If 2025 taught us anything, it’s that the pressures employees carry are becoming more complex and more interconnected than ever. Across global markets, financial stress is disrupting sleep. Caregiving demands and health concerns are draining energy. Fatigue and workload pressures are following people from home to work and back again.
Poor mental health is now a major driver of lost time at work across global workplaces. In the U.S., 62 percent of missed workdays are linked to mental health challenges. In Spain, mental health-related absences have risen by more than 30 percent, while in France, it is the leading cause of long-term sick leave. In the Netherlands, 41 percent of missed workdays are tied to poor mental health, and in Australia, claims have surged 161 percent over the past decade. Traditional approaches to employee wellbeing just weren’t built for what today’s workforce is facing. A more holistic outlook is needed. The question facing many is, where to start?
As we look ahead to 2026, five critical risk factors are influencing what effective employee wellbeing looks like – and how organizations can respond to help build more resilient workplaces.
Five critical risk factors facing organizations in 2026
1. Reactive vs proactive health management
Waiting for a crisis before addressing wellbeing costs more than preventing one. Across Europe, employees facing mental-health challenges lose between 75 and 82 days per year., according to the TELUS Health Mental Health Index (MHI).
The spiral often starts small. In South Korea, for example, 41 percent of workers say work stress disrupts their sleep, while 34 percent say poor sleep is making stress harder to manage – a compounding cycle. The MHI also found that there is a correlation between sleep quality and productivity. In Singapore, for example, 40 percent of workers say poor sleep quality has resulted in decreased productivity.
2. One-size-fits-all benefits approaches
Today’s workforce spans five generations and is more diverse than ever. Women make up 47.7 percent of the global workforce, while Gen Z is projected to represent 30 percent of workers by 2030. Yet a McKinsey Health Institute survey found that women, younger workers and other diverse groups consistently report poorer health outcomes than their counterparts – suggesting a gap between workforce diversity and support to meet generational and gender-specific needs.
Women’s disproportionate family responsibilities are linked to sleep disruption, fatigue and reduced focus at work. Deloitte found 40 percent of Gen Z’ers feel stressed or anxious all or most of the time and nearly half do not feel financially secure.
When support doesn’t match need, organizations risk losing talent. Nearly one-third of women have quit or considered quitting during menopause, while nearly three-quarters of Gen Zers would leave for better benefits. According to the MHI, 33 percent of Canadian employees, and 41 percent of European employees would prefer better support for their wellbeing over a 10 percent increase in salary.
3. Technology and communication gaps
Digital interventions – including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) programs, mindfulness and stress-management apps and platforms – have been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, depression and burnout. But these tools only work if employees access and engage with them.
MHI data shows a widespread communications gap: In the U.S., 56 percent of workers report unclear or inconsistent communication about health and wellbeing programs; in South Korea, 68 percent report the same; and in Singapore, 57 percent say communication is unclear or incomplete. That confusion has consequences. In the U.S., for example, workers who say communication is unclear are nearly eight times more likely to be unaware of available programs, which may delay seeking help before an issue escalates.
TELUS Health data shows that active EAP users are nearly three times more effective at improving their wellbeing and reducing presenteeism, and each user gains approximately 66 more hours of productivity.
4. Fragmented care delivery
Large organizations spend an average of US $10.5 million per year on wellbeing programs. Yet mental health, physical health and financial concerns are still often handled by separate providers with little coordination. This fragmentation can lead to low utilization and awareness of employee assistance programs (EAPs), resulting in employees struggling to find support.
When employees struggle to get the support they need, when they need it, issues that could be addressed early can go unresolved. That, in turn, adds up. According to global research, 75 percent of medical costs accrued are mostly due to preventable conditions, while up to 20 percent of total payroll in voluntary turnover costs can be attributed to burnout. Research finds that an integrated approach that connects physical, mental and financial wellbeing through a single access point can help organizations save up to U.S. $3.5 billion in health-related costs annually, and gain additional productivity equivalent to roughly US $5,000 in economic output per employee.
5. Measurement misalignment
Enrollment rates and app downloads are easy to measure. But they say little about whether employees are actually getting better, or whether wellbeing programs are working. Measurement of employee engagement, absenteeism and retention reveal far more about program effectiveness.
The TELUS Mental Health Index tracks whether employees can focus, sleep, manage pressure and perform. The results help provide clarity on how workers are actually doing, what’s influencing their wellbeing and where stressors are rising.
A framework for action: Anticipate, empower, respond
Forward-thinking organizations recognize that wellbeing exists on a continuum. People move between feeling well, struggling and feeling unwell, and require different support at different moments. A three-pillar approach helps meet them where they are.
Anticipate: Stay one step ahead
Embed wellbeing into daily operations — not as a one-off initiative, but as part of the culture. This includes fostering psychological safety, training managers to spot early signs of strain and providing preventive tools. MHI data from the U.S. shows that employees who rate their employer’s physical wellbeing support as poor lose an additional 23 working days of productivity per year compared to those who rate their support as excellent — losing 46 days versus 23.
Empower: Equip people and leaders
Provide employees with information and tools for self-care, whether that’s counseling, financial wellbeing advice or leadership development programs. Create personalized care pathways based on individual needs, and equip managers to have supportive conversations. Employees with excellent managers are 6.5 times more likely to be fully engaged.
Respond: Deliver care when it matters
Even with prevention, employees will face crises. This means 24/7 access to counseling, crisis support and expert-led intervention. Research by the Integrated Benefits Institute has found that active EAP users are almost 3 times more effective (287 percent) at improving their wellbeing and reducing presenteeism. Additionally, workers whose employers offer mental health support score seven points higher on mental health assessments.
Preparing for 2026 and beyond
Future-ready organizations will move beyond reactive wellbeing to integrated, predictive strategies that help drive measurable impact.
- Embed wellbeing into the flow of work: Availability of support programs need to be complemented by accessibility. Ensuring employees have frictionless, personalized pathways to care – whether that’s counseling, financial wellbeing advice, or leadership development - can help integrate care into their daily experience.
- Focus on outcomes, not utilization rates: Use benchmarks to track employee satisfaction, retention, absenteeism and productivity.
- Integrate physical, mental and financial health: Tailor support to meet diverse workforce needs. Equip managers to flag early signs of strain and provide preventive tools to help support sleep, nutrition, movement and stress management.
- Ensure technology complements human connection: When technology is balanced with human support, dropout rates decrease by 2.9 times.
A healthier workforce is within reach. Organizations that anticipate challenges, empower their people and respond with care are better equipped to thrive.
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