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Global Employer Insights Survey: Health and Wellbeing

How are global employers driving employee engagement in health and wellness programmes?

Optum surveyed 347 global employers to better understand current health and wellbeing (H&W) practices. Employers told us how they’re motivating employees to engage in their own wellbeing.

What modality do you feel is or would be most effective in driving employee engagement in H&W programmes?

The most effective means varies by work environment, but overall, mobile apps have a slight edge over email.

Key ways global employers engage employees in their wellbeing. Key ways global employers engage employees in their wellbeing.

6 key modalities companies use for driving employee engagement: office-based, including onsite meetings; manufacturing/production, including posters, mobile apps and webinars; warehouse, including posters and mobile apps; business travel, including digital engagement/social media platform, mobile apps and wallet cards; telecommuting, including webinars and digital engagement/social media platform; and, transportation, including mobile apps.

Does your company use or plan to use health-related mobile apps as part of your overall H&W management strategy?

More employers are including health-related mobile apps in their H&W strategy, especially in APAC.

Two graphs showing percentages of companies planning to use mobile apps over time and by region. Two graphs showing percentages of companies planning to use mobile apps over time and by region.

In 2020, 73% of global employers said they planned to use mobile apps, while 78% said so in 2021 and 84% in 2022. In APAC, 93% of global employers said they planned to use mobile apps, while 81% of EMEA employers said they planned to and 79% in LATAM.

Is your company currently paying for H&W apps for your employees?

About 3 in 4 employers are currently paying for various types of health-related apps, with peer-to-peer support apps lagging slightly.

Graph showing which H&W apps global employers are paying for. Graph showing which H&W apps global employers are paying for.

Many global employers pay for H&W apps for their employees, with 65% paying for peer-to-peer support apps, 75% paying for coaching/mindfulness apps and 76% paying for self-care emotional wellbeing apps and health engagement apps.

We have successfully achieved overall health of our employees with the apps available.

— Employer in India

How might you use H&W mobile apps more effectively to motivate employees and create a culture of health ownership?

Optum can help. We’re on a mission to create a healthier world. At Optum, we understand that corporate success starts with a healthy workforce. Our integrated health solutions, including our global Employee Assistance Programme, help advance your health and wellbeing strategy to build a culture of health within your organisation.

Learn more at optum.com/globalemployers.

Global Employer Insight Survey: Mobile Apps

(PDF 111kb)

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Survey/ methodology

  • 347 international employers located in APAC, EMEA or LATAM regions
  • Global companies with 3,000+ employees
  • Decision-makers in human resources, executive, management or administrative roles
  • Surveys administered online from 7 April to 5 May 2022