How to Create a Wellness Program

Employees are the core of every business, and healthy and happy employees yield better results for productivity and company culture. To help with this, many organizations implement wellness programs focusing on health, fitness, and more to better employees' lives inside and outside the workplace.

Wellness programs can also help you learn more about your staff, bring fun into the office, and make your organization desirable to high-quality candidates. Continue reading to learn how to create a corporate wellness program your employees want to participate in.

What Is a Wellness Program?

A wellness program is developed by employers to improve and spread awareness of health and fitness for employees. As opposed to other job benefits like health insurance, wellness programs are typically overseen entirely by the employer themself — though some employers offer third-party wellness programs as part of their health plans. 

Specific wellness programs specialize in different needs, such as encouraging employees to practice yoga, stop smoking, lose weight, visit the doctor, and get proper sleep. In addition, many programs include rewards and incentives for participants, like PTO, cash, gift cards, gym memberships, and physical prizes, to keep employees invested. 

Not all wellness programs are directly connected to individual health. Instead, some programs focus on better lifestyle practices, such as recycling, work/life balance, improving communication, and reducing emissions by organizing a carpooling system.

What's Included in Wellness Programs?

Employee wellness programs can take many forms and include different benefits. Below are a few examples of what wellness programs can include:

• Healthy meals and snacks in the break room
• Lessons from health and wellness experts
• Resources for better health, such as books and websites
• In-office/on-campus fitness centers
• Yoga, stretching, and meditation
• Organized carpool and bike-sharing programs
• Sponsorships of public races and athletic events
• Reward systems for participants

5 Strategies for Building an Effective Wellness Program

Your wellness program should be specific to your organization and employees. By learning more about your staff and identifying what other programs have done right, you can create a wellness strategy that will get your employees excited about the workday.

1. Survey Your Employees

As you develop your wellness program, survey employees about what health and wellness strategies they'd like to implement in their own lives. You may quickly learn that some employees already practice wellness independently through yoga classes, daily physical activities, and programs to help them quit smoking.  

Learning about employees' healthy practices should never discourage you from implementing a wellness program. Instead, talk to your health-focused employees to learn about areas where they're struggling or other aspects of their lives they'd like to improve. Some employees experienced in wellness may even be willing to help you implement your program by leading yoga sessions, giving healthy tips, and encouraging others to participate. 

2. Implement Wellness Into the Day-to-Day Workflow

At many offices, the workday consists primarily of sitting at a computer for about eight hours. Unfortunately, sitting too long can negatively impact metabolic health, blood pressure, cholesterol, and muscle movement. However, these impacts can be significantly reduced by taking short breaks for physical activity every 30 to 60 minutes.

Implementing health and wellness activities into your organization's everyday workflow can improve employees' overall health and keep the office exciting. Ideas for workplace activities include:

• Regular yoga sessions
• Morning walks
• Three-minute exercises every hour (jumping jacks, stretches, etc.)
• Activity-based games and competitions
• Offering additional breaks for 15-minute workouts and wellness sessions
• Conducting meetings on-the-move
• Investing in standing desks and exercise chairs
• Training courses about fitness, mental health, CPR, and more

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3. Provide Resources for Employees Outside the Workplace

While implementing healthy activities into the workday can keep your organization exciting for employees, giving them something they can bring home is also important. Physical and mental health outside of work is just as important as in the workplace. Below are a few resources you can include in your program to improve all-around wellness:

• Free health screenings
• Annual flu shots
• Reusable water bottles
• Activity trackers, such as watches and apps
• Memberships for gyms and yoga studios
• Wellness newsletters
• Additional PTO for mental health

4. Keep Things Non-Competitive

In NBC's The Office, a multi-episode arc followed the paper company implementing a corporate-wide weight loss program. In the workplace-commentary style of the show, the wellness program backfired after employees became toxic towards one another, and management encouraged unhealthy practices. This exaggerated example was inspired by genuine concerns about wellness programs, especially when implemented incorrectly. 

While including rewards and incentives will keep participants engaged, you should not encourage competition between employees — especially if your program involves people's physical health. Employees should be encouraged to reach and surpass their own goals rather than the milestones of others. 

5. Identify Factors in the Workplace That Impact Wellness

As you create a wellness program for your organization, you may identify aspects of the workplace that impact your wellness goals positively or negatively. For example, a vending machine stocked with unhealthy snacks could discourage employees from eating healthier, and extensive workloads might contribute poorly to mental health. Contrarily, a stairway in the workplace, a sunny room for yoga, or a nearby gym could encourage employees to step up their wellness activities.

The more you implement your program, the easier it will be to identify wellness barriers and opportunities. The best way to identify these impacts is to listen to your employees, including what they'd like to see more of and what they feel is holding them back. 

Resources for Creating a Wellness Program

There's no universal method for creating a wellness program. Consider the people, opportunities, and needs of your organization when determining specific wellness program benefits, and don't be afraid to ask employees about what they'd like to get out of the experience. 

Use iHire's Engagement and Retention Resource Center to learn more about developing unique programs to keep your employees healthy and engaged.