Wellness vs Wellbeing: Understanding the Difference and Its Impact on Your Organisation

Employee Wellness and Wellbeing have become much-discussed topics in organisations. Yet, I’ve noticed that many people use the terms ‘wellness’ and ‘wellbeing’ interchangeably, much like the confusion between coaching and mentoring. However, just like coaching and mentoring, wellness and wellbeing are distinct concepts that carry different implications for your employees and your organisation.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what each term means and explore the benefits of addressing both in your workplace.

Wellness and Wellbeing: Is There a Difference?

A quick search on Google will confirm that, yes, there is a significant difference between wellness and wellbeing, and both play important roles in promoting a healthy workforce.

What Is Wellness?

Wellness primarily focuses on physical health, encouraging individuals to make healthier lifestyle choices to improve their physical condition. Wellness programmes often target areas such as weight management, nutrition, and exercise, with an emphasis on ‘progress’ and measurable outcomes.

For example, if an employee begins a wellness initiative and successfully improves their fitness or loses weight, they often experience a confidence boost. This improved self-esteem can have a positive impact on their social skills, work relationships, and overall performance.

By cultivating new, healthier routines, employees can achieve a sense of complete wellness, leading to a happier, more productive workforce.

What Is Wellbeing?

Wellbeing, on the other hand, is broader. It refers to a state of overall contentment, balance, and health. Wellbeing encompasses emotional, spiritual, social, and mental aspects of life, beyond just physical health.

Think of wellbeing as the way we exist in our lives. Are we feeling grounded, happy, and fulfilled, or are we stressed and overwhelmed? When stress builds up, even small disruptions can cause an emotional overflow, leading to negative responses and potentially impacting workplace performance.

Consider the employee who is already late due to a series of unfortunate events — an alarm that didn’t go off, heavy traffic, and a missed deadline. When they arrive at work, a simple question from a colleague may provoke an uncharacteristically harsh response. This reaction isn’t typical but occurs because their stress levels are too high, leaving no room for patience or understanding.

High stress levels can lead to mistakes, which in turn attract managerial attention, adding yet another layer of stress. It’s a cycle that can impact the employee’s wellbeing and overall team dynamics.

What Does This Mean for Your Organisation?

Now that we’ve clarified the difference between wellness and wellbeing, what does this mean for your organisation and the type of programme you have in place?

• Do you currently focus solely on wellness? If your programme is only addressing physical health, it might be time to start thinking about how to incorporate broader aspects of wellbeing.

• Do you already have a wellbeing programme? If so, you could enhance it by adding elements that promote physical wellness, ensuring that both the mental and physical health of your employees are supported.

Both wellness and wellbeing are interconnected, and together, they have a positive impact on the success of your employees, your team, and your organisation. When employees feel positive, balanced, and healthy — both mentally and physically — they are more likely to be engaged, motivated, and productive.

The Value of a Holistic Approach

When are people at their best? It’s usually when they feel good about themselves and their situation. A positive mindset is key to achieving success. When employees believe in the changes they’re making and those changes make them feel better, it often leads to better outcomes both personally and professionally.

For organisations, this means now may be the perfect time to review your Employee Wellness and Wellbeing Programme.

• Is your programme too focused on physical health? If so, consider broadening its scope to include emotional and mental health support.

• Does your programme focus more on overall wellbeing? If so, adding specific wellness initiatives may help boost the physical health of your workforce, leading to even better results.

Ultimately, a holistic approach that addresses both wellness and wellbeing can help you create a healthier, more resilient, and more productive workforce.

Many thanks,

Alex & The Excel Team

P.S. If you would like to discuss any of your other learning & development challenges, book in your discovery call.

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