Background: Employee wellbeing plays a critical role in shaping organizational productivity and overall performance. Prior research has consistently demonstrated strong links between employee wellbeing, job satisfaction, and organizational outcomes. Swedish wellness benefit program, Friskvård, has traditionally focused on promoting physical health through activities such as gym memberships and sports. However, given the rising prevalence of mental health challenges in the workplace, this study explores whether AI-based mental health interventions—specifically AI therapy—could serve as a complementary component to the existing Friskvård framework, thereby addressing both physical and psychological aspects of employee wellbeing.

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to study the potential integration of AI therapy into Sweden’s existing wellness benefit system, Friskvård. Specifically, the study aims to investigate whether AI therapy can coexist with and complement the current Friskvård offerings, which primarily focus on physical wellbeing. The research seeks to deepen understanding of the organizational impact of providing accessible AI-driven mental health support, while also identifying potential barriers to its adoption within Swedish workplaces and the Friskvård framework.

Method: This study is based on a qualitative research design, incorporating semi-structured interviews with 14 participants from a single Swedish organization—comprising 7 managers and 7 individual contributors. In addition to primary data, the research builds on existing literature related to mental health and its organizational impact like overall employee mental health and absenteeism. A thematic analysis was conducted to identify and interpret key patterns within the data, resulting in the identification of seven central themes relevant to the study’s focus.

Results and analysis: There is a strong, established emphasis on physical activities within Swedish organizations in the application of Friskvård benefits. A more comprehensive understanding and supportive regulatory framework is required for broader integration of AI therapy as part of employee wellness initiatives. Insights from the interview analysis indicate that improved employee wellbeing—through accessible mental health support—can contribute to reduced absenteeism and turnover rates, ultimately enhancing overall organizational performance.

Conclusions: AI therapy can be integrated into Friskvård as a complementary tool, in Swedish organizations. Offering cost-effective mental health support to reduce work-related stress, boost employee engagement and satisfaction, and reduce absenteeism. The organizations could benefit from AI therapy as a strategic asset, aligning with organizational goals, talent retention advantages, increased productivity and better workplace culture although measuring the impact is complex.

Recommendations for future research: A cross-organizational study with attention to habits, regulations and trust issues is needed for a further understanding of the implementation of AI therapy in organizations. The long-term effect of AI therapy on employees and cost effectiveness could be further studied to analyze workplace adoption.