Corporate wellness programs have grown in popularity as the years have gone by, and for good reason. Not only do they care for employees mentally, emotionally, and physically, but in doing so they also boost employee productivity, efficiency, and efficacy.
It can be difficult to pick a program to implement in your workplace, or perhaps you want to know that there are real-life, well-known examples out there before you follow suit.
Here are 10 successful corporate wellness programs and what you can learn from them.
1. Access to a fitness center
What it is: Access to a fitness center, whether that’s on-site or via a partnership with a pre-established organization off-site.
Who does it: A great example is Chesapeake Energy. They give their team members a 72,000 square foot fitness center. Obviously not everybody can do that for their employees, but a discounted membership to a gym will do too!
Why it works: Fitness centers help employees reach physical goals, but exercise is also cathartic, boosts moods by releasing endorphins, and helps improve general health and longevity overall. Sometimes all employees need is a little push to get more active.
2. Transit options
What it is: Encouragement of alternative methods of transportation such as bike sharing or incentivizing public transit.
Who does it: Facebook’s Palo Alto campus has a bike-sharing program.
Why it works: Transit options are good for the environment as well as employee budgets, health, and social needs. Carpooling allows employees to hang out and bond and saves on fuel and any other car-related expenses. Biking is good for a bit of exercise and the environment. Public transport means no need to park and is also good for the environment.
3. Yoga classes
What it is: Classes where employees are taken through yoga sequences.
Who does it: Mobify offers yoga classes twice weekly. When the weather is good, these classes are done on the rooftop for amazing views.
Why it works: Yoga is incredible for increasing strength and flexibility while also decreasing stress. IT offers mindfulness and a better knowledge of the self. They can be done at lunchtime or after work, and don’t even have to be taught in real-life. There are plenty of amazing yoga teachers available online.
4. Employee assistance programs (EAPs)
What it is: EAPs generally refer to any programs that support employees outside of work. This could be anything from mental health support to financial assistance.
Who does it: Accenture gives their employees confidential support for struggles with things like anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and stress.
Why it works: Everyone needs help sometimes. Giving employees the support that they deserve helps them to learn the skills and information that they need to improve their situations while also showing that the company cares for its employees.
5. Lunch and healthy snacks
What it is: Providing employees with lunch options and healthy snacks.
Who does it: Bandwidth has a 90-minute lunch break for employees. Enough time to play a sport or hit the gym and/or have a healthy lunch.
Why it works: Short lunchbreaks often mean that employees scramble to make/find a healthy and balanced meal. This means that they will resort to whatever is easily available, which is bad for performance and health. Providing employees with nutritious food means that they function at their best and watch their health too.
6. Wellness challenges
What it is: Workplace challenges that are related to wellness in all its forms.
Who does it: Rise runs workplace challenges that encourages employees to engage in workouts they choose and drink more water while they’re at work.
Why it works: People spend a large amount of their lives at work. Wellness challenges at work mean that they can improve their health while participating with others and having a fun challenge aspect to it as well.
7. Naps
What it is: Naps at work.
Who does it: Asana provide their employees with nap rooms so that they can catch up on missed rest.
Why it works: Employees can lose out on high-quality sleep for any number of reasons. Stress, anxiety, insomnia – the list goes on. A lack of sleep means that they don’t function and perform at their best. Nap rooms give employees the chance to catch up on much-needed sleep, shows them that their company cares for their wellbeing, and takes away the stigma of needing rest.
8. Wellness adventures
What it is: Wellness adventures have the goal of getting people away from their desks, moving, and having fun.
Who does it: Zappos team schedules wellness adventures for employees that range from one-hour golf lessons to games of laser tag.
Why it works: Wellness adventures are an excellent way to keep things interesting. They keep employees engaged, having fun, bonding, and motivated.
9. Smoking cessation programs
What it is: Programs designed to help employees to stop smoking.
Who does it: Union Pacific offers employees a smoking cessation programs made up of lifestyle coaching and pharmacological assistance.
Why it works: Everyone knows how bad smoking is for them. While it isn’t a company’s place to force quitting on anyone, they can be there for those that want to. What works to quit smoking differs from person-to-person, so it’s important to recognize that pharmaceuticals alone aren’t necessarily the answer for everyone.
10. Paramedical services
What it is: Any service that complements and supports medical care. It can include holistic and alternative treatments.
Who does it: Google employs a massage program manager and massage therapists.
Why it works: It’s good to go above and beyond to help employees be relaxed, calm, and feeling their best.
Wellness programs work
As with all new programs, remember that incentivizing, educating, and spreading information and awareness about them will help them to succeed.
Whichever wellness program(s) you choose, you can rest assured that they work and that your employees will thank you.
