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While we all intuitively know that employee health and wellness are key drivers of efficiency, productivity, satisfaction and quality of work, it can at times be challenging to justify the cost of a wellness program without clear proof of return. In this article we answer the question “How do I measure the ROI of a wellness program?”

So what exactly is ROI? ROI stands for Return on Investment: a measure of what you get back for every dollar you spend. It’s used as a metric by senior leadership to help determine where to allocate budget to parts of the business that impact the bottom line. 

The problem is sometimes measuring ROI isn’t always that straightforward. For example, measuring the Return on Investment (ROI) of an advertising campaign is much simpler. You can see exactly how every dollar spent on an ad and how much profit it brought it. But not all investments we make are that black-and-white.

Wellness programs often involve soft metrics: results that can be considered more qualitative or subjective rather than purely numerical.

In workplace wellness, soft metrics include things like:

• Employee satisfaction and morale
• How supported or cared for people feel
• Engagement levels and productivity impact
• Stress resilience and energy 

These are usually measured through surveys, feedback, or sentiment scores. They’re valuable because they show the human impact of wellness: the factors that keep people happy, motivated, and loyal.

Soft metrics vs. hard metrics:

• Soft metrics = qualitative (feelings, satisfaction, culture)
• Hard metrics = quantitative (turnover rates, insurance claims, absenteeism)

The good news? You can track and show ROI for wellness programs, both through soft metrics and hard data. 

What is the ROI on Wellness Programs?

When getting to the ROI of Wellness Programs, the good place to start is to first understand the business impact.

A strong wellness program supports employees physically, mentally, and emotionally. When done right, holistic wellness programs lead to better mood, more energy, stronger focus, and improved stress resilience. 

As a result, companies see:

• Fewer sick days
• Lower stress and burnout
• Higher productivity
• More loyalty and engagement

To get these outcomes, wellness needs to be treated as an ongoing priority instead of a one-time session or a single perk (like a gym discount). A year-round approach keeps employees supported and engaged over the long term, so they can actually see positive shifts in their mental & physical health.

The shift from viewing wellness as a perk to treating it as an essential part of company culture is happening because employees want and need meaningful support for their mental and physical health, and they notice when companies deliver.

From surveys of hundreds of participants in HEAL challenges, the results speak for themselves: 

• 93% felt better able to manage stress
• 95% felt happier some or most of the time
• 98% were more active during the challenge (a key factor in mental health)
• 93% of participants felt they had more energy
• 89% felt more productive
• 80% of participants slept better
• 92% felt they had better boundaries at work (preventing burnout)
• 86% felt more connected to their colleagues
• 85% felt HEAL's programs made work more fun
• 98% of participants felt their company cares about their health & well-being

Why is measuring ROI important for HR Leaders

We hear it all the time. HR teams are faced with pressure to show that every dollar invested drives real impact, not just for employees, but for the business as a whole. 

While it’s widely agreed upon that supporting employee health and mental well-being leads to happier, more engaged teams, the challenge is often proving that it’s a strategic, high-return investment, not just an extra perk to cut when budgets get tight. Plus, results are longer term, not immediate.

Leadership cares about outcomes they can see and measure. They want proof that wellness programs will:

• Keep turnover low and protect the investment made in hiring great people
• Reduce burnout, absenteeism, and sick days
• Help manage benefit costs year after year
• Strengthen culture, belonging, and engagement in a meaningful way

DP World reported a direct reduction in heart health benefit claims after partnering with HEAL on a preventative heart health-specific wellness program.

If you’re looking for industry stats that you can lean on to bring to your senior leaders, HR Executive put out a report, which polled over 2,000 HR leaders to find out what they had to say.

• 91% of HR leaders say their wellness programs directly reduce healthcare benefits costs.

That means fewer claims, lower premiums, and more manageable budgets. 

• 89% of HR leaders have seen a measurable drop in sick days since implementing wellness initiatives. 

Fewer sick days means less disruption, smoother workflows, and more consistent productivity across teams. 

• 85% credit their wellness program with reducing the costs of recruitment, and 77% of employees would consider leaving a company that does not focus on wellbeing

That means spending less on replacing and training new employees.

When wellness is designed as a year-round priority, it checks all these boxes. Healthy, supported employees are more loyal, more productive, and healthy, more resilient, which has a ripple effect on everything from insurance claims to team performance. 

The Cost of Doing Nothing

Sometimes, the price you pay for not investing in wellness can be just as strong and might resonate differently with senior leaders. The longer you go without a wellness plan means higher turnover risk, lost productivity, and preventable burnout.

The Business Risk Told Through Industry Stats:

• 85% of employees feel burnt out (The Times)
• ~50% of burned-out employees have already taken time off for mental health reasons (The Times)
• 47% cite workplace stress as the main reason their mental health is declining (The American Institute of Stress)
• 1 in 3 workers feel tired at work, hurting productivity and company performance (HR Reporter)

• Only 21% of employees say they’re engaged at work (Gallup)
• 51% are actively looking for a new job (Gallup)
• Work-life balance and personal well-being is now the #1 reason people consider leaving their job (Gallup)

How to Measure ROI of a Wellness Program

Here are a few ways to capture meaningful ROI for your wellness initiatives:

Surveys & feedback: Gather employee input on how useful they find the program, how often they use it, and what changes they’ve noticed in their well-being and work performance.

Usage data: Track metrics like app logins, wellness challenge participation, average daily step count, or nutrition goals met (e.g., protein, fiber, or water intake).

Benchmarking: Compare key outcomes (like absenteeism, turnover, or productivity) between employees who participate and those who don’t.

Financial analysis: Partner with benefits providers to analyze year-over-year healthcare claims, insurance costs, or chronic disease trends.

While ROI won’t always show up as a neat dollar-for-dollar equation, these data points together can tell a strong story about the real business impact of your wellness program.

Download our Free ROI Tracker to start measuring and tracking progress for your next Wellness Program!

How to Secure Leadership Buy-in

Convincing senior leaders to invest in wellness in an exercise in bridging the gap between people outcomes and business results.

Here’s how to build a strong case:

• Show the numbers. Combine hard metrics (like turnover, absenteeism, claims) with soft metrics (like satisfaction and engagement) for a complete picture.
• Report results. Commit to sharing clear data regularly. Partner with a provider (like HEAL) that tracks participation and outcomes so you can show the impact over time.
• Start small if needed. Pilot a 4-week challenge, or a lunch and learn and share early wins to secure bigger investment later.

Ready to see what a customized wellness plan could look like for your organization?

Our workplace wellness plans include employee wellness challenges, lunch and learns, and year-round holistic programs designed to deliver measurable ROI. Get in touch.