Workplace Wellness Programs

Creating a Holistic & Inclusive Employee Wellness Program

Organizations must embed a focus on workplace wellness into their day-to-day operations, culture, and leadership to thrive in today’s environment. This requires a shift from viewing a employee wellness program as a stand-alone initiative to understanding that it takes an integrative and holistic employee health and wellbeing approach to meet needs and address systemic barriers. Below are the steps Exude takes to help organizations build an employee wellness program that creates positive momentum and helps leaders be the best versions of themselves personally and professionally.

Phase 1: Assess current program and needs of employees

• Survey all staff and up to two focus groups
• Identify wellbeing stakeholders and roles/responsibilities
• Complete an inventory of current wellbeing initiatives
• Analyze data and survey results to identify insights on needs and interests of employees
• Identify systemic barriers and wellbeing priorities
• Select company wellbeing program goals and metrics
• Determine corporate wellbeing program constraints

Phase 2: Review & Prioritize Wellbeing Initiatives 

• Recommendations for addressing systemic barriers & inclusion opportunities
• Review current wellbeing initiatives to determine alignment
• Identify additional wellbeing initiatives and created a shortlist based on feasibility
• Finalize the shortlist of wellbeing initiatives with internal stakeholders

Phase 3: Launch and Roadmap

• Draft a wellbeing initiative roadmap
• Recommend a communications strategy for specific initiatives
• Identify wellbeing training opportunities for managers
• Plan an evaluation and iteration process for the workplace wellness program

Below are examples of some of the ways our workplace wellness programs have worked with organizations in creating a wellness strategy and consulting them on innovative ways to bring their wellness initiatives to life.

• Assess all organizational offerings that impact employee wellness and provide recommendations on the integration of offerings and communication strategy
• Development of organizational wellbeing operating plan, budgeting plan, and a 3-5 year program strategy
• Assess, recommend, and implement inclusive strategies and/or education campaigns that are provided throughout the entire employee life cycle
• Planning and management of onsite programming (e.g. health fairs) and wellness challenges
• Development and training of wellness committee (recruitment, role description, onboarding, accountability)
• Work with key stakeholders/senior leaders in developing strategies for creating a culture of employee wellness that aligns with the organization’s strategic plans and values
• Vetting and management of 3rd party vendor relationships and/or wellbeing technology platforms

What Is an Employee Wellness Program?

An employee wellness program is an employer-sponsored program provided to employees as a preventive measure to help counter illness and maintain or improve workers’ general health. It typically focuses on employees’ physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

Why Your Company Should Have an Employee Wellbeing Strategy

Your employees’ wellbeing is crucial to your company’s overall performance. Having a wellness program in place provides resources beyond insurance that can help your employees maintain and improve their physical and mental health. These resources help increase employee satisfaction and engagement, improving their overall performance and your bottom line.

Offering an employee wellness program can also help your business remain competitive and attract top talent. Corporate wellness programs have become very popular, so you’re often competing for good candidates against companies that already have these programs in place. What’s more, implementing an employee wellness program can incentivize your current employees to remain on board.

Benefits of an Effective Employee Wellness Program

Prioritizing your employees’ health has short- and long-term benefits for your business. With a good employee wellness program in place, your company can:

• Curb absenteeism: When employees have the resources to stay healthy and reduce their stress, they are less likely to miss work.
• Lower health care costs: Helping employees adopt healthier habits like exercising and eating well can lower health risks, leading to reduced health care costs.
• Improve company morale: Wellness programs make employees feel valued and appreciated, leading to increased feelings of job satisfaction. When employees are happier at work, they’re also more likely to be productive and contribute creative ideas.
• Increase productivity: Generally speaking, employees who practice positive health behaviors like balanced eating, exercising and mindfulness are more likely to be productive than ones with poor health habits.
• Strengthen employee recruitment and retention: Many job candidates are strongly influenced by an employer’s health offerings. Current employees also tend to view wellness programs as a significant job perk, helping you retain your talent.
• Build camaraderie: Some wellness program initiatives allow employees to interact outside of the workplace, such as going to the gym or participating in a company-sponsored sports team. These interactions facilitate closer employee bonds that can help teams work better together.