Addressing employee burnout, artificial intelligence top 2024 wellness trends

Addressing employee burnout and the role of artificial intelligence in the workplace are among five key employee wellness trends heading into 2024.

The list comes from MediKeeper, a leading provider of customizable wellness portals to health care providers, insurance brokers, wellness companies, third-party administrators, and corporate employers. Other trends, according to the company’s new seven-page report, focus on employee engagement with wellness initiatives, remote and hybrid work, and the four-day work week.

“Understanding these trends can help organizations better plan for 2024 and beyond, as well as help best support their people to be engaged and thrive in a positive health culture,” Dr. Tyler Amell, MediKeeper’s chief health and strategy officer, as well as author of the report, said in a statement.

Here are more details about each trend:

Employee engagement with wellbeing initiatives doesn’t matter.

What is important, according to the report, is program participation by those most at risk for chronic diseases related to lifestyle behaviors — or individuals who already have those conditions. “The results of … programming efforts that are far more focused on a smaller and the [unhealthiest] cohort will ultimately achieve the greatest success for the organization, and for the workers,” Amell writes.

 Employee burnout is here to stay.

Toxic workplaces, long hours, understaffing, lack of recognition, interpersonal conflict, and policies that don’t make sense to workers contribute to burnout. “This is an issue that employers must have on their radar and continue to take seriously and provide both short- and long-term, meaningful solutions to best support their people,” Amell notes.

Artificial intelligence (AI) will have an even greater impact.

Despite AI’s limitations, its usage will continue to evolve and its popularity increase — impacting workplace health and productivity strategy and programming. “You still need to have enough subject matter expertise to identify where the output may not be the best or most appropriate,” according to the report, “but [AI] can be foundational and a good building block on which to apply your knowledge, creativity, and experience.”

Remote and hybrid work will be coveted by employees.

Employers should be prepared for continued pressure to accommodate worker desire for remote and hybrid work options. “If employers want to have the best and brightest on their team, then a supportive fully remote or [at] the least a hybrid approach is necessary,” Amell writes.

The time has come for a four-day work week.

There is mounting evidence that switching to a four-day work week is associated with positive benefits for all stakeholders, and employers are encouraged to consider this as part of their wellbeing strategy. “Research demonstrates that productivity stays the same, or increases [when four-day work weeks are in effect], while burnout and other mental health issues decrease,” according to the report. “Physical health improves, as does stress, anxiety, fatigue,  and sleep. There is less absenteeism, since people can schedule their daily living requirements in the additional time.”

Related: AI will play ‘significant role’ in health insurance sector — just not right away

The trends identified by MediKeeper are based on data generated from the 1,100 client organizations and 13 million lives covered by MediKeeper, as well as market and health trend analysis data, and published research evidence.