What are employee wellness programs? 8 ideas and examples

Imagine walking into (or signing onto) your workplace and feeling a buzz of positivity from your teammates. Employees don’t just clock in—they thrive. This environment is more than wishful thinking—it’s the result of a well-designed employee wellness program. 

A corporate wellness program is an employer-sponsored program designed to support employees’ financial, physical, and mental health. Everything from remote work arrangements to stress management workshops nurture a holistic approach for supporting enhanced productivity and well-being.  

There’s no fixed method for creating effective workplace wellness programs, which can make design and implementation overwhelming. Read on to learn why wellness programs are essential, discover must-have best practices, and explore initiatives to include in your workplace wellness program. 

What are employee wellness programs?

Employee wellness programs are structured organizational initiatives designed to enhance the overall health and well-being of an employer’s workforce. Companies can build a program according to their employees’ health needs and lifestyle preferences, offering anything from physical health incentives and financial wellness counseling to mental health resources and stress management workshops. 

By tailoring these employee health initiatives, organizations can promote a happier work environment that supports individual, collective, and workplace wellness. 

Why are wellness programs important?

Wellness is more than a catchy buzzword. Support, mutual respect, and attention to work-life balance create a culture where workers—and your bottom line—are set up to flourish. 

Here are a few benefits that show why strong organizations prioritize health and wellness: 

Supportive work environment

A workplace that nurtures support and respect empowers employees to voice their needs and concerns. This creates a snowball effect, allowing your organization to continuously grow and improve its work environment. A sense of security also encourages higher employee morale and a collaborative spirit, enhancing team dynamics and overall productivity.

Work satisfaction and employee engagement

These pillars of workplace morale are like two peas in a pod. Investing in health and wellness initiatives signals to your team that you value their well-being. This motivates employees to bring their A-game to work while reducing absenteeism and employee turnover.

Mental health incentives

Your employees’ lives don’t start and end in the office. Life happens—sometimes, that means personal challenges and hardship. Access to mental health resources (e.g., stress management workshops, mindfulness training, and counseling) helps employees build resilience in and out of the workplace. 

Joint mission and social well-being

Wellness programs that emphasize team-building and community (e.g., retreats, volunteer opportunities, group challenges) strengthen interpersonal relationships. Those good vibes will shine through during work initiatives, building teamwork, trust, camaraderie, and team cohesion. 

5 elements of an effective wellness program

Comprehensive employee wellness programs require all hands on deck, engaging leadership and staff to sustain a supportive workplace. Here are five key characteristics of a successful employee wellness program:

• Leadership encouragement: Management and leaders should openly embrace health and wellness incentives, encouraging their teams to take advantage of them. When leaders prioritize wellness incentives, they set a tone that inspires employee participation. Encourage managers to recognize employees for positive growth. 
• Inclusivity: No two workforces look alike—and no two employee wellness programs should either. Account for your employees’ unique needs, allowing everyone to participate and benefit. Survey your employees to pinpoint the most important benefits for them. 
• Compensation and motivators: Rewards programs can boost participation, so consider offering free gym memberships, cash rewards for completing wellness challenges, or discounts on employer-sponsored health plans for achieving specific health milestones.
• Effective planning: Wellness programs can quickly become costly expenditures. Proper planning and strategy will ensure they pay for themselves via improved productivity, decreased absenteeism, and lower turnover. Allocate resources to strategic initiatives and set up regular audits to assess your program. Then, make adjustments based on feedback and participation. 
• Assess progress: Establish specific metrics (e.g., participation rates, employee satisfaction scores, or reduced absenteeism) to monitor the program’s success. Use this data to create actionable reports that uncover areas for continued improvement. 

Examples of well-being programs that work

Ready to transform your workplace into a thriving hub of health and happiness? Here are eight time-tested nonmonetary rewards and innovative employee benefits that uplift and foster a vibrant company culture:

1. Smoking cessation programs

Smoking cessation programs help people get the support they need to quit smoking. They may include counseling, support groups, and nicotine replacement therapies. Reducing tobacco use is a win-win for everyone, lowering healthcare costs and improving employee health. 

