Well-being and Age Inclusion

Supporting every stage of working life through an age-inclusive lens

Overview

Well-being at work means more than health, it means belonging, balance and purpose.

At The Age Diversity Forum, we believe that a truly inclusive organisation recognises that well-being needs evolve with age. From starting out to later-career transitions, every life stage brings unique pressures and strengths.

Age inclusion enables organisations to see well-being as a shared responsibility across generations, shaped by experience, expectation and empathy. When well-being strategies reflect this, they deliver lasting benefits for both people and performance.

“The best well-being strategies don’t just support individuals, they connect generations.”

Key Insights

Well-being is dynamic – emotional, physical and financial well-being vary across life stages, from early-career uncertainty to mid-life balance and later-life transition
Inclusion enhances well-being – organisations that value employees of all ages see higher engagement, lower stress and stronger retention
Intergenerational empathy matters – cross-generational teams foster understanding, mentoring and resilience, all vital ingredients of well-being
Flexibility is universal – while reasons differ (family care, study, health, or transition to retirement), every generation benefits from flexible working and autonomy
Purpose drives well-being: feeling valued and able to contribute meaningfully is a wellbeing factor that transcends age.

Why It Matters

Research consistently shows that well-being and inclusion are inseparable. Age-diverse organisations create cultures where people feel seen and supported, not in spite of their age, but because their experience is recognised and respected.

Age-inclusive well-being strategies can help:

Reduce burnout by aligning workloads with life stages and capacity.
Encourage retention through flexibility and meaningful progression.
Build psychological safety by normalising life transitions, such as parental leave, caring responsibilities or phased retirement.

“Well-being thrives in cultures that treat age as an asset, not an obstacle.”

Towards Age-Inclusive Well-being

Creating an age-inclusive well-being strategy means moving beyond one-size-fits-all approaches. It involves understanding what different generations value, and designing initiatives that overlap rather than divide.

Examples of good practice include:

Multi-generational well-being champions or networks.
Tailored health and financial support for different life stages.
Mentoring schemes that build mutual resilience and belonging.
Access to flexible benefits that adapt to changing priorities.

The most effective well-being cultures are those that treat age inclusion not as a demographic category, but as a design principle for fairness.

Next Steps

The Age Diversity Forum is developing new research into how age inclusion influences well-being outcomes, combining evidence with employer case studies.

This work is part of the Forum’s 2026 Research and Insights Outlook, sitting under The Age Inclusion Dividend theme and connecting to broader studies on longevity, mental health and sustainable inclusion.

Positioning the Well-being Research within the 2026 Framework

The welleing research naturally fits within the existing 2026 plan, complementing ongoing studies while adding a human-centred perspective.

Existing Theme	Connection to Well-being
The Age Inclusion Dividend	Measures the organisational and social value of inclusion, well-being outcomes will form part of these indicators.
The Longevity Economy and Career Transition	Examines later-life participation, health, and transitions, directly linked to well-being in extended working lives.
The Demographic Shift (Flagship Study)	Considers ageing and workforce sustainability, well-being is a key element of sustainable participation.
Young Voices, Future Leadership	Explores engagement and belonging among younger workers, psychological safety and purpose fit naturally here.

By embedding well-being in this framework, the Forum will assess how inclusion enhances mental and emotional health across the working lifespan, and how age-aware well-being strategies can reduce inequality and strengthen culture.

Well-being isn’t a separate topic, it’s the lived experience of inclusion.

Get Involved

We’re building partnerships with employers, well-being specialists and researchers to explore what works in real organisations.

Ways to collaborate:

Share case studies or well-being data through our partnership network
Join future round-tables on well-being, inclusion and culture
Contribute to The AGEnda features on age and well-being

📩 Contact: [email protected]

Well-being and Age Inclusion

Supporting every stage of working life through an age-inclusive lens

Overview

Well-being at work means more than health, it means belonging, balance and purpose.

At The Age Diversity Forum, we believe that a truly inclusive organisation recognises that well-being needs evolve with age. From starting out to later-career transitions, every life stage brings unique pressures and strengths.

Age inclusion enables organisations to see well-being as a shared responsibility across generations, shaped by experience, expectation and empathy. When well-being strategies reflect this, they deliver lasting benefits for both people and performance.

“The best well-being strategies don’t just support individuals, they connect generations.”

Key Insights

Well-being is dynamic – emotional, physical and financial well-being vary across life stages, from early-career uncertainty to mid-life balance and later-life transition

Inclusion enhances well-being – organisations that value employees of all ages see higher engagement, lower stress and stronger retention

Intergenerational empathy matters – cross-generational teams foster understanding, mentoring and resilience, all vital ingredients of well-being

Flexibility is universal – while reasons differ (family care, study, health, or transition to retirement), every generation benefits from flexible working and autonomy

Purpose drives well-being: feeling valued and able to contribute meaningfully is a wellbeing factor that transcends age.

Why It Matters

Research consistently shows that well-being and inclusion are inseparable. Age-diverse organisations create cultures where people feel seen and supported, not in spite of their age, but because their experience is recognised and respected.

Age-inclusive well-being strategies can help:

Reduce burnout by aligning workloads with life stages and capacity.

Encourage retention through flexibility and meaningful progression.

Build psychological safety by normalising life transitions, such as parental leave, caring responsibilities or phased retirement.

“Well-being thrives in cultures that treat age as an asset, not an obstacle.”

Towards Age-Inclusive Well-being

Creating an age-inclusive well-being strategy means moving beyond one-size-fits-all approaches. It involves understanding what different generations value, and designing initiatives that overlap rather than divide.

Examples of good practice include:

Multi-generational well-being champions or networks.

Tailored health and financial support for different life stages.

Mentoring schemes that build mutual resilience and belonging.

Access to flexible benefits that adapt to changing priorities.

The most effective well-being cultures are those that treat age inclusion not as a demographic category, but as a design principle for fairness.

Next Steps

The Age Diversity Forum is developing new research into how age inclusion influences well-being outcomes, combining evidence with employer case studies.

This work is part of the Forum’s 2026 Research and Insights Outlook, sitting under The Age Inclusion Dividend theme and connecting to broader studies on longevity, mental health and sustainable inclusion.

Positioning the Well-being Research within the 2026 Framework

The welleing research naturally fits within the existing 2026 plan, complementing ongoing studies while adding a human-centred perspective.

Existing Theme

Connection to Well-being

The Age Inclusion Dividend

Measures the organisational and social value of inclusion, well-being outcomes will form part of these indicators.

The Longevity Economy and Career Transition

Examines later-life participation, health, and transitions, directly linked to well-being in extended working lives.

The Demographic Shift (Flagship Study)

Considers ageing and workforce sustainability, well-being is a key element of sustainable participation.

Young Voices, Future Leadership

Explores engagement and belonging among younger workers, psychological safety and purpose fit naturally here.

By embedding well-being in this framework, the Forum will assess how inclusion enhances mental and emotional health across the working lifespan, and how age-aware well-being strategies can reduce inequality and strengthen culture.

Well-being isn’t a separate topic, it’s the lived experience of inclusion.

Get Involved

We’re building partnerships with employers, well-being specialists and researchers to explore what works in real organisations.

Ways to collaborate:

Share case studies or well-being data through our partnership network

Join future round-tables on well-being, inclusion and culture

Contribute to The AGEnda features on age and well-being

📩 Contact: [email protected]