Well-Being Pays Dividends: Why Investing in Your People Delivers a $4-for-$1 Return.

I’ve spent my career building and scaling businesses—from founding CommsChoice, which we took public on the ASX, to driving international expansion at Vanco, the world’s first global virtual network operator. I’ve worked across industries, from tech startups to multinational corporations, and if there’s one truth I’ve seen time and time again, it’s this: The companies that invest in their people always outperform the ones that don’t.

A Shift in Perspective

I’ll admit it took me some time to fully grasp the importance and potential of this. Earlier in my career, I was highly target-driven and results-oriented—something ingrained in me from my experience in high-performance sports. I viewed well-being as too intangible, too difficult to measure. It felt more like the “right thing to do” rather than a competitive advantage. Looking back, I now realise we could have done better. The reality is that well-being isn’t just about making employees feel good—it’s a fundamental driver of business performance.

Companies that prioritise well-being see:

• 3x higher shareholder returns

• 50% lower staff turnover

• 21% greater profitability

• 400% return on investment (ROI) in well-being programs.

Yet, despite these overwhelming benefits, most businesses aren’t acting on this knowledge. While 85% of executives acknowledge that workforce well-being provides a competitive edge, fewer than 20% have a clear strategy, and only 2% of companies use well-being data to guide decision-making.

The businesses that move now—before well-being becomes a regulatory and market-driven expectation—will gain a significant first-mover advantage.

The UAre Story: From Personal Experience to Industry Transformation

My perspective began to shift during my time at Vanco, where we were scaling a global telecommunications business. As we pushed for rapid international expansion, I observed two distinct types of companies:

1. Those that prioritised well-being, engagement, and culture.

2. Those that burned through talent with a high-pressure, unsustainable model.

The first group consistently outperformed—not just in employee retention but in profitability, customer satisfaction, and market growth. The second? They suffered from high churn, declining morale, and ultimately, poor financial performance.

This lesson stayed with me when I founded CommsChoice. From day one, we embedded well-being into our company culture—not just as an HR function but as a core business strategy. When we eventually rolled up and listed on the ASX, I had zero doubt that our people-first approach played a key role in our success.

That same philosophy is what led me to co-found UAre, alongside Marc Pasques and Kendrick Louis. Marc is a customer-focused tech leader with deep expertise in building scalable technology solutions for multinational businesses. His ability to bridge the gap between data, AI, and real-world applications ensures that UAre’s platform is not just insightful but actionable. Kendrick, a world champion athlete, understands what it takes to build high-performance teams. His experience in brand strategy, talent attraction, and leadership development brings an elite mindset to well-being and business performance, making him an invaluable part of our leadership team.

Beyond the founders, we have assembled a world-class team of experts across high-performance business and sport, data science, actuarial science, behavioural science, medical science, and mentoring. This expertise underpins UAre’s approach to Movement, Mindset, Relationships, and Habits, ensuring that well-being is addressed holistically—both at an individual level and across entire organisations.

The Expanding Duty of Care

Beyond financial benefits, our research highlights the growing regulatory and legal pressures around workplace well-being.

A global survey of major corporations found that 22% had faced legal action or regulatory scrutiny over workplace health and safety breaches in the past two years. The reality is that companies are now being held accountable for the mental and emotional well-being of employees—not just their physical safety.

This shift means businesses must go beyond traditional risk management and implement proactive well-being strategies that safeguard their workforce before problems arise.

The $4-for-$1 Opportunity

Our research—drawing on insights from PwC, Deloitte, Harvard, Oxford, MIT, and other world-leading sources—shows that businesses can expect at least a $4 return for every $1 invested in employee well-being.

These returns come from:

• Lower turnover and recruitment costs

• Higher engagement and productivity

• Fewer safety incidents and errors

• Better customer experience and loyalty

But let me be clear—throwing money at generic wellness programs won’t cut it. You need a well-being strategy that is data-driven, targeted, and integrated into business operations.

The UAre Approach: Turning Well-Being Into a Measurable Advantage

Founded in 2020 in Sydney—one of the world’s healthiest cities—UAre is a longevity company designed to help people live better and live longer.

We integrate data from our app and wearable technologies to provide a holistic picture of well-being across four key areas:

• Movement – Physical activity and mobility metrics

• Mindset – Mental resilience and cognitive health

• Relationships – Social and workplace interactions

• Habits – Daily behaviours impacting long-term health

For individuals, we provide personalised insights, longevity predictions, and action plans to enhance well-being.

For businesses, we deliver critical workforce insights that help leaders make informed decisions about productivity, engagement, and risk management.

The Bottom Line: Well-Being Is Your Competitive Advantage

Companies that invest in well-being outperform the market, attract top talent, and mitigate business risk. Those that don’t? They risk being left behind.

I’ve seen the impact of a people-first approach firsthand—both in my own businesses and in the companies I’ve worked with. At UAre, we’re giving businesses the tools to make well-being measurable, actionable, and profitable.

If you’re ready to unlock higher performance, greater retention, and long-term business success, let’s start the conversation.