Employee Well-Being: 7 Statistics You Need to Know

In recent years, our relationship with work has profoundly transformed, and many of these changes have become an integral part of our professional life. Beyond remote work and virtual team meetings that have now become the norm, we live in a hybrid world where flexibility and autonomy have become fundamental expectations for talent.

This evolving reality makes it increasingly challenging for organizations to assess their teams’ well-being—an essential factor in a company’s success. Regardless of whether a company operates remotely, in a hybrid format, or in person, prioritizing a strong employee well-being strategy is crucial for any modern organization.

Why?

The data is unequivocal: employees with good mental and physical health demonstrate superior engagement. These two aspects are inseparable, as confirmed by the latest studies. According to Gallup, engaged employees generate 23% additional profitability, show 78% less absenteeism, and are 87% less likely to leave their employer.

The key question is: how can we foster well-being in a fragmented work environment with a dispersed workforce?

That’s what we’ll demonstrate in this article. Through 7 essential statistics, we’ll share practical tips to establish a positive work environment and build an effective strategy that fosters both employee well-being and engagement.

1. 92% of Employees Feel More Engaged When Recognized by Their Peers

Moreover, 28% of employees state that recognition from their peers has the greatest impact on their sense of appreciation, highlighting its significance. Additionally, this form of recognition is 37.5% more likely to drive positive financial outcomes for the company.

Your employees, like all of us, need to feel connected at all times. Remote work can often create a sense of isolation and disconnection from what’s happening in the organization. By encouraging peer recognition, through virtual tools like Altrum’s, you help employees feel valued and engaged, even from a distance. This fosters a more collaborative work environment and strengthens team bonds. By cultivating daily recognition, you maintain a sense of belonging and improve overall well-being while stimulating productivity and engagement.

“The platform has truly transformed how we recognize and engage our employees. It’s both intuitive and user-friendly, designed to encourage colleagues to engage with recognition posts, creating a positive ripple effect across the entire team,” said the operational efficiency project manager of an Altrum client during an interview with us.

If you don’t have a similar platform, other technologies can help. The important thing is that your peer recognition tool is as easy and intuitive as possible so that it becomes a daily dose of positivity rather than an occasional boost. Good recognition habits should be enjoyable and frequent. As David Novak writes in Harvard Business Review, you should “celebrate every step, not just the arrival.”

Linking Peer Recognition to Company Values

Another important tip is establishing a connection between peer recognition and your company’s values.

“Employees want to be reminded that their work has a specific purpose and meaning,” writes Naz Beheshti for Forbes.

This pursuit of meaning is backed by data: a Harvard Business Review study shows that employee recognition and appreciation programs are significantly more effective when aligned with company values. In fact, 90% of workers indicated that recognition based on company values and practised between peers made them more satisfied with their work. This shows how crucial integrating company values into recognition programs is for reinforcing employee engagement and satisfaction.

2. 74% of Employees Say They Are More Engaged at Work When They Feel Heard

Today’s employees are accustomed to collaborative work environments and expect open, two-way communication. Even in remote settings, they need to feel heard and recognized.

Active listening is one of the most powerful forms of recognition—it validates employees’ contributions and reinforces their sense of value. Employees truly feel listened to when they are actively involved in decision-making, whether it’s shaping project direction, refining benefit programs, or improving recognition initiatives. Giving them a voice in these processes not only acknowledges their perspectives but also fosters a sense of ownership over their work environment, enhancing both well-being and engagement.

This is why a simple teleconference, where leaders relay information without creating space for employee input, will never foster genuine dialogue. Real engagement comes from meaningful interactions where employees feel their voices matter.

Here are some ideas to ensure your employees feel listened to and heard at all times:

• Allow employees to ask questions at the end of the town hall, either live or by contacting you privately after the meeting. At your next one-on-one, ask your employees again if they have questions or comments about what was shared during the meeting. Your employees will know your invitation is sincere.
• Conduct surveys regularly (monthly or quarterly) to gather employee opinions and suggestions about various aspects of their work and the organization. Be sure to share the results and concrete actions that emerge.
• Set up structured feedback sessions after major projects or initiatives, where everyone can share their experience and propose improvements for the future.
• Establish a virtual “suggestion box” where employees can anonymously submit improvement suggestions and publicly acknowledge the ideas implemented.

