New research from the Global Wellness Institute reveals that wellness programs reach less than 1 in 10 workers worldwide.
The study, "The Future of Wellness at Work", found only 9 percent of the global workforce has access to some form of wellness program at work. The breakdown: North America 52 percent of employees, Europe 23 percent, Middle East/North Africa 7 percent, Latin America/Caribbean 5 percent, Asia 5 percent and Sub-Saharan Africa 1 percent.
Here are seven other findings from the research, which analyzed the state of unwellness in the global workforce and workplace wellness approaches worldwide.
1. Seventy-four percent of workers in the world make less than $13 a day.
2. Eighteen percent of the global workforce will be older than 55 by 2030.
3. Many global workers are unhealthy: 52 percent are overweight/obese, and 76 percent report they're struggling with their wellbeing, the research found.
4. Worldwide, the cost of unwell workers represents 10 to 15 percent of global economic output, the study found. The GWI estimates that in the U.S., considering the annual cost of employees' chronic disease ($1.1 trillion), work-related injuries/illnesses ($250 billion), work-related stress ($300 billion) and the cost of work disengagement ($550 billion), that an unhealthy workforce costs the nation $2.2 trillion a year.
5. In its research, the GWI also forecasts the many ways that work will change moving forward. The GWI estimates hierarchical management structures will be replaced by models giving employees greater autonomy and accountability, and that long-term, stable jobs (at set locations/hours) will give way to an increasingly virtual and "free agent" workforce.
6. The GWI also expects that as older workers retire later, the workforce will be intensely multigenerational: by 2020 teens and employees over 70 will work side-by-side.
7. Additionally, the GWI anticipates that the Information Age will be succeeded by a "Wisdom" or "Human" Age. "As robots and artificial intelligence coopt many work tasks, qualities not replicable by machines (collaboration, creativity, empathy, constant learning, etc.) will be in high demand. And these qualities demand the highest level of mental and physical wellness," the GWI said.