The Preventive Model: A Measurement Approach to Wellbeing

Today the wellbeing industry has very little transparency; it cannot evidence actual performance. Albeit trying to do the right thing, companies are focussing on Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs), yoga sessions, subscriptions to meditation apps, and so on - ticks in all the right boxes so they can move on to ‘more important’ things.

Investment in these kinds of services continues to increase, yet rates of burnout are rapidly rising. Clearly, something is going wrong; the current approach is failing people. With such services, business leaders simply have no way of knowing if their wellbeing strategy is actually working. They are throwing money at a broken, reactive model of wellbeing, and while the financial waste is one thing, the human cost is far more concerning.

So why is this reactive model of wellbeing so broken?

Ask most people what wellbeing benefits they have in place at their organisation and the top answer, if any, will likely be “oh, we have an EAP”…alarm bells. EAPs were born in an era in which wellbeing support services were viewed more as insurance, and were not employee-focussed. 50 years on and EAPs still operate in this manner, based on a negligent financial model: EAP providers make most money when used least - the EAP benefits, your organisation ‘benefits’ (on paper, i.e. lower costs), but the employee does not.

With typical utilisation rates of only 2-8%, EAP providers are reaping the financial rewards of wellbeing negligence. This can no longer be acceptable to the very people that organisations rely on to deliver and drive business. The greatest asset to any business is its people and it’s time they received the proper wellbeing support.

So what approach should business leaders adopt instead?

At 87% we advocate a preventive rather than reactive model of wellbeing. The focus is on building better mental health rather than merely tackling mental ill-health. Wellbeing improvement must be for everyone. Supporting the small percentage of workforces that need specific help is of course very important, but it is yesterday’s thinking. A preventive model instead ensures that support is provided for all employees, helping people to stay well and improve before they reach crisis point.

So how does this preventive model work in practice?

A preventive model of wellbeing only works through measurement. Without proper measurement of employee wellbeing, organisations are flying blind when it comes to investing in wellbeing services. Business leaders simply have no way of knowing what is or isn’t working within their existing wellbeing strategy.

An anonymous data-driven approach changes everything; business leaders now gain actionable insights into the underlying wellbeing of employees (and not just what they’d tell you). Harnessing real employee wellbeing data, they uncover issues in their organisation they would otherwise be unable to see. They learn which audiences are struggling most and identify key areas to target for improvement to drive better performance and improve workplace culture.

And while the benefits for people are of highest importance, with this also comes financial reward for organisations. Research shows that a preventive model is 2x more effective, generating a £6 return for every £1 invested in wellbeing support, as opposed to £3 for reactive interventions only. With the proper support employees (across the organisation) are now more loyal, more productive, more present, and take less time off work. A win for them, and a win for business.

Take action.

Book a session with us - understand how our Employee Wellbeing Platform will help you. With our preventive wellbeing model and measurement approach we're here to help you create a supportive and thriving work environment that values the mental health and wellbeing of your employees, delivering wins for you and your people.