<p>Mumbai: The health of an employee directly impacts the health of the business and, by extension, the health of the national economy. Indian corporates are losing over a lakh rupees per employee annually due to absenteeism and chronic illnesses, while structured wellness programmes deliver a 3-4x return on their investment, reveals a new study.</p><p>Over 70 per cent of employees carry at least one lifestyle-related health risk, yet only 20 per cent of employers provide routine health screenings. This alarming scenario calls for a shift from episodic, event-based health programs to always-on, digital-first ecosystems that drive workforce productivity, talent retention, and business continuity, all fostering business growth in today’s evolving times of shifting workforce priorities.</p><p>According to a report, “Workplace Health Reimagined: Corporate India’s Readiness for Digital Health Leadership”, released jointly by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Bengaluru-based digital healthcare platform Medibuddy, employee wellness is evolving from a peripheral initiative to a strategic lever for workforce productivity, talent retention, and business continuity.</p><p>CII and Medibuddy conducted a survey of 1,000 corporates and their employees across the country. They also conducted qualitative roundtables with over 60 HR executives and a primary quantitative survey of over 250 CHROs and HR leaders, providing statistical validation of the key trends, challenges, and opportunities.</p><p>In a post-pandemic world, where hybrid work models have become the norm, organisations are rethinking wellness, placing equal weight on physical and mental health, and moving from episodic to always-on care models. Technology is at the heart of this transformation; AI-driven insights, data-enabled personalisation, and mobile-first platforms are enabling more impactful care delivery. </p><p>Presenteeism and chronic illnesses are costing Indian companies up to Rs 1.12 lakh per employee annually, while structured wellness programs deliver a 3–4x return on investment. The report highlights that less than 20 per cent of corporate health programs cover essential diagnostics, despite their role in 60–70 per cent of clinical decisions. Only 1.9 per cent of eligible Indian women undergo cervical cancer screening, and just 36 per cent of corporates provide targeted wellness benefits for women.</p><p>Just 36 per cent of corporations offer targeted wellness benefits for women, with even fewer extending support for eldercare and mental health. Over 70 per cent of employees have at least one lifestyle-related risk factor, yet only 20 per cent of employers provide routine health screenings. Although SMEs employ over 111 million people, only 9 per cent offer structured wellness programs to their employees. India’s average Corporate Wellness Quotient (CWQ) score stands at 55/100, with fewer than 15 per cent of companies achieving a ‘Mature’ wellness readiness level, the study reveals.</p><p>Satish Kannan, Co-founder & CEO, MediBuddy, said, “India’s journey towards becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047 cannot rest on economic metrics alone; it must be built on the health, productivity, and well-being of its people. As we stand at this inflection point, employee wellness can no longer be treated as an optional benefit but must be considered a strategic imperative.”</p><p>The report highlights how employee wellness in India is moving beyond one-size-fits-all health programmes to more integrated, inclusive, personalised, and digitally powered wellness solutions. Employees now expect benefits that reflect their life, role, and risk profile across domains such as mental health, chronic care, eldercare, and preventive screenings. At the same time, employee engagement is being increasingly driven by features such as gamified health journeys and wellness wallets. </p><p>Additionally, mobile-first platforms and OPD access for dependents are now becoming differentiators in how employees engage with corporate wellness programs, with inclusion-focused benefits becoming key in addressing diverse workforce needs.</p><p>To direct this shift, the report introduces the Corporate Wellness Quotient (CWQ), an original and comprehensive benchmarking tool measuring digital wellness maturity and readiness across four pillars: access & affordability, policy integration, digital enablement, and employee engagement; and the ten-step wellness blueprint, which offers companies a strategic roadmap to build resilient and inclusive care ecosystems.</p>
<p>Mumbai: The health of an employee directly impacts the health of the business and, by extension, the health of the national economy. Indian corporates are losing over a lakh rupees per employee annually due to absenteeism and chronic illnesses, while structured wellness programmes deliver a 3-4x return on their investment, reveals a new study.</p><p>Over 70 per cent of employees carry at least one lifestyle-related health risk, yet only 20 per cent of employers provide routine health screenings. This alarming scenario calls for a shift from episodic, event-based health programs to always-on, digital-first ecosystems that drive workforce productivity, talent retention, and business continuity, all fostering business growth in today’s evolving times of shifting workforce priorities.</p><p>According to a report, “Workplace Health Reimagined: Corporate India’s Readiness for Digital Health Leadership”, released jointly by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Bengaluru-based digital healthcare platform Medibuddy, employee wellness is evolving from a peripheral initiative to a strategic lever for workforce productivity, talent retention, and business continuity.</p><p>CII and Medibuddy conducted a survey of 1,000 corporates and their employees across the country. They also conducted qualitative roundtables with over 60 HR executives and a primary quantitative survey of over 250 CHROs and HR leaders, providing statistical validation of the key trends, challenges, and opportunities.</p><p>In a post-pandemic world, where hybrid work models have become the norm, organisations are rethinking wellness, placing equal weight on physical and mental health, and moving from episodic to always-on care models. Technology is at the heart of this transformation; AI-driven insights, data-enabled personalisation, and mobile-first platforms are enabling more impactful care delivery. </p><p>Presenteeism and chronic illnesses are costing Indian companies up to Rs 1.12 lakh per employee annually, while structured wellness programs deliver a 3–4x return on investment. The report highlights that less than 20 per cent of corporate health programs cover essential diagnostics, despite their role in 60–70 per cent of clinical decisions. Only 1.9 per cent of eligible Indian women undergo cervical cancer screening, and just 36 per cent of corporates provide targeted wellness benefits for women.</p><p>Just 36 per cent of corporations offer targeted wellness benefits for women, with even fewer extending support for eldercare and mental health. Over 70 per cent of employees have at least one lifestyle-related risk factor, yet only 20 per cent of employers provide routine health screenings. Although SMEs employ over 111 million people, only 9 per cent offer structured wellness programs to their employees. India’s average Corporate Wellness Quotient (CWQ) score stands at 55/100, with fewer than 15 per cent of companies achieving a ‘Mature’ wellness readiness level, the study reveals.</p><p>Satish Kannan, Co-founder & CEO, MediBuddy, said, “India’s journey towards becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047 cannot rest on economic metrics alone; it must be built on the health, productivity, and well-being of its people. As we stand at this inflection point, employee wellness can no longer be treated as an optional benefit but must be considered a strategic imperative.”</p><p>The report highlights how employee wellness in India is moving beyond one-size-fits-all health programmes to more integrated, inclusive, personalised, and digitally powered wellness solutions. Employees now expect benefits that reflect their life, role, and risk profile across domains such as mental health, chronic care, eldercare, and preventive screenings. At the same time, employee engagement is being increasingly driven by features such as gamified health journeys and wellness wallets. </p><p>Additionally, mobile-first platforms and OPD access for dependents are now becoming differentiators in how employees engage with corporate wellness programs, with inclusion-focused benefits becoming key in addressing diverse workforce needs.</p><p>To direct this shift, the report introduces the Corporate Wellness Quotient (CWQ), an original and comprehensive benchmarking tool measuring digital wellness maturity and readiness across four pillars: access & affordability, policy integration, digital enablement, and employee engagement; and the ten-step wellness blueprint, which offers companies a strategic roadmap to build resilient and inclusive care ecosystems.</p>