2. Remote working arrangements

Remote and hybrid work is here to stay. Employees increasingly want more control over their schedules and work environments to stimulate a stronger work-life balance. Accommodating this new work culture can increase job satisfaction, reduce stress, and encourage greater productivity. 

3. Fitness opportunities

An on-site fitness center helps employees fit exercise into their work schedule. Distributed companies and those that can’t budget for an on-site gym or find an office rental in a building with a fitness center can still incentivize regular exercise. Consider virtual yoga classes, partnering with a gym franchise, or subsidizing gym memberships. Regular fitness challenges that encourage friendly competition can motivate employees to participate.

4. Flexible work hours

Flexible work hours help employees successfully balance their careers and personal lives. Every organization can find its own definition of flexibility. For example, you might establish “core hours” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. when everyone should be available but allow flexibility for the rest of the day. Encourage employees to communicate their needs and preferences, creating a schedule that accommodates personal commitments.  

5. Unlimited paid time off (PTO)

Not all employees feel comfortable asking for time off. Likewise, workers may come into work sick to save up paid days off. Unlimited PTO creates a supportive culture that encourages workers to take time off when necessary—to vacation, tend to family affairs, or rest after a stressful project.

Managers should regularly check in with employees about their workloads and stress levels to foster open conversations about taking time off and ensure they feel comfortable using PTO when they need it. 

6. Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

EAPs offer support services to enhance employee well-being. These programs typically provide confidential counseling for personal and work-related challenges, from legal assistance and financial planning to resources for substance abuse or mental health. Additionally, many EAPs offer workshops, proactively equipping employees with tools to plan for life’s challenges. 

7. Financial wellness programs

Personal finances directly impact employee health, as financial strain is a common source of stress and anxiety. Unfortunately, not everyone has the tools and resources to properly budget, save, and plan for retirement. Consider offering group financial wellness activities or one-on-one coaching services to help your workforce take control of their financial wellness.

8. Stress management

Stress is unavoidable. But with the proper tools, employees can learn to manage stress effectively. Support employees with worksite training on stress reduction techniques, such as mindfulness, meditation, or yoga. Additionally, consider workshops that teach practical skills like time management and prioritization to help employees navigate their workloads more efficiently.  

Employee wellness program ideas to consider 

Corporate wellness programs can be customized to suit your workforce, making the benefits more personalized and meaningful. Here are several providers that cater to different priorities: 

Juno: Flexible employee benefits

Juno puts the power directly into the hands of your workforce. Employers allocate a monthly points budget that individual employees can administer as they please. With over 500 targeted products and services—from mental healthcare to professional development workshops—Juno supports employees with wellness incentives that speak directly to their needs. 

Plumm: Supporting employee mental health

Mental health stigmas prevent employees from seeking help, often leading them to conceal stress, physical health struggles, and difficulties with work-life balance. Plumm is designed to tackle these challenges head-on, empowering workers by providing video and chat therapy with accredited mental health professionals, reducing the risk of burnout while boosting employee morale. 

Kona: Burnout prevention

No one can handle everything life throws at them alone—we’re all susceptible to burnout. According to a Deloitte survey of 1,000 workers, 77% of respondents felt symptoms of burnout at their current job. Burnout is a serious problem—it reduces productivity, increases mistakes, and fuels absenteeism.

Kona is a well-being check-in tool for Slack that lets employees check in daily with team members, offers live support, and provides you with mental health trend data so you know when to offer additional resources. 

Culture Amp: Measuring employee engagement

Culture Amp is an employee experience platform that helps you measure employee engagement and implement personal and professional development tools. It allows you to make more informed, personalized decisions about each employee as they grow.

Support your team’s well-being with personalized benefits

An impactful employee wellness program starts with pinpointing the right benefits. Oyster’s Benefits Advisor tool shows what companies in top hiring locations provide, from essential offerings to best-in-class perks recommended by local experts. Give your employees the wellness support they deserve and create a happier, healthier workplace.

About Oyster

Oyster is a global employment platform designed to enable visionary HR leaders to find, engage, pay, manage, develop, and take care of a thriving distributed workforce. Oyster lets growing companies give valued international team members the experience they deserve, without the usual headaches and expense.

Oyster enables hiring anywhere in the world—with reliable, compliant payroll, and great local benefits and perks.