Employee wellbeing now a key factor for business

Employee wellbeing has evolved from a ‘nice to have’ to a strategic necessity.

Almost 70% of Irish employees now consider wellness a key priority in the workplace - but more than a third believe their managers aren’t adequately trained to support those needs.

New research from Ibec shows a cultural shift in employee expectations, with 28% of workers reporting an increased investment in wellbeing initiatives from their employers.

However, with 59% of employees globally experiencing ‘quiet quitting’ - disengaged but still on the job - the question isn’t whether wellbeing matters; it’s what leaders are doing about it.

Today’s workforce expects more than a pay-slip. They’re looking for supportive cultures, genuine flexibility, and leadership that recognises the human side of business.

This shift presents a challenge - but also an opportunity - for companies to rethink what it really means to take care of their people.

At Alpha Wealth, we see how financial wellbeing, in particular, impacts day-to-day performance.

Financial worries don’t stay at home. They affect focus, motivation, and decision-making, whether someone is in a boardroom or behind a counter.

In our work with businesses across Ireland, we’ve delivered financial wellness programmes that help staff make more confident money decisions, while also giving employers a meaningful way to support their teams.

The demand is real. Key insights from Laya Healthcare’s Workplace Wellbeing Index show that 71% of Irish employees cite the cost of living as a leading cause of financial anxiety, 57% worry about money regularly, and 47% say uncertainty about the future is a significant stressor.

Despite this, financial wellness often gets left out of workplace wellbeing strategies.

That gap creates risk, not just for individuals, but for businesses facing burn-out, high turnover, and disengagement.

But wellness isn’t just a policy - it’s a leadership challenge. And the best leaders know that healthy, supported teams are high-performing teams. They know that investing in people creates resilience, loyalty, and culture.

Next week, Alpha Wealth is bringing together experts in leadership, finance, law, and tax to explore how employers can create meaningful change - and prepare for what’s next.

As Ireland prepares to roll out Auto Enrolment for pensions, one of the most significant changes to workplace benefits in more than a decade, businesses need to get ahead.

Understanding the legal, tax, and cultural implications will be crucial, not just to remain compliant, but to retain and engage top talent.

That’s why we’re hosting a leadership event, Motivate. Prepare. Empower, in Cork on Tuesday, May 27, which will share motivation with real-world, practical insight.

Designed for HR professionals, business owners, and senior decision-makers, this event will explore the intersection of employee wellness, financial planning, and leadership culture.

Keynote speaker Bernard Jackman - former Ireland rugby international and one of this country’s most respected high-performance coaches - will share strategies on leadership, motivation, and resilience drawn from his career in elite sports and business. His session will challenge attendees to rethink how they lead and how their leadership influences workplace wellbeing.

Following Bernard’s speech, a panel of expert speakers will unpack the implications of Auto Enrolment.

With speakers including Mairead O’Driscoll (aka, The Tax Nerd), solicitor Carrie McDermott, a Zurich pensions expert, entrepreneur Pat Lucey, and myself and David Looney from Alpha Wealth, the discussion will cover compliance, cost planning, and employee engagement with pensions and retirement benefits.

This isn’t just another business breakfast. It’s a chance to connect the dots between performance and wellbeing - and to equip leaders with the tools to drive both.

The workplace is evolving, and so must leadership. Financial stress shows up in absenteeism, missed deadlines, and lost productivity.

The solution? Strong leadership, clear communication, and the kind of support that goes beyond surface-level perks.

That’s the goal of this event in Cork next week: to help leaders take real, informed steps toward building workplaces where people can thrive.

Join us for Motivate. Prepare. Empower, a leadership event on Employee Wellness & Auto Enrolment, on Tuesday, May 27, from 9am to 11 am at The River Lee Hotel, Cork.

To register, visit: https://alphawealth.ie/motivate-prepare-empower-with-bernard-jackman

Nick Charalambous is the Managing Director of Alpha Wealth, an impartial financial advisor, who has worked in investment and private banking for some of the biggest banks in the world, and has more than 25 years of financial services experience in Cork, primarily as a financial advisor with AIB and Ulster Bank.