Let's try to change the way we talk about wellbeing in the workplace. Usually, it's treated as something about you: your habits, your resilience, your ability to manage stress. Be active, sleep better, put your phone away: all useful advice, but something is missing. People's physical and mental wellbeing doesn't exist in a vacuum. It's the result of a system made up of spaces, company culture, workloads, relationships and organizational choices that surround you every day. And you don't always have control over this system. So, how does it really work?
1. People's wellbeing around the world: some figures
According to the State of the Global Workplace 2025 report by Gallup — based on interviews with people working in more than 160 countries — only 33% of workers worldwide report being in a genuine state of wellbeing, while 58% describe themselves as 'struggling' and 9% as suffering.
40% of workers globally report having felt a high level of stress the day before the interview. It seems this is everyday life for almost half of the global workforce: figures that could involve colleagues, managers, people you know, and maybe even you.
2. Why mind and body go together
There's a tendency, in workplace settings, to treat physical and mental health as two separate matters. The occupational physician deals with the first, HR with the latter. But the body and mind are constantly communicating, and stress is one of the most direct channels of this conversation. The line between 'I'm not doing well at work' and 'My body isn't doing well' is much more blurred than you'd think: according to the 2025 Workforce State of Mind report by Headspace, 77% of workers report that work-related stress has had direct negative consequences on their health: pain, insomnia, a weakened immune system.
The reverse is also true: poor posture held for hours, a noisy or poorly lit environment, an unsuitable chair — all physical elements — affect concentration, mood and the ability to sustain cognitive load. The body carries the signs of work. And work carries the signs of the body.
3. Physical and mental wellbeing: what you can do (and what your company needs to do)
How can physical and mental wellbeing in the workplace be improved? How can work-related stress be reduced?
Let's start with you. Some things are in your hands, and it's worth staying on top of them.
Building clear boundaries between work and personal life is a very important skill. The article 'balancing work and life: useful tips”' offers seven concrete strategies to do so.
Not only that: take care of the physical environment you work in. If you work remotely, an ergonomic setup can prevent many problems. A screen at eye level, a chair that supports your back, a source of natural light from the side — these make a real difference to your energy throughout the day. Discover more in the article 'How to work remotely: precautions to keep in mind'.
Finally — and this is perhaps the most underrated piece of advice — ask for help when you need it. Talking about it with your team or management, and turning to a mental health professional, is not a sign of weakness.
On the company side, the most important contribution an organization can make is creating the right conditions for these choices to be possible: a positive work environment, wellbeing policies built on people's real needs, and a culture where taking care of yourself is not seen as a waste of time.
There is no finish line to reach: physical and mental wellbeing is built every day, through small and big choices — yours and those of the people you work with. Recognizing when you're under pressure. Asking for help. Working somewhere that respects you.
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