Is investing in wellbeing a trend or a smart business investment?

In today’s fast-paced corporate world, employees can either be a company’s most valuable asset or a costly liability. According to research by the Aberdeen Group, businesses must prioritise their people—particularly their health and wellbeing—to sustain productivity and performance. 

While health, stress, purpose and performance are deeply interconnected, the need for high performance and output can often outway the health needs of employees. However, could this drive for performance be creating a crumbling business foundation that could ultimately impact a business’ bottom line?

The link between performance and wellbeing

When employees and leaders experience high levels of stress and fatigue, their capacity for performance, engagement, and productivity diminishes. A great example of this is through the Health-Performance Pyramid (Daane 2015). Originally designed for elite athletes, it’s now being applied  to executives and teams around the globe.

This pyramid also links to the ever important work of psychoneuroimmunology - a science founded by Ader in the 70s. 

Psychoneuroimmunology first saw the link between our mental state and our total wellness. Current day leader of the field Professor Craig emphasised this with his development of the essence of health, illustrating the seven pillars required for holistic performance in life and work:

The 7 Pillars of the Essence of Health

E - Education [Knowledge and information to better manage your health]

S - Stress Management

S - Spirituality

E - Exercise

N - Nutrition

C - Connectedness

E - Environment

This alignment between Hassed’s pillars and Daane’s pyramid makes the case clear: fostering wellbeing leads to better performance.

Why Wellness is the Foundation of Performance

At the base of the Health-Performance Pyramid is Wellness. 

As defined by the World Health Organisation, wellness is "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." It's about actively making choices that promote vitality and health rather than passively avoiding illness.

Psychoneuroimmunology research demonstrates that positive lifestyle habits directly impact the immune system, brain health, and emotional resilience, leading to enhanced wellbeing and overall performance. For example, mind-body practices like mindfulness — one of the pillars — helps mitigate stress by calming the nervous system, improving focus, and enabling more productive decision-making.

Neuro nudges also offer tools for improving wellness by addressing small, actionable habits like taking micro-breaks or practising box breathing to restore energy and keep stress levels in check. These simple shifts can prevent burnout and help employees sustain high performance levels.

The wellness and energy link

Supporting employees' resilience and managing energy might be a smarter investment than most businesses think, and it goes well beyond good mental health.

A key component of wellness is Energy — a vital resource that powers all areas of life. High levels of wellness often translate into better energy management, which is crucial for staying engaged and effective. Energy is driven by good nutrition, regular physical activity, and proper sleep, and without it employees become more vulnerable to stress and burnout.

Hassed’s pillar of emotional wellbeing aligns with this idea. Those who nurture their emotional health through regular reflection and mindfulness practices tend to maintain a higher degree of energy, focus, and clarity. Resilience is an essential trait in the face of challenges and is fueled by high energy and emotional health - both of which  are built through gradual habit formation.

This focus on energy helps organisations reduce the risk of fatigue-related mistakes, disengagement, and overall drop in performance. 

Resilience the Key to Managing Stress

At the heart of resilience is the ability to navigate stressors and bounce back from setbacks. Building resilience is a proactive process, and it's closely tied to mind-body practices, such as mindfulness and deep breathing techniques — key elements of both Hassed’s pillars and neuro nudges. When equipped with these tools, employees  can regulate stress responses more effectively and are less likely to be overwhelmed by challenges.

Psychoneuroimmunology research also highlights the physiological benefits of resilience. Practices like breathing exercises and meditation reduce the body’s stress hormones (like cortisol). It also increases positive neurochemicals such as serotonin and dopamine, which are critical for maintaining motivation and a positive mindset.

Employers can empower their teams by helping them build resilience through programs that focus on emotional regulation, physical health, and social connectedness. Teams that have the tools to handle adversity maintain higher levels of performance and engagement, even during tough times.

How Performance First Culture Creates Crumbling Leadership

Interestingly, if we were to flip the Health-Performance Pyramid upside down – with performance precariously creating our foundation balancing at the bottom –  , it would perfectly illustrate the difference between a high functioning and high performing leader. 

A foundation built solely on output without the proper nourishment of its core components – like wellness, resilience, and stress management – will eventually crumble. It’s akin to a house built on weak soil: it might hold up for a while, but without solid underpinnings, long-term growth and sustainability are compromised. A high functioning leader may get you through the day, but high performance requires intentional care of the whole system.

Ultimately, performance isn’t a matter of pushing harder – it's about creating the conditions for sustainable success by supporting the holistic health of your employees. Organisations that prioritise wellbeing will be the ones to thrive in the long run, ensuring that their teams are both resilient and engaged.

Sources: 

Ader R, Cohen N. Behaviorally conditioned immunosuppression. Psychosom Med. 1975 Jul-Aug;37(4):333-40. doi: 10.1097/00006842-197507000-00007. PMID: 1162023.

Danee Marcel, Headstrong Performance, Pub: BBPC Singapore, 2015: ISBN: 978-981-09-3099-8

GAP GYAN: A Global Journal of Social Sciences (ISSN 2581-5830), Volume III, Issue III, July – September 2020. Impact Factor: SJIF - 4.998, IIFS - 4.375.