Thinking about employee wellness benefits is a great idea for employers. Healthcare costs are continuing on an upward trend, so we have had employers ask us about wellness program ideas.
Our advice? Start small, be communicative on the why and what you hope to achieve, and slowly add more as you are able if the employee engagement is there.
We have gathered some impactful and inexpensive wellness benefits that we or peers have recommended:
- Slack channel with tips, reminders about benefits or how to use the benefits available to employees, stretching, mindfulness, yoga moves at least 1x weekly
- Trivia/lunch hangout via Zoom, Teams, or Google Meet
- Fitness challenges 2-3 times a year
- Correlate with Mental Health Awareness in May and Pre or Post Holidays–include low impact options so all abilities can participate if they choose to. Movement via steps tracker – many healthcare insurance carriers provide special incentives or discounts for these trackers for enrolled employees.
- Organized lunch walk or run or planned walking meetings.
- Team 5k to support a local charity or cause.
- 21 Day Wellbeing Challenge
- Note: Be sure your fitness challenges are inclusive and sensitive to folks who may have complicated relationships with fitness or be triggered by numbers such as calories or steps. Never include weight loss or diet in your fitness conversations.
- Monthly book club
- Dog-friendly work space options, if possible (need example policies? We can help!)
- Stipends or reimbursements for wellness app memberships like Calm or Headspace
- Offer an Employer Assistant Program in correlation with health benefits. EAPs can provide a range of assistance options to employees from estate and financial planning to free 24/7 support from licensed counselors.
- Offer a gym membership reimbursement (or monthly stipend to help with the costs)
- ClubHealth subscription for employees to choose what wellness benefits are best for them
We hope this helps as employers that promote a healthier, more productive work environment, generally have better retention and employee experience. Reach out to info@reverbpeople.com with any questions!
