What major trends will shape workplace wellness in 2024?

As we enter a new year, workplace wellness will continue to evolve — from innovative technologies to a deeper focus on mental health. Here are four major predictions that will redefine workplace wellness in the year to come.

I've been saying this since 2014, but managers really are the key to well-being. They make — or break — the level of well-being for their team members. New data released by Deloitte, Gallup, and McKinsey all agree—the manager's role deeply affects employee well-being, engagement, and productivity. 

This means that if you’re a manager, and if you’re not prioritizing your well-being, then you're putting yourself --and your team — at risk.

Here’s what the recent Deloitte Report had to say: 

A recently released study shows that workers are happier at work, but women are less happy than their male colleagues.

Come on – are we really surprised by this?

Ask any woman – or if you’re a woman, ask yourself – and she will surely tell you about a time when she was minimized, not credited or wholly removed from organizational history – not to mention, underpaid or even sexually harassed. These are all part of the collective experience for women in the workplace.

Case in point: I was asked to create and deliver a two-day leadership-meets-wellness training program for high-potential managers at a multinational corporation. I, along with a female manager on the organizational development team who originally hatched the idea, worked tirelessly in creating and delivering the program. The VP of HR at the time (also a woman) was the one who championed the program, serving as our opening keynote. 

In other words, the program — start to finish — was initiated by, created by and led by women. 

More Americans than ever are feeling lonely and socially isolated. This lack of social connection is having profound effects on our mental and physical health, according to a warning released by the Surgeon General on May 1st. 
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This formal advisory is the first time America’s top doctor has issued a warning about loneliness and adds to growing concern that the epidemic will only get worse as remote and hybrid work models become permanent for millions of American's.
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Rates of loneliness, which were already at record highs pre-pandemic, have only gotten worse post-pandemic. The impact of it is likely to be devastating. In fact, the Surgeon General cited earlier research showing that loneliness is as deadly as smoking. 

After working with hundreds of organizations and over 20,000 CEOs and managers to implement workplace well-being strategies, I strongly believe that the shift toward hybrid and remote work is only going to make the loneliness epidemic worse. That said, it’s clear that hybrid and remote work is here to stay. So, given these challenges, here are three ways employers can cultivate connection with their employees to mitigate the effects of the rise in loneliness:

“Nice guys finish last.”
“Check your emotions at the door.”
“Suck it up, buttercup.”

All of these well-trotted expressions speak to an outdated model of leadership. In a world turned upside down and with the workplace redefining itself, this model no longer holds - especially when it comes to our mental health. 

Rather, the stats are too big to ignore:

• Rates of depression have tripled for Americans.
• Levels of loneliness have skyrocketed, especially for young people.
• Rates of suicide are on the rise (again). 

Mental health is an issue for everyone - even at the highest levels. A Deloitte report found that 70% of top leaders are seriously considering quitting for mental health reasons. While it’s affecting everyone, it’s affecting some more than others. Factors such as gender and line of work are leading to a disproportionate impact. Construction workers, for example, are at the second highest risk for suicide, second only to veterans. And, while more women suffer from depression and are more likely to contemplate suicide, men are three times more likely to die by suicide.

Having worked with over 200 organizations and trained over 15,000 managers and leaders, I see a clear pattern: Those organizations and industries that need this new kind of leadership most, are often the ones who resist it the most. ​

What we’re now seeing – whether in Kuwait, China, Brazil, Bangladesh or the U.S. – is that the world needs wellness! Diseases and conditions traditionally associated with urbanization and higher standards of living, aka “Western lifestyle,” are not only happening in non-Western parts of the world, but seem to be happening at a faster rate in countries outside of the US. For example, the rise in childhood obesity is happening 30% faster in developing countries than in wealthier nations.
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So, what can we do? The last step I recommend, drawn from my book Workplace Wellness that Works, is to go global. That is, we need to share best practices across borders.​