How to Create a Corporate Wellness Program

Encourage Physical Activity

• Offer gym memberships or discounts to fitness centers
• Provide standing desks or opportunities for walking meetings
• Share resources for at-home workouts

Resources:

• American Heart Association
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Fitness Blender

Promote Mental Health

• Offer confidential counseling services or resources for mental health support
• Encourage regular breaks and stress-reducing activities
• Provide training on mindfulness and meditation

Resources:

• National Alliance on Mental Illness
• Headspace
• Mindful

Provide Nutritional Support

• Offer healthy snacks and drinks in the workplace
• Host healthy cooking classes or provide resources for healthy meal planning
• Promote drinking water and limiting sugary beverages

Resources:

• American Heart Association
• ChooseMyPlate.gov
• Healthy Eating on a Budget

Encourage Healthy Habits

• Provide resources for smoking cessation or support groups
• More people are smoking cannabis than in the past with legalization. Inform staff on the issues of that especially now that people work from home.
• Promote getting enough sleep and provide resources for improving sleep habits
• Offer incentives for participating in healthy activities

Resources:

• American Cancer Society
• National Sleep Foundation
• HealthyWage

Success Factors

An effective employee wellness program should be tailored to the specific needs of the workforce and provide a variety of options for improving health. It should also be well-communicated, easily accessible, and incentivized to encourage participation.

Pitfalls

Some common pitfalls to employee wellness programs include lack of participation, insufficient funding, and lack of sustained interest. To combat these issues, it’s important to regularly evaluate the program, gather feedback from employees, and adjust the program as needed to meet the needs and interests of the workforce.