Although the link between work and health was first made over 300 years ago by the so-called ‘father of occupational medicine’ Bernadino Ramazzini, our understanding and practice around wellbeing at work is relatively new.
Wellbeing at work: A profession still early in its stages of development
In the 1960s, following the emergence of employee assistance programmes (EAPs) and the inclusion of psychological considerations in the practice of occupational physicians, the first workplace wellness industry was created. Until the 1990s though, legislation, literature and industry were primarily concerned with physical injury treatment and prevention – with the psychological aspects of health at work very much secondary.
In the past 20 years, accelerated by the pandemic and global guidance such as ISO45003, the recognition of the importance of psychological wellbeing at work has grown. The majority of wellbeing interventions (and organisational spend) focuses upon individual interventions aimed at both supporting individuals that are at risk or struggling (for instance EAPs and Mental Health First Aid).
Whilst important within the mix of supporting health and wellbeing, and effective in tackling stigma and raising awareness, these are often reactive and are not the full answer to addressing increasing levels of mental ill health at work.
A growing body of both research and business case data (e.g. Deloitte, 2024) shows the most effective way to support workplace wellbeing is preventative, meaning tackling the organisational drivers of stress and poor wellbeing.
Managing wellbeing is also not just about the interventions that an organisation puts in place, but about the system of managing wellbeing for instance the buy-in from the organisation and the monitoring, reporting and governance processes.
Measuring and benchmarking wellbeing
It is clear that many organisations want a systematic approach to assessing, protecting, and developing employee wellbeing. However, the rapid growth of frameworks, charters, accreditations, and awards has created confusion. These tools vary widely in scope, evidence base, and even conceptualisation of wellbeing, making it difficult for organisations to comprehensively assess and develop the most effective approach.
To address this, Affinity convened a research consortium of organisations and institutions passionate about workplace wellbeing. In 2022, the consortium identified that a key barrier for organisations was the lack of clear guidance on how to measure and develop wellbeing programmes. Over a rigorous two-year research programme, the consortium synthesised national and international frameworks to develop and test a publicly available meta-framework providing structured, evidence-based guidance. More information about the research process is here: Affinity Health at Work Library.
Moving towards maturity in wellbeing at work
The meta-framework is conceptualised as a wellbeing maturity framework. Research showed that many existing frameworks focus on the end result or “best practice” without providing a clear roadmap for progression. In a young and evolving discipline, this limits organisations’ ability to improve systematically.
While wellbeing maturity frameworks are still uncommon, similar approaches are well established in other fields. The HSE Safety Culture Maturity Model for instance guides high-hazard industries from compliance to embedded, proactive safety cultures. In risk management, models (such as the Institute of Risk Management’s Risk Management Maturity Model) help organisations assess and systematically improve performance. In HR and diversity & inclusion, maturity frameworks are widely used to move from basic compliance to strategic, integrated practice.
If organisations can measure and improve safety, risk, and inclusion through structured maturity journeys, it is logical to apply the same approach to wellbeing. The meta-framework provides step-by-step, evidence-based guidance on how to effectively protect and support wellbeing, moving organisations from ad hoc interventions towards strategic, preventative practice.
Top tips to improve your organisational wellbeing maturity
- Recognise wellbeing as a journey – Cultural change takes time. A step-by-step, structured approach supports sustainable improvement.
- Provide good jobs – Assess psychosocial risks by considering work demands, social relationships, and the physical workspace.
- Reflect on your organisational narrative – Are employees safe to speak up? Do leaders model commitment? Is wellbeing actively communicated and advocated?
- Offer a comprehensive mix of interventions – Go beyond EAPs and training: include health promotion, preventative approaches, and equip managers to support their teams.
- Benchmark and measure – Use recognised frameworks or evidence-based principles, and consult employees to understand risks and outcomes.
- Plan for sustainability – Embed wellbeing in governance, strategy, policies, and organisational initiatives to create a lasting management system.
These are all encompassed within the Affinity Maturity Assessment, which utilises the meta-framework to conduct a thorough analysis and provide you with the insights you need to best to protect, promote and support the mental health and wellbeing of your workforce.
Workplace wellbeing has come a long way, but it is still an emerging profession. By applying structured, evidence-based approaches, organisations can move from reactive support to sustainable, preventative wellbeing strategies — finally addressing the challenges identified centuries ago by pioneers like Ramazzini and creating workplaces that truly support health, engagement and productivity.
About the author:
Dr Rachel Lewis is a reader at Birkbeck, University of London and a managing partner at Affinity Health at Work, a consultancy and research organisation specialising in evidence-based wellbeing at work. Founded in 2006, Affinity’s mission is to improve the working lives of all.
Rachel is a multi-award winning occupational psychologist with over 20 years experience working and researching in wellbeing at work. Widely published in the field of health and wellbeing at work and having contributed to national guidance, and evidence-based tools
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