Vicky WalkerEvery year, new wellbeing trends appear promising to change how we live and work. However, changes in how people think about wellbeing suggests 2026 might be different.
Despite our 2025 Workplace Wellbeing Survey showing workers are becoming more health-conscious, long-term sickness is rising and NHS waiting lists remain stubbornly high. In workplaces across the UK, employees are beginning to turn to new tools, new habits and, in some cases, surprising substitutes for traditional solutions. At the same time, businesses strive to keep their teams healthy, productive and engaged despite increasing pressures.
Three themes stand out this year: the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) therapy, the everyday integration of rest, and a renewed focus on prevention. Together, they paint a picture of a workforce searching for stability, clarity and accessible support, yet also highlight where businesses can enhance their wellbeing offering.
Therapy in your back pocket? The rise of AI counselling
Following the yearly growth of online therapy, the rise of generative AI tools could well make 2026 the turning point as AI counselling goes mainstream. People are increasingly turning to generative AI tools as informal counsellors, as research shows. Data from the Digital Therapeutic Alliance found people using chatbots to manage mental health problems, explore their identity and gain basic mental health literacy. This data is backed by hundreds of Reddit threads detail their positive experiences with AI as their ‘non-judgemental companion’.
For many, it feels accessible and emotionally available in a way traditional services sometimes aren’t. But there are risks. AI tools often reinforce the user’s own beliefs, creating an echo chamber without proper therapeutic direction. There’s also a growing misconception that AI is fully objective when, in reality, these tools reflect the limitations and biases of the data they’re trained on.
That being said, employees experimenting with AI for wellbeing isn’t inherently a bad thing. It shows a desire for support that is immediate, affordable and stigma-free. The opportunity for employers is to recognise this need and signpost safe alternatives. Clear guidance, routes into accredited mental health support and education around how AI should be used can help employees take the right steps for their wellbeing.
Everyday integration of rest and wellness
Rest has quietly become one of the biggest wellbeing priorities for 2026. Searches for sleep supplements, recovery routines and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) lamps are on the rise, and according to the Mental Health Foundation, 38% of people now say sleep is a key part of taking care of their mental wellbeing. Even in the fitness world, rest days are having their moment. The average gym-goer now takes around 2.5 rest days per week, and 69% go to the gym specifically to improve sleep.
This shift goes beyond resting by doing nothing. It’s about intentional, active recovery. People are moving away from habits like ‘doomscrolling’ or ‘bed rotting’, which temporarily comfort but do little to support long-term wellbeing. Instead, there’s a growing preference for restorative activities such as being in nature, stretching, light movement and short breaks that reset the mind.
For businesses, this trend is a practical opportunity. Creating space for employees to rest during the day, offering flexible schedules, or integrating short workouts and walking meetings into the workplace culture can help people feel more alert, more engaged and more resilient. These interventions are simple, low-cost and proven to boost concentration and mood.
Preventative healthcare goes mainstream
Perhaps the biggest trend shaping workplace wellbeing that will continue to develop is the shift towards preventative health. As NHS waiting lists remain high and long-term sickness continues to cause absence, employees are in greater need of support from their workplace that helps them avoid health issues, not just medicate them.
Businesses must recognise the crucial role they play; they understand their people better than any government can. Therefore, they hold the most agency over improving employee wellbeing – and the key is in a tailored approach that doesn’t rely on government provision. By providing early intervention, accessible wellbeing support and educating on healthy habits, minor issues are prevented from snowballing and employees can look forward to a healthier future.
Beyond the moral duty, there is also a clear business case for preventative healthcare, as it facilitates greater productivity and a strengthened workplace culture. The data is clear: employees with high wellbeing report half as much absence and two-thirds less presenteeism.
Private healthcare: looking ahead
As these trends coincide among both consumers and businesses, more employees are looking for timely treatment and proactive support. According to Google Trends data, searches for private healthcare have been rising over the past 18 months, and many people feel increasingly worried about accessing NHS care when they need it.
This is where employers can make a meaningful difference. Health cash plans, mental health support, fast access to treatment and corporate fitness services are becoming essential tools for retention and engagement. With job security wavering and many employees job-hugging to protect their benefits, the reassurance strong health support provides is often a deciding factor in whether someone stays.
The organisations that thrive won’t be the ones offering the most perks. They’ll be the ones that understand their people and meet them where they are. Prevention, not reaction, is how we get there, and private healthcare is becoming the missing link that makes it possible. It helps employees receive early treatment, supports prevention and relieves the pressure that poor health places on teams. Most importantly, it signals that an organisation genuinely cares.
Vicky Walker is chief people officer at Westfield Health