3. 92% of HR Professionals Affirm Empathy Has a Major Impact on Employee Retention

According to the “State of Workplace Empathy” study by Businessolver, empathy is a determining factor for employee loyalty:

• 93% of employees say they would stay with an empathetic company
• 82% of employees would be willing to leave their current position to join a more empathetic organization
• 77% would accept working more hours in a more empathetic environment
• 60% would even be willing to accept a pay cut to benefit from such an environment

Additional research by Businessolver for The Washington Post demonstrates that empathy allows employees to feel heard and valued, which improves engagement, morale, retention, and productivity.

This trend is particularly pronounced across generations: 80% of millennials would be ready to leave their job if their workplace became less empathetic, a sentiment shared by 66% of baby boomers.

Empathy represents the ability to recognize a person in their entirety—not only their achievements but also their concerns, worries, and insecurities. As Naz Beheshti writes: “Engagement and empathy are closely linked, and employees will likely never truly feel respected and empowered in a company that shows no empathy.”

Empathetic recognition allows managers beyond saying thank-you for a job well-done. It enables them to acknowledge professional accomplishments, but also their emotional experiences and personal concerns.

Putting Empathetic Recognition into Practice

Empathy can be easily integrated into recognition practices through concrete actions:

• Active listening: Taking time to understand concerns and guide employees towards appropriate resources when necessary
• Authenticity and transparency: As David Novak emphasizes, “prove your respect by sharing as much information as possible.”
• Foster connections: Encourage interactions between colleagues, including personal conversations
• Use dedicated platforms: Implement tools where employees can share resources, citations, and mutual recognition
• Recognize exceptional contributions: Value not only performances but also acts of mutual help and community engagement through personalized rewards.

By merging empathy and recognition, organizations create an environment where employees feel fully valued, both for their work and their humanity, significantly strengthening their engagement, well-being, and loyalty.

4. 67% of Employees Working for an Organization with a Health and Wellness Program Love Their Job and Are Highly Likely to Recommend Their Employer

Up to now, we’ve talked a lot about mental health, as mental well-being has become an increasingly important concern in recent years.. That said, physical health also plays a crucial role in any strategy to ensure employee wellness. Employees who maintain good physical health are often mentally stronger, have more energy, and perform better. They also tend to react better to high-stress levels imposed by their professional responsibilities or situations beyond their control.

What might be even more important, however, is that employees who feel their companies truly care about their health are more likely to recommend that company as an employer of choice.

How can you convince your employees that you have their well-being at heart?

A gym membership is a good start, but no isolated initiative will be sufficient. Your corporate culture must demonstrate that your employees’ well-being is a priority.

Here are some ideas to prove to your employees that their health matters to you:

• Organize incentive campaigns aligned with physical activity. A step challenge, for example, will encourage everyone to move more. Most people have a fitness tracker or step-counting app. Why not track these data for a few weeks and reward those who have accumulated the most steps with points, a card or a small gift of their choice? This type of contest is a fun way to encourage physical activity and is accessible to everyone, without needing to be a seasoned athlete. You can take advantage of these challenges to reinforce team spirit by transforming this contest into a collaborative and motivating experience.

• Offer health benefits such as medical and dental insurance, as well as telemedicine services, to promote employee well-being. For example, Intuit 6 provides an Accolade Health assistant that helps employees find a doctor, estimate medical procedure costs, and get health advice. The company also offers medical coverage for transgender employees, including services and procedures related to gender transition.

