to perform at their best.
• Reduced healthcare costs through preventative strategies and employee engagement.

"Wellbeing isn't about step counts or participation rates," reiterates Percia. "The real question is this—do employees have what they need to succeed? If the answer is no, it's time for a new approach."

With the PAVE Employee Wellbeing Strategy Framework, HR leaders and business professionals can deliver programs that care for employees and drive meaningful organizational improvements.

Are you ready to turn wellbeing into your organization's superpower? Download your copy of the free PAVE Employee Wellbeing Framework today to kickstart your workplace transformation.