TIn its seventh annual Employee Wellness Industry Trends Report, Wellable tracked the best practices for corporate wellness programs. This information guides human resources managers on how to plan and implement wellness initiatives in their own workplaces. What is clear is that companies are continuing to expand their wellness programs as a way to attract and retain top talent. In 2023, the corporate wellness market was valued at $61 billion. By 2030, the number is expected to grow to $85 billion.
Mental health remains at the core of corporate wellness programs as companies recognize the benefits in increasing employee productivity, job satisfaction and sense of well-being. Companies are subscribing to the old adage that you need "a sound mind in a sound body" by offering employees both physical and mental fitness programs.
There is a movement away from office-based programs as hybrid working arrangements gain popularity. Some companies are shedding investments in physical fitness classes, biometric screenings and free healthy food options. What is taking their place are flexible lifestyle spending accounts, which allow employees to focus on what is important to them — such as gym memberships, at-home fitness equipment, mental health services and nutrition counseling. Employees like the autonomy of being able to choose the right direction for their wellness journey.
Take the long view
A well-balanced wellness program takes a holistic approach and addresses all the lifestyle components that ensure an employee's well-being. This includes physical, financial, emotional, social, intellectual and, of course, mental health. All companies, no matter their size, should have a mental health resource component. Such a program should include counseling sessions, online mental health services and workshops on mental health. These programs help employees manage their stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health challenges. Some companies include on-site or remote mindfulness classes, which are geared specifically toward a corporate audience. Some of the classes include chair yoga, how to build boundaries between work and home (sounds very "Severance"), benefits of journaling and stress reduction.
There are those who argue that wellness programs are not yielding the results they want. This can be explained by the fact that these programs center on the individual and do not address what is causing them to have mental and physical stress in the first place. What seems to be a major cause of this stress? As you might guess, it is often the office environment itself that is the root cause. Without taking a hard look at the corporate culture and management style of the company's leaders, wellness programs cannot be effective. Employees who feel stressed due to excessive or unrealistic workloads will not benefit from wellness programs. Even though companies offer access to online therapy sessions, employees' mental health improvement will be negligible — as the stressors are still in place — unless there is a change in the work environment. What is needed is employer buy-in to bring about the change they want to see in their world.
Wellness programs will continue to proliferate with substantial corporate investments made to fund them. There is no question that these programs are intended to have positive results; however, corporations need to walk the walk, not just talk the talk, in fostering wellness in the workplace.
Copyright 2025 Industry Newsletters
