Understanding what employees want from their workplace is crucial. Let’s look at the trends that are reshaping work, and how you can support your employees’ wellbeing.
The biggest trends changing the workplace in 2025
Running from 12 to 18 May 2025, this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week, led by the Mental Health Foundation, highlights the importance of strong, supportive communities. The workplace is one of the most influential communities in an adult’s life — so how we connect, support, and engage at work directly affects how we feel. In the fitness world, the idea of community is already recognised for driving participation and improving outcomes. The same can apply in your workplace.
Artificial Intelligence
One look at LinkedIn and you’ll see that AI continues to dominate conversations. And for good reason. LLMs and generative AI tools are reshaping workflows, altering job roles, and eradicating some completely. AI brings immense productivity potential, but also uncertainty for employees. HR teams should transparently communicate about how AI will be used in the business to turn anxiety into engagement.
Hybrid working
Despite many employers wanting the workforce back in the office, lockdown has left everyone open to the idea of hybrid work models. Hybrid working can be a strategic advantage, and workplaces need to become more than just a place to work. Consider how you can offer experiences and community that make people want to be there.
Gen Z
Gen Z bring distinct expectations to the workplace—centred on values, purpose, and flexibility. Health and wellbeing rank high among their personal priorities. For this generation, the aim is work-life integration, not just work-life balance. So, how can you be an employer that truly supports their holistic wellbeing?
Wellbeing as the cornerstone of workplace resilience
It’s clear that employee wellbeing is an essential part of organisational resilience. The relationship between wellbeing and performance has never been clearer – employees who feel supported with health and wellness are more engaged, productive, and loyal.
Here are some wellbeing strategies to consider:
- Physical health through fitness-as-a-benefit and preventative healthcare.
- Mental wellbeing through stress management resources and psychological safety.
- Financial wellness through education and support services.
- Social connection through community-building even for hybrid and WFH.
Research shows that investing in comprehensive wellbeing programmes leads to tangible returns through reduced absenteeism and presenteeism, lower healthcare costs, and improved retention rates. Consider how your wellbeing initiatives are supporting employees throughout the organisation.
Work patterns for the modern workforce
The traditional 9-to-5 is increasingly giving way to more flexible arrangements. Remember when the four-day work week seemed radical? It’s now gaining traction following successful UK trials that show productivity maintained (or improved!) and employee satisfaction skyrocketed.
What are some other ways to offer flexible working patterns?
- Core hours with flexible start/end times
- Policies to allow employees to work from different locations
- Results-based work models based on output rather than hours
- Collaboration that accommodates different time zones and schedules
These ideas recognise that productivity isn’t time spent at a desk, it’s output and results. If you’re the one leading on these policy changes, you’ll need to champion a shift from monitoring presence to measuring outcomes and supporting autonomy.
Building community in hybrid working world
With all of these factors threatening the physical bricks-and-mortar workplace, community has never been more important – or difficult to maintain. It’s time to think about new ways to nurture a sense of belonging.
- Regular in-person gatherings with a clear purpose
- Team-building that goes beyond social events
- Many-to-many approaches to projects
- Shared wellbeing initiatives that create community
Flexible fitness: a catalyst for workplace community
When employees take part in real or virtual fitness challenges or health initiatives together, they develop connections that tick so many boxes, from physical health to mental wellbeing and social connection.
Traditional corporate fitness approaches like onsite gyms or single-location discounts don’t meet the needs of a distributed workforce. Modern employees need fitness options that work regardless of where they are (at HQ, WFH, travelling to clients) and accommodate changing schedules or shift work. They need a frictionless way to train where, when, and how they want – whether that’s a gym, a pool, a leisure centre, or something more niche.
This is where Hussle’s approach to corporate fitness benefits can help. By providing access to our nationwide network of gyms, pools, and fitness facilities, Hussle enables people to exercise on their terms. And it’s easy for employers, too. One Hussle pass gives your people access to our entire network.
Creating workplaces fit for the future
The workplace of the future won’t be defined by where the work happens or what tech platforms it runs on. It will come back to people. What will matter is how well you support humans to do their best work while maintaining their health and wellbeing. By partnering with Hussle to give access to thousands of fitness facilities nationwide, your organisation can offer a benefit that aligns with how people work.
Ready to bring flexible fitness to your workplace wellbeing strategy? Contact the Hussle team today for a personalised quote and discover how our nationwide network can support your employees wherever they work.
