Workplace Wellbeing Case Study:

How DHL Improved Wellbeing Participation Across a Fast-Paced Frontline Workforce

A flexible, habit-based wellbeing approach designed to support movement, recovery, and mental wellbeing across frontline, operational, and corporate teams.
Maintaining consistent wellbeing habits can be difficult in fast-moving work environments where employees manage shift work, physical demands, time pressure, and changing schedules.

DHL implemented the 15 Minute Exercise Challenge and 5 Minute Wellbeing Challenge to make daily wellbeing more practical, flexible, and sustainable within real working conditions.
100%
would recommend the wellbeing challenge
93%
met recommended WHO physical activity guidelines
90%
reported improved overall health
88%
maintained healthy habits 3 months later

Organisation Overview

Industry: Logistics & Express Delivery
Workforce: 6,000+ Employees Across Frontline, Operational & Corporate Teams
Location: Australia
Program: 15 Minute Exercise Challenge & 5 Minute Wellbeing Challenge

The opportunity

In fast-paced environments like DHL, maintaining consistent wellbeing habits can be particularly challenging.
Employees work across frontline, operational, and corporate roles - often managing shift-based schedules, physical demands, time pressure, and changing routines. In these environments, wellbeing can easily become deprioritised when workloads are high and schedules are unpredictable.
Traditional wellbeing initiatives can also struggle to gain traction if they rely on fixed schedules, long time commitments, or one-size-fits-all approaches that don’t reflect the realities of frontline work.
DHL wanted an approach that could:
Support both physical activity and mental wellbeing
Work across frontline, operational, and corporate teams
Fit into shift-based and time-constrained schedules
Provide flexible ways for employees to participate
Support sustainable daily habits without adding pressure or complexity
The goal was to introduce a wellbeing approach that employees could realistically maintain within real working conditions - regardless of role, schedule, or daily workload.

The approach

Designed to support movement, recovery, and mental wellbeing within fast-paced and time-constrained work environments.
DHL implemented a flexible, habit-based wellbeing approach that combined the 15 Minute Exercise Challenge and the 5 Minute Wellbeing Challenge.
Rather than relying on high motivation or ideal routines, the program focused on short, manageable daily actions that employees could realistically maintain alongside shift work, operational demands, and busy schedules.
Participants:
Engaged in short daily movement and wellbeing activities
Chose actions that suited their roles, schedules, and energy levels
Participated in small teams to build accountability and connection
Tracked progress through a simple online platform
Teams were ranked on consistency rather than performace

Two Ways to Participate

15 Minute Exercise Challenge
Focused on building consistent daily movement through simple physical activity that could fit into varied work schedules and environments.
5 Minute Wellbeing Challenge
Focused on short wellbeing moments such as mindfulness, recovery, reflection, and mental reset.
By offering multiple ways to participate, the program allowed employees to engage in ways that felt practical and realistic within their day-to-day work routines.

Why it worked

The program succeeded because it made wellbeing participation realistic within fast-paced, frontline work environments.
Low daily commitment
Short daily activities (5–15 minutes) made participation manageable -
even during busy shifts, operational demands, and time-pressured
workdays.
Flexible across roles, schedules, and energy levels
Employees could participate in ways that suited their individual
routines, work environments, and wellbeing needs, making the
program accessible across frontline, operational, and corporate teams.
Supported both movement and mental wellbeing
By combining physical activity with wellbeing and recovery-focused
options, the program supported both physical and mental wellbeing
within day-to-day work routines.
Multiple ways to participate
Employees could choose activities based on what felt realistic and
helpful for them each day - helping reduce participation barriers
and improve ongoing engagement.
Team-based accountability
Small teams helped create shared participation, consistency,
encouragement, and stronger connection across the workforce.
Built for sustainable participation
The program was designed around realistic daily behaviours rather
than ideal conditions or high motivation.
By making wellbeing practical, flexible, and easy to integrate into busy schedules, employees were more likely to maintain healthy habits over time.

The results

The combined approach delivered strong participation and measurable wellbeing outcomes across DHL’s fast-paced frontline workforce.
Participation & engagement outcomes
93% would recommend the program
85% exercised more than they otherwise would have
86% reported taking better care of their wellbeing
Strong participation maintained across both programs
Consistent engagement achieved across frontline, operational,
and corporate teams
Health & Wellbeing Outcomes
93% met or exceeded recommended WHO physical activity
guidelines
90% reported improved overall health
Participants reported improvements in Sleep, Energy, Mood,
Fitness Leveland Overall Health
Participant outcomes
100% would recommend the wellbeing challenge
100% would participate again (Wellbeing Challenge)
85% would participate again (Exercise Challenge)
Long-term impact (3 months later)
85% maintained the healthy habits they developed during the challenge
The program achieved strong engagement by making movement and wellbeing more achievable within real frontline working conditions.

What this shows

DHL’s results demonstrate that strong wellbeing participation is achievable within fast-paced frontline environments when the approach is flexible, practical, and designed around real working conditions.
By supporting both movement and mental wellbeing through short, sustainable daily habits, the program made it easier for employees to engage consistently across frontline, operational, and corporate teams.
The combined approach helped:
Support participation across varied roles, schedules, and work environments
Improve overall health, energy, and wellbeing
Build sustainable wellbeing habits rather than short-term engagement
Support recovery and mental reset within busy workdays
Maintain participation without adding operational complexity
The results show that wellbeing initiatives are more likely to succeed when participation feels realistic, accessible, and easy to maintain within day-to-day frontline work.

Participant experience

Participants consistently described the program as flexible, motivating, and easy to maintain within busy and fast-paced work environments.
“Committing to just 15 minutes made it easy to maintain momentum and build a healthy routine. Being part of a team helped keep me accountable each day.”
“The wellbeing challenge helped me pause, reset, and refocus during busy days. Small actions made a big difference.”
“What I liked most was that the program felt realistic. Even on demanding days, there was always a simple way to participate and stay consistent.”
Participants highlighted that the flexibility of the program made it easier to prioritise movement and wellbeing alongside changing schedules, operational demands, and frontline work pressures.

See how this could work in your organisation

In this 15-minute walkthrough, we can show you how the Workplace Habit System™ works - and how it could apply in your organisation to create meaningful, lasting improvements in health, energy, and overall wellbeing.
Book a 15-Minute Walkthrough
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