As a leader, understanding what drives your people isn’t just nice to have - it’s critical for retention, engagement, and long-term success. Recent research from Reward Gateway’s 2025 Workplace Wellbeing Report offers compelling insights for those at the helm of UK organisations.
The findings reveal that more than a quarter of UK employees believe their employer shares responsibility for their wellbeing. This positions leaders and organisations as key stakeholders in fostering a healthy, motivated workforce. Yet, despite this expectation, only 29% of employees feel their employer actually cares about their wellbeing.
Other influential parties include partners and spouses (41%), doctors and healthcare providers (27%), and parents or children (both 16%). Even friends, the government, and extended family are viewed as contributors to wellbeing. The takeaway? Employees see responsibility as shared - but leaders clearly have an influential role to play.
Why Wellbeing Matters for Leaders
The research highlights that employee wellbeing is strongly linked to retention and attraction:
88% of employees agree that businesses who genuinely care about staff wellbeing retain them longer.
80%say it helps attract a more diverse workforce.
34% report higher loyalty to companies that actively support their wellbeing.
For leaders, these numbers underline a crucial fact: investing in wellbeing is not just ethical - it’s strategic. Companies that fail to meet these needs risk higher turnover, reduced productivity, and a weaker employer brand.
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The Gap Between Expectation and Reality
Despite employees’ clear expectations, many organisations are falling short:
Only26%of employees have access to benefits that actively support their wellbeing.
Fewer than one in five (18%) feel their employer spends significant time and effort on their wellbeing.
Just 26% feel comfortable discussing mental health at work.
Only 21% would stay with an employer because of wellbeing support.
A mere 15% cited wellbeing support as a key reason for joining or staying at their current company.
These statistics are a wake-up call for leaders. While employees increasingly prioritise wellbeing, many organisations are yet to create environments that reflect this priority.
What Leaders Can Do
Embed wellbeing in company strategy: Don’t treat wellbeing as a standalone initiative. Include it in your business goals, leadership KPIs, and recruitment strategies.
Assess and evolve benefits: Ensure employees have access to meaningful programmes that support both mental and physical health. Flexibility, counselling, and development opportunities can make a measurable difference.
Foster open conversations: Create safe spaces where employees can talk about mental health without stigma. Training leaders to lead these conversations is key.
Measure impact: Regularly review how wellbeing initiatives affect retention, engagement, and productivity. Use these insights to continuously improve your approach.
Lead by example: Leaders who prioritise and demonstrate wellbeing in their own behaviour set the tone for the entire organisation.
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Conclusion
Wellbeing is no longer an optional extra - it is a strategic lever for attraction, retention, and performance. Leaders who understand and act on this insight are better positioned to build resilient, engaged, and high-performing teams.
As the UK talent market becomes increasingly competitive, organisations that neglect wellbeing risk losing not only staff but also productivity, morale, and ultimately, profitability.
Chris Britton, People Experience Director at Reward Gateway, sums it up:
"With more than a quarter believing that employers share responsibility for their wellbeing, having propositions, benefits, and values in place that meet the evolving needs of employees is becoming a crucial factor in recruitment and retention."
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