The Future of Employee Wellbeing: Why the Right to Disconnect Matters

In today’s fast-moving business world, new solutions constantly emerge—each promising to boost productivity and drive success. The reality? The foundation of success is simple: take care of your employees, and they’ll take care of your business.

As we look ahead at employee well-being, it’s important to remember that employees aren’t just workers; they’re people with unique needs, responsibilities, and aspirations. Supporting their wellbeing requires a holistic approach—one that recognizes the increasing demand for work-life balance, including the right to disconnect.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

The Importance of Supporting an Employee’s Total Wellbeing
Work-Life Balance and the Right to Disconnect
Simplification: Making Wellbeing Benefits Easy to Access
Building Recognition and Community
The Future of Employee Well-Being

The Importance of Supporting an Employee’s Total Wellbeing

Well-being isn’t just about physical health—it’s about mental and emotional balance. Some argue that an employer’s job isn’t to provide fulfillment, but ignoring this reality directly impacts business outcomes. The average person spends 30% of their life working, add sleep (30%), and there’s only 40% left for everything else. If work is draining, productivity and mental health take a hit.

The American Psychiatric Association reports that unresolved depression leads to a 35% drop in productivity, costing the U.S. economy $210.5 billion annually due to lost productivity, medical expenses, and absenteeism. When employees aren’t supported, nearly half of their waking hours suffer. Investing in their well-being isn’t just a nice-to-have–it’s a business necessity.

Embedding well-being into your company’s DNA shows employees they’re valued–not just for their output, but as people. That’s the kind of workplace where the best talent wants to stay.

Importance of Supporting Employee Well-Being

Work-Life Balance and the Right to Disconnect

Work-life boundaries aren’t a luxury; they’re essential for long-term well-being. Employees who always feel “on-call” never fully recharge, leading to burnout, disengagement, and higher turnover rates. While occasional flexibility is valuable, it shouldn’t turn into an expectation that employees are always available outside working hours.

Countries like France and Ireland have enacted “right to disconnect” laws, preventing employees from being required to engage in work communications outside of working hours. While not all businesses are legally mandated to enforce this, forward-thinking organizations are recognizing the value of setting clear boundaries.

A 2023 study from the University of Kansas found that work-life balance directly correlates to higher productivity and better job satisfaction. With Millennials and Gen Z making up 54% of the workforce, prioritizing balance is also key to attracting and retaining talent of the future. Organizations that embed the right to disconnect into their culture, whether through policies, leadership training, or clear expectations, create an environment where employees can truly thrive.

Setting Your Organization Apart

A great product matters, but empathy attracts and retains excellent workers. Embedding well-being into your company’s DNA shows employees they’re valued–not just for their output, but as people. That’s the kind of workplace where the best talent wants to stay.

Simplification: Making Well-Being Benefits Easy to Access

Employers often juggle multiple platforms and vendors in an effort to support employee well-being. Too much complexity leads to frustration–both for employees trying to access their benefits and for HR teams managing them. When well-being resources are scattered across different apps and portals, engagement drops, and administrative burdens rise.

A single, flexible platform eliminates these pain points, making benefits easy to find, understand, and use. When employees can seamlessly access their well-being resources—including clear communication about their right to unplug—participation increases, outcomes improve, and companies get the most out of their investment.

It’s critical that more benefits shouldn’t mean more pressure. Employees should never feel they need to work longer hours to “earn” their perks. Well-being benefits exist to support employees during work, not add more hours. By making access simple and expectations clear, companies can create a culture where well-being programs truly enhance work-life balance without unintended stress.

Building Recognition and Community

A workplace that prioritizes well-being isn’t just about policies—it’s about culture. A strong rewards and recognition program fosters belonging, boosts morale, and strengthens company culture. Employees who feel seen and appreciated are more engaged and motivated to do their best work.

Recognition shouldn’t just come from managers–when employees can celebrate each other, positivity spreads. A culture of appreciation builds stronger teams, deepens connections, and cultivates a workplace where employees want to contribute, regardless of incentives.

Beyond recognition, building employee communities plays a critical role in well-being. Whether through shared interest groups, mentorship programs, or social initiatives, these spaces help employees form deeper connections, collaborate more efficiently, and feel a stronger sense of purpose at work. When combined with meaningful rewards–monetary or otherwise–these programs reinforce a workplace culture where people see, appreciate, and uplift one another.