Over half of Italian CEOs prioritize wellbeing as a strategic consideration
In a significant shift in corporate strategy, CEOs worldwide are increasingly recognising employee well-being programs as a strategic priority closely linked to financial success. According to the international survey "Return on Wellbeing 2025" conducted by Wellhub, a platform for holistic well-being services in the workplace, this trend is gaining momentum.
The survey involved over 1,500 CEOs in ten countries and global business leaders, revealing that English and Romanian CEOs have a high percentage (respectively 58% and 56%) of those considering employee well-being as strategically important. This is followed by Italian CEOs, with 47% considering employee well-being as important as salary.
In Italy, the survey findings suggest that 76% of companies have employee health programs with a positive return on investment. Furthermore, 47% of Italian CEOs perceive a significant positive impact on productivity through employee well-being initiatives. Notably, 95% of Italian CEOs are actively involved in wellness initiatives budgeting, with 95% personally involved in approving the budget for wellness initiatives.
CEOs are moving away from traditional, generic wellness perks towards personalised, integrated initiatives that drive measurable outcomes in productivity, retention, and cost reduction. Well-being is now viewed as a bottom-line issue, with CEOs and HR leaders viewing employee well-being not just as a perk but as a critical performance strategy that impacts productivity and reduces costly issues like burnout and turnover.
Data-driven investment in targeted wellness programs is a key component of this trend. Companies are reallocating budgets away from underused or ineffective programs towards mental health ecosystems (about 40% of budgets), precision health (30%), and financial wellness (20%) programs. These targeted efforts result in significant gains such as 23% higher productivity, 22% reduction in turnover, and 18% lower healthcare costs.
A holistic approach beyond physical health is also emphasised, with CEOs investing in leadership training to foster empathetic, psychologically safe work environments that help employees thrive emotionally and financially. The focus has shifted from cost control to cultural value, with many organisations now stressing improving overall worker health and well-being as a core value and driver of company culture.
However, challenges remain, such as employee time constraints, costs, and maintaining momentum for wellness initiatives. Despite these obstacles, the strategic emphasis by CEOs signals continued innovation and investment in this area. In Germany, the ROI of wellbeing in the workplace reaches 73%. In Spain, it reaches 80%.
In conclusion, the executive view in 2025 strongly aligns employee well-being with organisational success—recognising that investments in mental health, financial wellness, and holistic support statistically improve productivity, retention, and financial outcomes. This represents a fundamental shift from prior approaches, embedding well-being deep into corporate strategy and budget decisions worldwide. With 80% of executives actively increasing investments in the well-being area, it's clear that this trend is set to continue.
- International CEOs are increasingly considering employee well-being as a strategically important factor, with English and Romanian CEOs leading the pack at 58% and 56% respectively.
- In Italy, this focus on employee well-being has shown significant positive impacts on productivity, with 76% of companies reporting a positive return on investment for their health programs and 47% of CEOs perceiving a marked increase in productivity through wellness initiatives.
- As part of this trend, CEOs are shifting their focus from traditional wellness perks to personalised, integrated initiatives that target productivity, retention, and cost reduction, with data-driven investment in mental health, precision health, and financial wellness programs yielding impressive results.
