For HR professionals, workplace wellbeing isn’t just a policy discussion—it’s a daily reality. You see first-hand the impact of stress, burnout, and disengagement, not just in formal absence data but in the quiet moments: the employees who confide in you about struggling to cope, the patterns emerging in exit interviews, the late-night emails from exhausted managers.
Yet, making the case for investment in wellbeing often falls to HR, alongside everything else. With leadership focused on business outcomes, securing buy-in requires more than just good intentions—it needs clear evidence.
So, where do you start?
The External Evidence: Why Workplace Wellbeing Matters
Before looking inward, it’s useful to anchor your case in external research. Here are some key findings from UK-based reports:
- Deloitte’s Mental Health and Employers Report found that 63% of respondents had experienced at least one characteristic of burnout — feeling of exhaustion, mental distance from their job, or decline in performance at work.
- The British Safety Council highlights that organisations prioritising employee wellbeing experience higher engagement and lower stress-related absences.
- Mental Health UK’s Burnout Report reveals that one in five UK workers needed to take time off work in the past year due to stress-related mental health struggles.
- Personio’s research indicates that more than half (52%) of HR professionals in the UK have experienced burnout in the past five years, with 34% contemplating leaving the sector within the next year.
These reports (linked at the end) provide robust data to support your case. But external statistics alone aren’t always enough to sway decision-makers—this is where internal data comes in.
Your Organisation’s Story: Finding the Internal Evidence
Every workplace is different, and making a case for wellbeing is strongest when it connects directly to your organisation’s challenges and goals. Consider what data you already have access to:
- Absence and Sickness Data – What percentage of absence is related to stress, anxiety, or mental health? Have you seen an increase in long-term sickness?
- Employee Turnover and Retention – Are wellbeing issues contributing to staff leaving? Exit interviews may provide valuable insights.
- Productivity and Performance Metrics – Are teams experiencing burnout? Has presenteeism become an issue where employees are physically at work but struggling to be effective?
- Engagement Surveys – Are employees reporting stress, dissatisfaction, or feeling unsupported? Comparing past survey trends can highlight patterns.
- Use of Wellbeing Services – If you offer an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) or occupational health support, what are the usage rates? High usage could indicate a need for further investment, while low usage may point to a lack of awareness or accessibility.
Awareness Training and Workshops: Turning Data into Action
Once you’ve gathered insights from internal data, the next step is to take action. Awareness training and workshops can be a powerful way to respond to the trends you identify. For example:
- If absence review meetings highlight stress as a key factor, resilience training or stress management workshops could be introduced.
- If EAP data shows a high number of employees seeking support for financial wellbeing, a session on financial resilience could be valuable.
- If engagement surveys show employees feel unsupported in their roles, training for line managers on mental health awareness might be a priority.
By using real data to shape the focus of training and discussions, organisations can ensure their wellbeing strategy is targeted and impactful. Awareness sessions also help to:
- Open up the conversation – Encouraging employees to discuss wellbeing in a safe and supportive space.
- Signpost available support – Ensuring employees are aware of resources such as EAPs, mental health first aiders, and external support services.
- Identify areas for further investment – Training sessions can highlight common challenges and gaps in current provision, helping HR teams prioritise future initiatives.
Aligning Wellbeing with Business Priorities
To make the strongest case, tie workplace wellbeing to organisational priorities. Are you trying to improve staff retention? Reduce absenteeism costs? Enhance productivity? Wellbeing isn’t just a ‘nice-to-have’; it directly influences business outcomes.
For example, if reducing turnover is a strategic goal, wellbeing initiatives that improve employee satisfaction and engagement could be a key driver. If operational efficiency is under review, addressing presenteeism and burnout could unlock significant performance improvements.
Making the Case: Presenting Your Findings
When presenting your business case to senior leaders, focus on:
- The problem: Use internal data to highlight current challenges.
- The external evidence: Show research that supports investment in wellbeing.
- The impact: Demonstrate how wellbeing initiatives can directly support business goals.
- A phased approach: Consider proposing small, measurable changes first, making it easier to gain buy-in and scale up based on results.
Final Thoughts
HR professionals don’t have to build the business case alone. Collaborate with finance, occupational health, and leadership teams to gather insights and ensure alignment with wider business objectives. Workplace wellbeing is not just an HR responsibility—it’s a strategic priority that benefits everyone.
Want to explore more? Check out the resources below:
How does your organisation approach workplace wellbeing? If you’re looking for support in building a compelling case, let’s have a conversation!
