The wellbeing of employees is an important part of any business. According to <a href="https://mentalhealth-uk.org/blog/burnout-report-2025-reveals-generational-divide-in-levels-of-stress-and-work-absence/#:~:text=The%20survey%20of%204%2C418%20UK,with%2035%25%20the%20previous%20year. According to the Burnout Report by Mental Health UK 2025, more than one third (34%) of adults said they experienced extreme or high levels of stress or pressure 'always or often' in the past year. This can have serious consequences on workplace productivity.
CEOs should ensure that they implement a strategy for employee wellbeing to ensure individuals receive the support they require. It is important to maintain a healthy and resilient workforce. In the modern workplace there are many generations working together. CEOs need to ensure that their benefits strategy caters for different life stages.
Healix has seen an increase in employers seeking to offer non-standard benefits. These include support for menopause, benefits for women and men, benefits for LGBTQ+, and support of neurodiversity.
Before introducing employee benefits, employers should consider the company culture. How these benefits are communicated and the structures and processes in place will determine their success.
Benefits must also be aligned with the mission and values of the company. For example, if an organization supports diversity and encourages it, then benefits that help people from diverse backgrounds thrive must be offered.
Facilitating employee commitment through positive culture
If an employer does not allow workers to spend time with their families or nurture their lives outside of work, the benefits they provide are limited.
Managers must know how to effectively communicate non-traditional benefits and how to guide people to the appropriate resources.
Managers can do this by taking the time to help employees who request flexible working hours, or by holding meetings to encourage an open dialogue and gather feedback. It can also be used to provide feedback to the board about how to better tailor benefits to employees’ needs.
Managers can also address concerns directly from employees who are hesitant to use certain benefits due to fear of being judged or a negative impact on their career. They can reassure them and point them in the direction of mental health services that can alleviate these concerns.
Promoting and reinforcing the benefits regularly is important
In my discussions with other business leaders, I have heard the question repeatedly: How can non-traditional benefits be best communicated to encourage employees to take them up?
Managers need to remind their employees of the benefits they can receive, particularly during stressful or busy periods.
Include discussions of non-traditional benefits in performance reviews and conversations about training to help reinforce their importance.
Consider providing employees with resources and tools to help them make the most out of non-traditional benefits, such as workshops or regular communication including use-cases.
CEOs should consider, however, that nurturing well-being may require more than just running initiatives. Implementing the correct strategy could mean, for example changing the process around hiring senior managers as it is important that they have the ability to empathise with others and be “people managers.”
A holistic approach
CEOs should not introduce wellness initiatives to simply cover up organisational problems. Training, promotion and skill development, along with support for wellbeing, are important progression opportunities that can result in sustained growth and positive growth of the company.
Gartner’s report found that the majority of employees said it was important that their employer see them as more than just an employee. It is therefore crucial that firms that provide purpose-driven work and have a strong community spirit offer non-traditional benefits.
This can be done in many ways, such as by offering employees a place to voice their opinions, rewarding them with incentives or taking time to discuss the impact of the company on the world and the role they play. It helps create deeper relationships between employees, and managers can better understand their team members. In turn, this allows them to make recommendations to the board about wellbeing benefits that will help people flourish.
