As Saudi Arabia races to fulfil its ambitious Vision 2030 economic diversification programme, business leaders are being urged to place employee wellbeing at the heart of their growth strategies or risk losing top talent to burnout and disengagement.
The warning came as senior executives gathered in Riyadh on 22 January for the 10th annual Wellbeing at Work Middle East Summit, where workplace wellbeing company VIWELL served as headline partner. The event brought together decision-makers from across the region to explore how organisations can build more resilient, human-focused work environments amid the Kingdom’s rapid economic transformation.
Saudi Arabia’s sweeping diversification plan has seen massive investment flow into tourism, technology, healthcare and real estate sectors as the nation seeks to build a thriving knowledge-based economy less dependent on oil revenues. Yet this breakneck pace of change has created fresh challenges for employers who must compete for scarce talent whilst managing the pressures that come with operating in high-growth industries.
Mohammed Husary, founder and chief executive of VIWELL, argues that companies can no longer afford to treat employee wellbeing as an afterthought. “Ensuring employee wellbeing and preventing burnout demands a shift from reactive fixes to preventative strategies, building a more resilient and thriving culture,” said Mohammed Husary, Founder and CEO of VIWELL.
The summit immersed participants in the core components of contemporary workplace wellbeing, examining how leadership approaches, connection, belonging, purpose, environment and personalisation all contribute to employee satisfaction and retention. Attendees received practical tools and frameworks designed to help their organisations elevate wellbeing offerings beyond traditional benefits packages.
For Husary, the stakes extend beyond individual company performance to the broader success of the Kingdom’s economic vision. “At VIWELL, we believe that when wellbeing is embedded into company values and aligned with business goals, it transforms workplaces into thriving, human-centric environments. This is a call to action for leaders to champion mental health, resilience, and inclusion, and VIWELL acts as an enabler in creating company cultures where every individual feels valued and inspired,” Husary added.
The challenge facing Saudi employers mirrors trends seen across competitive global markets, where organisations must attract talent from both domestic and international pools whilst preventing burnout through measurable wellbeing initiatives. In sectors experiencing explosive growth, the risk of employee exhaustion has become a critical business concern rather than merely a human resources issue.
The Riyadh gathering marked the second stop on a four-country tour celebrating the summit’s 10th anniversary. The series launched in Cairo on 20 January before moving to the Saudi capital, with future events scheduled for Muscat on 27 January and Dubai on 29 January. Over the past decade, the Wellbeing at Work Summit has evolved into a cornerstone event for regional business leaders navigating dramatic shifts in the employment landscape.
Organisers have moved beyond traditional conference formats to create immersive experiences that bring workplace wellbeing concepts to life, equipping participants with actionable insights they can implement immediately within their organisations.
VIWELL operates as an end-to-end ecosystem enabling balanced workplaces through holistic wellbeing approaches. The company, founded by serial entrepreneur Mohammed Husary, began as offline wellness initiatives before transforming into a comprehensive digital platform in 2024. Today it partners with organisations globally to deliver personalised wellbeing programmes addressing physical, mental, social and financial health.
The platform combines advanced digital technology with curated real-world experiences, using data-driven analytics to drive measurable improvements in workforce engagement, productivity and overall organisational wellbeing. VIWELL’s approach is grounded in scientific research whilst being informed by cultural insights relevant to the markets it serves.
The company positions itself as helping organisations strengthen workplace culture, reduce employee turnover and enhance performance through scalable, sustainable wellbeing strategies that deliver actionable insights. As businesses across Saudi Arabia and the wider Gulf region grapple with the demands of economic transformation, the conversation around workplace wellbeing appears set to intensify, with companies increasingly recognising that their ability to compete for talent depends on creating environments where employees can thrive rather than merely survive.