Explore the key findings
What emerging health and wellbeing themes do HR, people managers and wellbeing professionals need to stay informed about this year?
Our yearly report pulls together insights from Google search data, national statistics, social media, consumer trends and new research.
Tackling the long-term sickness crisis
Long-term sick is at a 20-year high
A combination of factors are driving this trend. Long NHS wait times mean people are struggling to access treatment, but preventative healthcare and mental health support can help.
A lack of first-line support means conditions are escalating before people can access treatment. This creates a vicious cycle of workplace absence, presenteeism and burnout within teams.
While many employers provide stress and mental health support, it’s not always effective - 1 in 10 people took more than 10 days off work due to poor mental health in 2023.
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A lack of first-line support means conditions are escalating before people can access treatment. This creates a vicious cycle of workplace absence, presenteeism and burnout within teams.
While many employers provide stress and mental health support, it’s not always effective - 1 in 10 people took more than 10 days off work due to poor mental health in 2023.
‘Sick leave’ Google search trend over 12 months
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Nov 2023
Apr 2024
Nov 2024
Most common reasons for long-term absence 1:
- Depression, mental illness or anxiety (27%)
- Musculoskeletal issues (23%)
- Other health problems or disabilities (15%)
2,830,000
people aged 16-64 are out of the workforce due to long-term health problems.
In addition to those out of work, 3.7 million people are in employment but dealing with a work-limiting health condition.
The economic cost of employee sickness is estimated to be £103bn in 2024, an increase of £30bn since 2018 — and looks to be continuing to rise.
Budget impacts on employee health
Leaders are understandably worried that rising business costs will eat away at their budgets. The increase in the national insurance threshold from 2025 is one area of concern, especially for SMEs.
This could reduce wellbeing spend or affect workers’ income due to hiring freezes or fewer pay rises. And with 74% of UK workers still worried about the cost of living, people may cut back on health expenses such as dentist, optician and physio appointments.
We know that working can provide routine, boost confidence and improve recovery1, so wellbeing support must be a priority. Businesses can help people return to work by making reasonable adjustments, providing flexibility and taking an empathetic approach.
When costs rise, businesses must not view wellbeing programmes as discretionary. These initiatives are a vital investment in your people’s long-term resilience, health and productivity.
Dave Capper, CEO, Westfield Health
What businesses need to know
Solving the long-term sickness crisis will require action from across society — the government, the NHS, businesses and individuals.
Two key areas for leaders are preventative healthcare and healthy lifestyle choices. Support in these areas can help people get back to work sooner and prevent new illnesses from developing.
Business leaders can play their part by:
- Taking responsibility for employee health
- Putting wellbeing-first policies in place
- Providing accessible preventative support
Health leadership training can give leaders and managers the confidence to prioritise and invest in wellbeing, which in turn drives better performance.
Hyper-personalisation and biohacking
Health tracking: education and anxiety
There is a surge in attitudes of personal responsibility towards individual health and wellbeing goals. The use of health tracking apps continues to grow, with over 67% of people in the UK self-monitoring at least one element of their health.
But is this approach helping us form healthy habits, or is it a rigid box-ticking exercise driven by health anxiety? With each person having different physical health needs, lifestyle patterns and diets, hyper-personalised health is booming in the UK.
biohacking
noun.
Biohacking is a ‘do-it-yourself’ approach to biology. It can include making incremental changes to the body, diet and lifestyle to improve health and wellbeing.
The most tracked aspects of health in the UK
0%
25%
50%
Users of symptom-checker apps are more likely to be further unsettled by feelings of uncertainty and unlikely (but serious) diagnosis suggestions1.
Filling in the blanks with vitamins, minerals and supplements (VMS)
In 2022, over 16 million people in the UK consumed vitamins and minerals.
The VMS market in the UK was £1.5 billion in 2023 and has grown at an average of 13.3% annually since 2018.
The global brain health supplements market was valued at $8.63 billion in 2022.
Close tracking of health helps people see the ‘missing’ nutritional values in their diets and lifestyles, leading them to include additional supplements such as vitamins, minerals, nootropics and others.
‘Lion’s mane benefits’ a trending supplement Google search trend over the past 5 years
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Nov 2019
Nov 2024
Managing our energy
Another biohacking trend sees people seeking ways to improve their energy levels throughout the work day by personalising their nutrition, lifestyle and working conditions to boost their energy.
Small changes in behaviour can have a big impact. Healthy eating can help employees maintain their energy levels throughout the day, increasing focus and concentration.
Mark Pinches, Head of Coaching at Westfield Health
+ 465%
searches for chronotypes in the last quarter.
