Thriving Workplaces — Why Employee Well-being is the Key to Productivity

As founders of a platform designed to motivate employees to move more, we’re always looking at the latest research to better understand the real impact of health and well-being in the workplace. That’s why the recent McKinsey Health Institute report, “Thriving Workplaces: How Employers Can Improve Productivity and Change Lives,” immediately caught our attention.

The findings are both a wake-up call and a massive opportunity for businesses — especially those that truly care about their people.

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The Value of a Thriving Workforce

McKinsey’s research confirms what many of us intuitively know: when employees are healthy — mentally, physically, socially, and spiritually — they perform better. In fact, companies that cultivate thriving workplaces could see up to $11.7 trillion in global economic gains by 2040.

Yet, the stats tell a sobering story:

• Only 57% of employees consider themselves to be in good holistic health.
• Merely 33% say their workplace supports well-being effectively.
• And just 20% feel like they’re truly thriving at work.

These numbers are a call to action for employers. If we want people to perform at their best, we need to create environments where they feel their best.

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Why Movement Matters More Than You Think

Among the many dimensions of well-being, physical health is often the most visible — and the most neglected. Yet, McKinsey’s report makes it clear: physical vitality has a ripple effect* on mental clarity, emotional resilience, and social connection.

Regular movement:

• Boosts energy and focus
• Reduces anxiety and burnout
• Improves sleep and recovery
• Encourages bonding through shared activity

At GoMiles, we’ve seen this firsthand. When employees start moving — whether it’s walking meetings, lunchtime yoga, or a friendly leaderboard competition — everything changes. The mood lifts. Motivation kicks in. Collaboration improves.

But motivation doesn’t always come easy — especially in a digital, sedentary world.

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How GoMiles Helps Build Thriving Workplaces

This is where platforms like GoMiles come in. We created GoMiles to help companies bridge the gap between knowing movement is important and actually doing it.

Inspired by both our own experiences and research like McKinsey’s, we’ve built a platform that:

• Gamifies movement: Employees earn points and rewards for every step, workout, or sports activity logged.
• Improve team cohesion: Team-based challenges create a sense of shared purpose and friendly competition.
• Integrates seamlessly: Our platform connects with popular wearables and fitness apps to make tracking effortless.
• Encourages inclusivity: Whether you’re a marathon runner or just starting out, every calorie burned counts.

We believe sport isn’t just physical — it’s emotional, social, and cultural. And when companies embed movement into their culture, they don’t just get fitter employees — they get more connected, resilient teams.

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From Research to Reality

McKinsey’s report shows that well-being is no longer a “nice-to-have”. It’s a strategic imperative. Employers who take this seriously will not only unlock performance and retention — they’ll become magnets for top talent.

So what can companies do right now?

• Start small: Encourage walking breaks or step challenges.
• Be intentional: Make well-being part of the company mission.
• Leverage platforms like GoMiles to make movement engaging and trackable.

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Let’s Move Toward a Healthier Future — Together

As co-founders of GoMiles, we didn’t set out to just build a fitness tool — we set out to help teams thrive. The data supports what we’ve believed all along: movement matters. And when companies invest in it, everyone wins.

We’re here to help you make that shift — not just for the sake of productivity, but for the people who make your business what it is.

Let’s make work a place where people move more, stress less, and thrive together.

*a situation where one event or action produces a series of subsequent effects that spread outward