How to Improve Employee Wellbeing: Mental, Physical, and Social Strategies

Why Employee Well-being is important.                                           

Employee wellbeing is a holistic approach that covers mental, physical, emotional, and social wellbeing. Companies acknowledging them are unlocking higher engagement, reduced burnout, enhanced productivity, lower absenteeism, and improved retention.

Let's discuss all aspects of employee well-being with its strategies.

Mental Well-being

Mental well-being at work refers to a person’s ability to manage work-related stress, stay balanced, and feel inspired and content. It incorporates emotional resilience, stress management, and work-life balance with a positive state of mind.

According to Deloitte’s 2025 Workplace Wellness Report, more than 70% of employees cite mental health support as a top priority when choosing or staying with a company.

Let's discuss five strategies to improve mental well-being in the workplace.

1.Normalise Mental Health Conversations

Stigma is still attached to mental health. People feel ashamed to talk about it. It's time we provided a taboo-free workplace to employees where they can talk and get help. Position your brand as a mental health ally in your employer branding. Hosting regular well-being talks or workshops can encourage employees to discuss their issues. Moreover, leaders of the company should lead by example and share their experiences. It will help in creating a culture of normalising mental health conversations.

2. Embed mindfulness into daily routines.

Mindfulness, a quality of staying in the present, enhances focus, reduces anxiety, and encourages response rather than reaction. Beginning meetings with a 2-minute breathing exercise and creating digital reminders for brief pauses in between work hours can help in embedding mindfulness in daily routines.

3. Offer Onsite or Remote Mental Health Services

Companies can offer on-site or remote mental health services. Professional help should be just a call away, accessible anytime. Companies can also partner with online platforms like Headspace. Companies can utilise resources such as BetterHelp to obtain mental health services. Free or subsidized therapy sessions can also be helpful. Moreover, inclusion of a mental health support allowance in employee benefits is also a good idea.

4. Respect boundaries and work-life balance.

After the invention of mobile phones, everyone expects to be available at a ring. Connectivity is awesome, but constant availability in the workplace leads to exhaustion and disengagement. Companies should respect boundaries and encourage work-life balance by promoting digital shutdown after logging off and avoiding meetings during lunch breaks or late evenings.

5. Introduce Mental Health Days and Leaves

The concept of a mental health day, a day separate from regular sick and casual leave, is making waves. Google introduced “Recharge Fridays” in 2023. Productivity and employee NPS soared by 23%.

Unilever launched its “Wellbeing Reset Program” across global teams, combining mental health training, resilience workshops, and regular check-ins. The result? A 32% rise in engagement and a 19% drop in stress-related sick leave.

Physical Well-being

Healthy employees are high-performing assets for any company. In the last five years, the focus on mental wellbeing has taken the world by storm, but in 2025, all the celebrities undergoing physical transformations have brought physical wellbeing into the limelight. Moreover, the modern office needs to go beyond ergonomic chairs and reimbursements.

The following five strategies will improve physical well-being.

1.In-house yoga and stretching sessions

Routine movements can improve body posture, especially for desk-bound workers. It. Scheduled yoga sessions or stretching classes, in collaboration with local studios, can improve posture, reduce stress, and boost the mood of employees.

2. Regular health screening and fitness assessments

Preventive healthcare empowers everyone to manage their health proactively. Regular health screenings and fitness assessments can help avoid any major health issues. Partnerships with health labs for checkups, introducing wearable tech tracking in welcome kits, and providing fitness goal consultations are a few options for regular health screening.

3. Launch a physical wellness challenge and recognition.

It's a group activity that, when conducted, boosts motivation and bonding. Many people have started using the AI Wellness tracker to set goals. Companies can go a step further by conducting monthly “Wellness Champion Spotlights.” A “10,000 Step Club” can also help.

4. Support hygiene and ergonomics in shared spaces.

Germs and poor hygiene not only affect physical health, but they also influence the trust and comfort shared in the office environment. Installing hand sanitizers, air purifiers, UV sanitizing lockers, and phone charging cabinets and keeping desk cleaning kits handy can help improve the overall hygiene and ergonomics in shared spaces. Periodic audits and upgrades of chairs can also reduce discomfort while working.

5. Incentivize active commuting

Active commuting incorporates walking, cycling, or even the use of partial public transport, which keeps employees more active than sitting in cars. Companies can offer parking credits or vouchers for those who bike/walk to work. Secure storage facilities should be provided. Moreover, companies can launch “Cycle to Work Day“ with recognition and rewards to promote a healthy lifestyle.

Example: Companies like Accenture offer commuter wellness points to encourage eco-active commuting.

Social Wellbeing

A workplace is more than a place for productivity. It's a human experience. Social well-being refers to the quality of work relationships, sense of belonging, and interpersonal support systems an employee has at the workplace. Social well-being contributes to collaborations and team bonding. Lack of social well-being often results in disengagement, burnout, and silent quitting.

According to a 2025 survey by Deloitte, 72% of employees say that a sense of belonging directly influences their decision to stay with a company. In today’s hybrid, fast-paced world, fostering social well-being isn’t just good for people—it’s good for business.

Five social well-being strategies are discussed as below:

1.Peer recognition programs

A simple thank you or shout-out can build strong professional bonds between peers. Recognition made public uplifts morale. Introducing the “Kudos Wall” and the introduction of peer awards can develop social well-being among employees.

2. Cross-team collaboration projects

Working in silos kills productivity and efficiency. On the contrary, working with new teammates and collaborating povides a different frame of mind and a fresh approach to finding solutions. Companies can inculcate collaborations by rotating people among various teams and hosting “Mix and Match“ challenges. Using platforms like Miro or Notion for async collaboration can also improve social wellness.

3. Offer mentorship and buddy programs

New joiners feel the challenge of connecting with team members. They are unable to break the ice. In such a scenario, attaching them with a buddy or mentor for a week/month can create bonds.

Deloitte’s "Connect for Growth" program matches juniors with cross-functional mentors for 3-month sprints.

4. Celebrate wins together, big or small

Celebrations bridge gaps between employees. Celebrating project completions, birthdays, “Hero of the Month,” etc., can help improve the social well-being among employees.

5. Foster, along with inclusive culture campaigns

Every employee wants to be seen, heard, and valued. Companies should launch the "They belong here" campaign, celebrating all the festivals and promoting inclusivity in a diverse culture.

We at Pluxee celebrate every win and achievement by rewarding Pluxee gift cards. It can be a meal/employee benefits card or a rewards and recognition suite. We celebrate employees’ brilliance and fuel their journey to excellence. Reward your employees with Pluxee's 100% digital rewards solution. Our tailor-made gift cards with 5+ million RuPay-enabled outlets have made the Pluxee India App the highest-rated employee benefits app, which is just perfect for special occasions.

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Let’s break the cycle of toxic work culture and initiate work-life balance by encouraging employee well-being strategies at our workplace.