Welcome to 2026, fans of plans! This is a year where work isn’t just about what we do, but how we feel while doing it. Across industries, forward-thinking companies are moving from wellness as a perk to wellness as a core part of working life... great news for everyone!

Here are a few different areas you and your organisation can focus on to help with wellbeing:

1. Mental health and mental fitness
No longer just a “nice-to-have,” emotional wellbeing is now central to workplace culture. Employers are helping teams build daily resilience through proactive support systems, and open conversations about mental health. Training for managers to recognise burnout and support colleagues is becoming commonplace and that benefits everyone.

2. Flexibility = Wellness
Rigid 9-to-5 isn’t the default anymore. Flex schedules, hybrid work models, and even experiments with four-day weeks are helping people balance work and life better. Having autonomy over when and where you work isn’t just liberating, it reduces stress and boosts productivity by letting you work when you’re most energised.

3. Holistic wellbeing
Workplace wellbeing in 2026 looks beyond gym discounts. It’s about whole-person wellness... mental, physical, social and financial. Employers are offering financial planning resources, stress management tools, and life-stage support (like caregiving or menopause support) that recognise the reality of modern lives.

4. Culture of care
Companies that genuinely care about their people (beyond token initiatives) create environments where employees feel valued and supported. This includes strengthening everyday kindness, feedback cultures, and purpose-driven work that lets people thrive, not just survive.

5. Data-driven and human-centred
The best wellbeing strategies combine smart data with trust and transparency. Insights from team surveys help tailor support to what people actually need, not what employers think they want.

Wellbeing in 2026 isn’t about wellness gimmicks, it’s about living well while working well. When companies and people work together to make health, balance and meaning part of everyday life, everyone wins.

PS If you want to stimulate your brain outside of the workplace, check out the Philosopher-in-Residence blog – out fortnightly on Thursdays, courtesy of Make Me A Plan’s Principal Planner, Anna Pascoe. Browse the latest edition https://www.makemeaplan.com/news/on-the-real-living-wage/