What is a corporate wellness programme, and why does it matter?
In decades gone by, the concept of “workplace wellness” would have been a totally alien one. Why would it be your employer’s job to protect your wellness, when there are other services out there? Yet, over the years the transactional nature of employment has faded as employees have demanded more support from their employers and businesses have identified a clear link between health (both mental and physical) and productivity.
Predictably, larger organisations have led the way on wellness initiatives. The big 4 accountancy, legal and consultancy firms all boast excellent corporate wellness programmes, which are used not just as a way to improve productivity but also as a magnet to pull the most talented graduates through their doors. As these firms realised the financial value of employee wellbeing, resource and money has been poured into creating the ideal strategy to keep employees “well”.
What’s the difference between “perks” and wellbeing support?
The first step many businesses take to address employee wellbeing is to introduce monthly perks programmes. There are literally hundreds of providers to choose from - here are just a few examples:
An all-in-one employee reward platform, heavily focused on discounts as well as reward and wellbeing content. Requiring minimal setup, they are often the go-to option for employers short on time.
A more comprehensive solution, with an almost identical offering to Perkbox. They make money by pushing certain products or services as they receive commission from the providers. This is not necessarily an issue, but something to bear in mind when choosing a perks programme.
A more flexible programme, offering benefits which can extend to family members and flexible spending “cards”.
A benefits marketplace that is particularly strong when it comes to automation and analytics. Great if you want to measure the ROI of your perks programme.
These programmes are a great start for employers and, whilst they come at a cost, their value far outweighs the cost per employee.
But there are some limitations to these tools:
They often require the employee themself to proactively choose their own perks.
Due to their business models, they are likely to push products more than services.
They are by their very nature generic offerings, not specialised based on employee needs.
Corporate wellness programmes differ from perks programmes as they look beyond simple rewards, instead focusing on creating lasting behavioural change, building resilience, and improving overall health and performance. Rather than offering a menu of discounts or benefits for employees to opt into, a well-designed wellness programme proactively supports people with the tools, skills, and experiences they need to thrive — from stress-management workshops and mental health support to breathwork, coaching, movement, and resilience training.
What’s in a corporate wellness programme?
A full corporate wellness programme will be a delicately blended cocktail of the following:
Mental health support.
This does not mean access to an HR manager. Mental health support should be provided by mental health professionals who are able to assist employees who need day-to-day low-level support as well as identify when further intervention is required. Employees must also be assured that nothing discussed in sessions will be fed back to their employer.
Physical wellbeing initiatives.
Subsidised gym memberships are a great place to start, but a good programme will go beyond this, offering opportunities for employees to come together for group physical activities in a safe, supportive environment.
Nutrition and healthy lifestyle guidance.
Remembering not to espouse specific dietary regimes or advice, the purpose of this guidance is to help educate employees to allow them to make their own healthy choices.
Resilience and stress-management training – science-based techniques such as breathwork, cold exposure, and mindset coaching to help employees regulate stress.
Work-life balance support
Flexible working policies and employee/manager training to ensure that the candle isn’t being burned at both ends.
Team-building and social wellbeing – group activities, workshops, and shared wellbeing experiences.
Coaching and personal development.
Educational resources and ongoing learning
This is not the same as training - instead it gives employees a chance to enrich their knowledge and understanding of the world outside of work.
Why should I care about employee wellness?
Let’s start by saying there is a very obvious reason you should care about employee wellness - they are your people. You have a moral (and to an extent, legal) responsibility to ensure that your employees are healthy in mind and body.
But there is also a very strong financial reasons to ensure employee wellness: reducing sickness and absence. According to CIPD data, 9.4 days of work are lost per year per employee. This has risen by almost 50% since 2025. The top cause of long-term sickness is mental ill health, and the fourth on the list is stress. Taking efforts to protect the physical and mental health of employees addresses this challenge.
