Is an employee health programme worth it?

Short answer: yes, if it is structured and measured. Worldwide, the WHO and ILO estimate that 12 billion working days are lost every year to depression and anxiety, costing nearly US$1 trillion in lost productivity. Most of that loss comes from people who are at work but exhausted, not from sick leave.

What drives the cost in your company

1. Turnover: each resignation × cost to replace (recruitment, onboarding, time to full productivity).
2. Absence: days lost to ill health × daily cost per employee.
3. Presenteeism: people at work but performing below their usual level. Hard to see, often the largest share.

The burnout cost calculator gives an estimate in 2 minutes.

What makes a programme work, and what makes it fail

• Works: measure first, act on organisational causes (workload, role clarity, management), give fast access to clinical support, measure again after 6 months.
• Fails: an app or a webinar on its own, with no measurement and no change to how work is organised. The WHO guidelines on mental health at work (2022) recommend manager training as a core measure.

See also how to measure employee wellbeing and how to choose a wellbeing provider.

Metrics to track

• Average team burnout score (before and after).
• Voluntary turnover.
• Absence days for health reasons.
• Uptake of the support offered.

Book a team burnout screening →

Sources

• WHO and ILO: 12 billion working days lost every year to depression and anxiety