Well-Being Increasingly Shapes Workplace Strategies, Say Experts

Companies in Latin America are increasingly integrating emotional well-being into their workplace strategies as employee expectations shift toward more holistic definitions of job satisfaction. 

Advocates argue this is not a passing trend but a structural change in how organizations interact with employees. “People still want growth, but first, they want to define it for themselves, and second, they are not willing to do anything to get it,” says Aye Kalenok, Founder and CEO, Kala Talent.

Recent data links emotional well-being with productivity and retention. A University of Warwick study, cited by Forbes, found that employees in positive emotional environments increased productivity by 31%. Deloitte reported a 41% reduction in absenteeism in companies that implemented emotional wellness policies. Gallup found that workers in emotionally supportive cultures are 70% more likely to be highly engaged.

Edenred Mexico and the Mexican Association for Human Resources Management (AMEDIRH) report that 36% of employees seek benefits aligned with their lifestyles, while 23% want updates to existing benefits. Only 18% consider their workplace a great place to work based on benefits, with financial and healthcare support ranking highest in demand.

Generational differences also play a role. Generation Z values remote work, wellness programs, and financial support for personal milestones, while older employees prioritize financial stability, insurance, and bonuses. Similar trends appear in workplace happiness studies: a survey by Buk placed Mexico fourth in Latin America with an average happiness score of 81%, but younger workers reported lower satisfaction than Baby Boomers, who reached 87%.

Globally, subjective well-being metrics reveal a disconnect between economic indicators and how workers perceive their lives. The 2025 World Happiness Report shows that happiness levels declined in 58% of countries over the last decade despite economic growth, reports MBN. OECD data highlights that while income and employment outcomes stabilized after the pandemic, perceptions of job security and interpersonal relationships deteriorated.

OECD analysts attribute lower satisfaction among younger generations to increased awareness of mental health, high expectations for value alignment at work, and constant digital connectivity. Many are unwilling to compromise personal well-being for career advancement.

In response, corporate wellness programs are expanding beyond physical fitness to include emotional, mental, and nutritional support. “The concept of corporate wellness has moved from being a ‘nice-to-have’ to a fundamental pillar in the organizational structure of leading global companies,” says Ana Ramos, CEO and Co-Founder, Glitzi, to MBN.