Workplace Wellbeing Case Study:

How Michael Hill Improved Workforce Engagement Across a Global Retail Workforce

A flexible workplace wellbeing approach designed to support both daily movement and mental wellbeing across fast-paced retail environments.
Maintaining engagement in wellbeing initiatives can be difficult in retail environments where employees work across varied schedules, customer-facing roles, and physically demanding conditions.

Michael Hill implemented a flexible, habit-based approach combining movement and wellbeing - making it easier for employees to build sustainable daily habits across stores and locations globally.
92%
met WHO physical activity guidelines
85%
reported improved overall health
83%
maintained healthy habits 6 months later
97%
would participate again

Organisation Overview

Industry: Retail (Jewellery)
Workforce: 2,800+ Employees Across Frontline Retail & Support Teams
Location: Australia, New Zealand & Canada
Program: 15 Minute Exercise Challenge & 5 Minute Wellbeing Challenge
Work Environment: Fast-Paced, Customer-Facing Retail Teams

The opportunity

Maintaining engagement in wellbeing initiatives can be especially difficult within fast-paced retail environments.
Employees work across varied schedules, customer-facing roles, fluctuating energy levels, and physically demanding environments - making it difficult to consistently prioritise both movement and mental wellbeing during the workday.
Traditional wellbeing initiatives often struggle in retail environments because they don’t reflect the realities of frontline work or provide flexible ways for employees to participate.
Michael Hill wanted an approach that could:
Support both movement and mental wellbeing
Fit into shift-based, customer-facing work environments
Adapt to different schedules, routines, and energy levels
Provide flexible ways for employees to participate consistently

The approach

Designed to support both movement and mental wellbeing within real retail working conditions.
Michael Hill implemented a flexible, habit-based approach designed to help employees build sustainable daily wellbeing habits across fast-paced retail environments.
Rather than relying on ideal routines or high levels of motivation, the program focused on simple, achievable daily actions employees could realistically maintain alongside customer-facing work, varied schedules, and fluctuating energy levels.
Participants:
Engaged in short, achievable daily actions
Chose activities that suited their schedules, routines, and energy levels
Participated in small teams to build accountability and connection
Tracked progress through a simple online platform
Teams were ranked on consistency, not intensity
The program was supported by regular communication and engagement prompts to help maintain momentum throughout the challenge.

Two Ways to Participate

15 Minute Exercise Challenge
Supported consistent daily movement and physical activity.
5 Minute Wellbeing Challenge
Supported short wellbeing moments focused on recovery, reset, and mental wellbeing.
By offering multiple ways to participate, the program made it easier for employees to stay engaged regardless of their role, shift pattern, or energy level on any given day.

Why it worked

The program succeeded because it made movement and wellbeing achievable within the realities of frontline retail work.
Low daily commitment
Short daily actions (5–15 minutes) made participation realistic -
even during busy shifts and customer-facing workdays.
Flexible across roles, schedules, and energy levels
Employees could choose activities that suited their routines,
workloads, and wellbeing needs on any given day.
Multiple ways to participate
Combining movement and wellbeing options made the program
accessible across different preferences, roles, and work environments.
Team-based accountability
Small teams helped create consistency, shared motivation, and
connection across stores and locations.
By focusing on simple, flexible daily actions - and offering more than one way to engage - the program made it easier for employees to stay consistently involved and build habits that lasted beyond the challenge.

The results

Strong workforce engagement and measurable wellbeing outcomes across fast-paced retail teams and global store locations.
Engagement & Activity Outcomes
85% exercised more than they otherwise would have
Strong engagement maintained across both wellbeing programs
Increased involvement across stores, teams, and locations globally
Health & Wellbeing Outcomes
92% met or exceeded WHO physical activity guidelines
85% reported improved overall health (Exercise Challenge)
80% reported improved overall health (Wellbeing Challenge)
70% felt more energetic and productive at work
Participants reported improvements in Sleep, Energy, Mood,
Fitness Leveland Overall Health
Behaviour & Engagement Outcomes
87% would recommend the Wellbeing Challenge
97% would participate again
Team & Workplace Outcomes
69% reported improved team interaction and morale
Increased connection across stores and locations
Wellbeing became a visible, shared part of daily work
Long-term Impact (6-Months Later)
83% maintained healthy habits after 6 months
68% continued to report improvements in overall health
The program maintained strong engagement across frontline retail teams by making movement and wellbeing simple, flexible, and achievable within real working conditions.

Participant expereince

Participants consistently described the program as flexible, motivating, and easy to maintain within busy retail environments.
“This has completely changed my life. I now get up early, eat healthier, exercise every day, and my mindset has completely changed. I don’t want to let my team down, and that keeps me going.” - April A
“This has been my third year with the 15 Minute Challenge and it has made a massive difference. I feel more active, more positive, and healthier overall. Small changes really do create bigger opportunities.” - Krish
“Seeing everyone else log their daily exercise encouraged me to do my own. By the end of the week, you realise how much more active you’ve been, even with just 15 minutes a day.” - Erica
“It created a great sense of team and friendly competition. We were all competing against ourselves — and supporting each other along the way.” - Tyson Fletcher
“When I first reviewed the program, it ticked all the boxes - it was practical, effective, and cost-effective. The feedback has been fantastic. In some cases, it’s genuinely changed people’s lives. It’s something our teams look forward to each year, almost like a reset point.”
Greg Cornish
Health, Safety & Security Manager, Michael Hill

See how this could work in your organisation

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