The Aon Employee Sentiment Study 2025 provides compelling insights into the financial and operational costs of employee turnover, reinforcing the case for mature and impactful workplace wellbeing strategies.
Here are the key findings and how they align with the need for a structured wellbeing approach to reduce turnover and improve retention.
1. The Cost of Employee Turnover is Higher Than You Think
One of the standout findings is the significant financial burden associated with turnover. The report highlights:
- The average cost of replacing an employee is between £30,000 – £40,000 due to recruitment, training, and lost productivity.
- High turnover disrupts workplace culture, lowers morale, and increases workload stress on remaining employees.
- Organisations with strong wellbeing strategies see a 20% lower attrition rate, directly saving on recruitment and onboarding expenses.
The data aligns with wider industry research indicating that companies with poor wellbeing strategies experience up to 50% higher turnover rates.
This shows that turnover isn’t just a recruitment issue—it’s a wellbeing issue. A strategic wellbeing approach mitigates burnout, disengagement, and dissatisfaction, helping retain talent.
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2. Poor Wellbeing Drives Employees to Leave
The study identifies key reasons why employees leave, and unsurprisingly, wellbeing plays a central role:
- 46% of employees cited stress and burnout as a primary reason for seeking a new job.
- 41% said they didn’t feel supported by their employer in maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
- Companies with low employee wellbeing scores had a 28% higher voluntary turnover rate.
Wellbeing isn’t just about mental health interventions; it’s about culture, leadership, workload management, and strategic investment.
A company that fails to integrate wellbeing into daily operations, manager training, and policies is more likely to suffer from high turnover. The data supports the argument that a robust wellbeing strategy is a key driver of retention, not just an employee perk.
3. Businesses With Mature Wellbeing Strategies Save Millions
Yes you heard that right! A key takeaway from the report is that companies that invest in a mature, strategic wellbeing approach see a measurable return on investment (ROI):
- Businesses with structured wellbeing programmes save £1,200 per employee per year in reduced absence, turnover, and presenteeism.
- Companies that actively address stress and workload management see a 22% increase in employee retention.
- Wellbeing-mature organisations report 15% higher employee engagement, which directly correlates with lower turnover.
The report confirms what I have long argued—reactive wellbeing initiatives aren’t enough. While many organisations focus on surface-level interventions (EAPs, gym memberships, occasional wellbeing days), the real cost savings come from embedding wellbeing into strategy, leadership development, and operational processes.
Take the Wellbeing Maturity Assessment today to find out your score and how to improve it.
Learn How to Develop a Wellbeing Strategy That Reduces Employee Turnover and Saves Millions
If you’re serious about reducing employee turnover, improving retention, and proving the ROI of wellbeing, then it’s time to invest in a high-impact strategy.
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