The real ROI of wellness programs: Employee positivity factor & more
12 September 2025
Did you know that presenteeism—when employees show up to work but aren’t fully functioning due to illness—costs businesses 10 times more than absenteeism? Moreover, statistics show that chronic diseases account for 75% of healthcare costs. These aren’t just numbers—they’re red flags waving at every organization that’s yet to prioritize employee wellness.
Companies can no longer afford to ignore the health of their workforce. The good news? There are proven strategies to turn the tide.
Effective strategies to reduce healthcare costs
It all boils down to wellness programs that target three different levels:
Behavioral modification
Encouraging healthier habits—like quitting smoking or improving diet—can lead to significant savings over time. Think of it as a long game with high potential returns.
Preventive measures
Research shows that employees enrolled in wellness programs undergo 28% more preventive screenings, catching conditions early and reducing the need for expensive treatments later.
Chronic disease management
Wellness programs that target chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and obesity have repeatedly shown measurable success. By offering support and resources, companies can reduce long-term healthcare claims and improve quality of life for their teams.
The real ROI of employee wellness programs, explained
According to a 2024 report by Wellhub, companies see an average ROI of $2 for every $1 spent on wellness programs. When employees feel good, they also tend to perform better. It then becomes a domino effect that leads to more productivity, focus and efficiency, better customer experiences, and a vibrant workplace culture. This is also known as the employee positivity factor.
How Johnson & Johnson turned wellness into a strategic advantage
When it comes to employee wellness, few companies have set the bar as high as this global giant in the fast-moving consumer goods segment. Rather than treating wellness as a perk, they embedded it into their corporate strategy—focusing on holistic health support. The key components of their Live for Life program included health risk assessments, resources for stress management, and nutrition education, among others.
The results were extraordinary.
According to a study cited by Harvard Business Review, Johnson & Johnson’s wellness initiatives helped the company save $250 million in healthcare costs over a six-year period. Even more compelling, they achieved a return of $2.71 for every dollar invested in their wellness programs.
This is a clear signal to leadership teams everywhere: caring for employee wellbeing pays off.
Step up your organization’s wellness strategy
At Pluxee, we’re firm believers of streamlining your employee experience one innovation at a time. This is what you’ll get with our newest all-in-one solution, Vantage Fit, that improves your people’s work-life joy while contributing to higher ROI in return. Among other things, you can:
- Introduce new & exciting wellness goals that encourage participation (i.e. steps challenge)
- Incentivize customizable challenges via a dedicated wellness wallet
- Reward & recognize productive actions (i.e. social feed, health & wellness analytics)
Final thoughts
Work shouldn’t be a place that drains health, it should be a place that builds it. By investing in wellness, organizations unlock not just healthier employees, but a stronger, more engaged, and more productive workforce.
Unlock the power of a healthier and happier organization.
This blog was written with the help of AI tools.
