Mumbai, April 17: Great Place To Work India, the global authority on workplace culture, has released new research on employee health and wellness, highlighting that consistent leadership behaviour plays a critical role in shaping workplace well-being and retention.
The study finds that employee wellness is influenced less by surface-level initiatives and more by how consistently leaders follow through on their commitments. Employees who feel genuinely supported tend to perform better, stay longer, and contribute more actively to their organisations.
One of the key insights from the research is the strong link between wellness and retention. Employees who experience workplace wellness are nearly twice as likely to stay with their organisation and are significantly more inclined to participate in innovation-led initiatives. The sense of “I can be myself here” emerged as the most influential factor, contributing 27% to the overall wellness score, while leadership consistency accounted for 13%, underscoring the importance of credibility in leadership.
However, the study also highlights disparities across workforce segments. Women and employees with 2–5 years of tenure reported a wellness score of 82%. Groups experiencing lower levels of well-being also showed reduced confidence in leadership follow-through, indicating a direct connection between leadership behaviour and employee experience.
Commenting on the findings, Balbir Singh, CEO, Great Place To Work India, said,
“The Great Place To Work Wellness Index™ has improved from 83% to 85% this year, an encouraging sign that organisations are taking employee well-being seriously. Yet the gains remain uneven. Burnout, particularly among younger employees, continues to demand attention. Data shows that when employees experience low burnout, they are 12 times more likely to feel able to innovate. Well-being is not a benefit; it is the foundation of a high-trust, high-performance culture.”
He added, “I congratulate the winners of India’s Best Workplaces in Health and Wellness 2026, who have demonstrated that prioritising people is the smartest business decision an organisation can make.”
The findings further reveal that organisations recognised as Best Workplaces perform significantly better across key indicators. Around 86% of employees in these organisations report a strong wellness culture, compared to lower levels in other workplaces. Similarly, 86% of employees at Best Workplaces look forward to work, compared to 82% elsewhere. Access to learning and development is also higher, with 87% reporting positively versus 82% in other organisations.
The business impact of wellness is equally significant. Among employees who experience strong workplace wellness, 94% intend to stay with their organisation, compared to just 44% among those who do not. Discretionary effort also differs sharply, with 88% of employees in high-wellness environments going above and beyond, versus 50% in low-wellness settings.
Adaptability and innovation follow similar trends. Nearly 94% of employees experiencing high wellness report the ability to adapt quickly to change, compared to 53% of others. Additionally, 95% of employees in wellness-focused workplaces actively contribute ideas, compared to 58% in less supportive environments.
The study underscores a clear takeaway: improving employee wellness is not about adding more initiatives but about strengthening leadership consistency and follow-through. By addressing gaps in employee experience and ensuring leaders deliver on commitments, organisations can create environments where employees are more likely to stay, adapt, and perform at higher levels.
The rankings have been published under “Top 10 India’s Best Workplaces in Health & Wellness 2026: Companies that Care,” followed by organisations ranked 11 to 50 in alphabetical order.
