Step 1: Identify the root causes of employee dissatisfaction

Root causes often vary by industry, department, job level and individual circumstances. Some common workplace stressors include:

• Workload and scheduling: Employees working long hours, back-to-back shifts, or unpredictable schedules can experience burnout. Lack of flexibility can also create challenges for those with caregiving responsibilities.
• Job expectations and pressure: Unclear job roles, unrealistic expectations and high performance demands can lead to anxiety and decreased job satisfaction.
• Management and workplace culture: Poor leadership, lack of communication or toxic work environments can make employees feel undervalued or unsupported.
• Compensation and benefits: Financial stress from low wages or inadequate benefits can contribute to dissatisfaction and turnover.

Companies should gather direct employee feedback or analyze employee data to pinpoint the specific causes of workplace stress. A few ways to approach these topics are roundtable discussions, confidential one-on-ones with HR or anonymous surveys. For larger organizations that may not have the time to check in with employees individually, a data analytics company can analyze workforce data, including schedules, absentee rates, performance reviews, skill fit, etc., to pinpoint the main stressors by role.

Step 2: Implement tailored, employee-centered solutions

By understanding what employees actually need, companies can avoid implementing superficial wellness solutions that fail to make a difference.

Effective wellness strategies should be:

• Employee-driven – Base decisions on direct feedback rather than assumptions from management.
• Flexible – Adapt to the needs of different departments, job roles, and employee demographics.
• Practical – Provide real, actionable improvements to workplace conditions rather than surface-level perks.

As an example of this strategy in action, my company worked with a virtual tutoring nonprofit, whose volunteer tutors were often students in high school or college. Many tutors were repeatedly missing Friday afternoon sessions. Those who did show up were disengaged, leading to poor tutoring quality for underserved students.

Using data analysis, the tutoring nonprofit:

• Adjusted scheduling policies to optimize effective tutoring
• Improved tutor screening to ensure volunteers were committed
• Raised funds to pay tutors in the future
• Developed a data-driven approach to match students with tutors more effectively

Understanding workforce behavior and implementing data-backed changes can significantly improve outcomes for employees and the people they serve.

Related: Why Your Workplace Wellness Program Is Unhealthy

Step 3: Continuously track and measure effectiveness

Wellness programs should not be a "set it and forget it" initiative. Companies must continually assess whether their investments are making a real impact.

Key metrics to track include:

• Retention rates – Are employees staying at the company longer?
• Job performance – Has productivity improved since implementing wellness changes?
• Employee satisfaction – Are employees reporting higher morale and reduced stress?
• Absenteeism – Has the frequency of sick days or unplanned absences decreased?

Whether using AI-driven analytics or traditional feedback methods, tracking real-world results is essential to ensuring wellness initiatives are truly benefiting employees — and are worth the money spent.

By prioritizing employee input, targeted interventions and continuous measurement, companies can create workplace environments that genuinely support employee health, satisfaction and long-term success.