• Offer financial support to help employees better manage their finances and feel secure. Companies like Microsoft invest in their teams’ financial well-being by offering financial coaching programs and spaces where employees can freely discuss their economic concerns. This type of initiative helps reduce financial stress, improve work concentration, and strengthen employee engagement.
• Organize an in-person sports tournament. Form a team to participate in a running or walking event and pay for your employees’ registration, or at least part of it. You can even have your logo embroidered or printed on t-shirts for the event and offer trophies to winners. The day will work wonders for your employees’ team spirit, especially if they train together in the weeks leading up to the event.

5. 49% of Employees Have Already Left a Job Due to Lack of Work-Life Balance

And yet, this balance has been determined as the primary indicator of workplace happiness in Canada, with a score of 6.9/10 according to an ADP Canada Co. employee survey.

Faced with this reality, workers expect their employers to take concrete measures to support them. Initiatives like remote work, flexible hours, wellness days, or an adapted workload can make all the difference. Companies that integrate these practices not only foster talent satisfaction and retention but also improve productivity and engagement.

We’ve all heard that the most precious gift is time, and your employees will certainly appreciate your flexibility for their personal lives.

6. 76% of Employees Keep Handwritten Thank You Notes

And 100% of those who receive them read them. This statistic reveals the invaluable worth of this simple personal gesture.

A handwritten note transcends a simple message. It becomes a tangible testament to recognition. If you take the time to write a few sincere lines, employees will carefully preserve them, rereading them during moments when they need motivation. It’s a simple form of recognition, but its effect endures well beyond the moment. A proof that you don’t need to spend money every time you want to demonstrate your appreciation.

When employees work remotely, this type of personalization becomes even more significant. Imagine their surprise upon discovering a note in their mailbox on a morning when they feel particularly isolated and disconnected from their team and company. This approach will show your employees that you truly care about them, far more than a quickly sent email.

Such a gesture will help them feel valued and reconnected, transforming a simple note into a powerful tool of motivation and belonging.

7. 73% of Employees Say They Are Less Likely to Experience Burnout If They Receive Regular Recognition

In an increasingly demanding professional environment, recognition is no longer simply an asset: it has become a strategic issue. While 49% of North American employees experience daily stress and 86% face at least one mental health challenge, valuing individual contributions is more essential than ever in contributing to well-being. Moreover, 82% of workers say they are happier at work when recognized regularly, but this is not an easy task. Especially in large or geographically dispersed teams.

While peer recognition plays an important role, it is not always sufficient. An encouraging word from a colleague can boost morale momentarily, but official recognition from management is essential to nurture a genuine sense of appreciation and belonging. The numbers speak for themselves: 28% of employees consider the most meaningful recognition is from their manager, and 24% await this gesture from their CEO.

Leaders can no longer afford a passive approach. Cultivating an authentic and strategic recognition culture requires specific skills and concrete commitment. This is not just a matter of politeness: it’s a direct investment in mental health, motivation, and talent retention. In a business world where stress and isolation threaten employee fulfillment, every word of recognition becomes a bulwark against professional exhaustion.

Making a Difference: How to Improve Your Employees’ Well-being

Whether you’re a leader, manager, or human resources professional, you play a key role in improving employee well-being and satisfaction. Numerous actions can be implemented whether introducing peer recognition tools, practising daily active listening and empathy, adopting health programs, or creating a flexible work environment. Recognition, whether formal or informal, also plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy corporate culture.

Where to start? A good starting point is to analyze your current corporate culture and management practices. Take the time to collect employee feedback to identify your strengths and areas for improvement. Once this information is collected, implement the actions suggested by your teams.

For example, if your employees feel unrecognized or unheard by their manager, this could be an opportunity to introduce non-monetary recognition initiatives. By training your managers to adopt new recognition practices, you enable them to better support and value their teams.

If employees highlight a lack of benefits or dissatisfaction with their advantages, take their feedback and re-evaluate your program to make necessary adjustments. In case of a lack of workplace flexibility consider reviewing internal policies to allow more autonomy and freedom in work time organization.

In summary, the key is to listen carefully to your employees’ needs and take concrete actions to improve their work experience and, ultimately, their well-being.