Each person’s chronotype is dependent on sleeping preferences, energy levels throughout the day, meal timing and the peak times in each day for productivity. Chronotypes are often likened to particular animals’ sleeping habits.
Different energy levels of chronotypes
Peak
productivity
Low
energy
Time of day
Lion
Dolphin
Bear
Wolf
Takeaways for businesses
Give your people the power to adapt
Try to allow employees scope to adapt how they work to align with their personal productivity strengths and timings. This could mean allowing flexible start times, staggered breaks or restricting meetings to core hours.
Book an Employee Health and Lifestyle Screening
Health screening programmes can suit businesses of all sizes, from MOT-style health checks to longer 20-minute lifestyle screenings. With the rise in personal responsibility for health, help guide your employees to focus on the right things by booking an on-site health and lifestyle screening.
Turning awareness into action: future-proof wellbeing policies
People are anxious about access to healthcare, with 1 in 3 struggling to access their GP.
Employers need to be up-to-date on neurodiversity - Google searches for ADHD have trebled since 2021.
While attitudes to menopause are changing, last year saw an 87% rise in menopause-related employment tribunals.
Are we playing wellbeing whack-a-mole?
Workers are increasingly aware of their health, and they expect their employer to be well-informed and supportive of their individual needs.
Health awareness campaigns are an important educational tool, with celebs shining a light on everything from endometriosis, to autism, to menopause.
But with many struggling to access the NHS or get a formal diagnosis, it’s vital that workplaces get their support (and their policies) right.
If HR teams react to employee wellbeing issues on a per-case basis, they’ll struggle to keep up with the influx of changes required to provide support.
The new employment rights bill: an opportunity to get ahead
In October 2024, the government announced upcoming reform for employers, with a new bill that reflects the societal shift towards discussing health, mental illness and disabilities more openly.
These changes shouldn’t be seen as something to be afraid of, but an opportunity to create impactful policies. And while the proposed bill won’t come into effect immediately, a proactive approach will help leaders and HR teams get ahead.
Working towards a supportive and inclusive workplace culture is the best way to future-proof your wellbeing strategy. This should help you align with the new legislation by default.
So now’s a great time to start building your strategy and reading up on what’s proposed in the new bill.
Kate Platts, Head of Research and Innovation, on how to implement flexible working and get it right.
‘Diagnosis’ Google search trend throughout late 2024
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May 2024
Nov 2024
Davina McCall and Oprah Winfrey spoke out about menopause in 2024.
Four best-practice tips for employers
Find out what matters to your people. Each business will need to adapt to the specific needs of its workforce, so try to avoid box-ticking.
Look at the bigger picture — accessible facilities, mental health support and neurodiversity awareness benefit everyone in the workplace.
Managers bridge the gap between policy-makers and colleagues, so focus on training in mental health conversations and unconscious bias.
Don’t make diagnosis the focus of the discussion — focus on actionable steps and reasonable adjustments that can help support workers.
Physical wellbeing - nature and nurture
Nature holidays take priority over boozy breaks
There is an increase in nature-focused holidays, with boozy breaks taking a back seat to the great outdoors and physical activity.
Following the pandemic, 45% of adults in the UK report spending more time outdoors compared to before the pandemic. Nature has been a big influence on mental health too - 39% say the outdoors is important for their personal wellbeing.
40% of Brits say proximity to nature is important to them when choosing a holiday.
of Brits are planning to include hiking in their upcoming holidays.
Social fitness on the rise
Exercise is becoming more community focused with 1 in 6 gym-goers attending the gym to socialise.
The main reasons people gave for being social with their exercise is the additional commitment and personal responsibility that inspires them to maintain a more active lifestyle.
There has been a 41% rise in demand for in-person group workouts in the past 12 months.
22% of gym members have chosen a gym because their friends attend.
Searches for ‘local walking groups’ are up by 300%, and forecast to grow in 2025.
There is a surge in the wild swimming trend with around 7.5 million people already participating.
How workplaces can embrace this trend
Encourage exercise during the workday
Time spent during the work week prioritising physical wellbeing has a direct correlation with increased productivity. A study by Stanford University showed that regardless of age, people experience “immediate benefits” for cognition following “a single bout of moderate exercise”, such as 15 minutes of moderately intense cycling on a stationary bike.
Include an active space in your workplace
Do you have a 3m x 3m space in your workplace? An active space is flexible space away from employee workspace that can host group classes, incorporate physical activity and support mental wellbeing. It could even be set up outdoors.
Download the full wellbeing trends report
What wellbeing trends will we see in the workplace in 2025?
Explore the most-searched health and wellbeing topics and what we should expect from these trends looking forward to 2025, including more tips and advice for managers and HR teams.
