Organizational Wellness

Boost Morale & Productivity: 24 Employee Wellness Activities That Work

Last Updated Feb 27, 2025

Time to read: 10 minutes

Supercharging employee engagement,reducing burnout, and building a workplace that is a magnet for top talent—these aren’t just pipe dreams. They’re tangible results you can achieve with the right employee wellness activities. Done well, these initiatives can spark a cultural shift, boost employee satisfaction, and even elevate your company’s bottom line.

But let’s be real: tossing out yoga mats and expecting magic isn’t the answer. The most impactful programs go beyond surface-level fixes, embracing a holistic strategy that supports physical health, mental resilience, financial security, and beyond.

And here’s the kicker—wellbeing isn’t a one-size-fits-all game. Tailoring your approach is the key to real, lasting impact. Ready to make a difference? Dive into these 24 transformative wellness activities that can truly change the game for your employees.

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What Are Employee Wellness Activities?

Employee wellness activities are programs, initiatives, and resources designed to improve employee wealth and wellbeing across multiple dimensions. These activities go beyond traditional health benefits to create a holistic approach to employee wellness that caters to their physical, mental, and emotional needs. This is important for employers, as employees are more productive when their workplace supports their personal development, according to a Harvard Business Review study.

Modern wellness focuses on all aspects of wellbeing, including mental, financial, and emotional needs to support their employees. This is a critical part of a thriving organization, as a lack of support in these areas can have terrible consequences:

Burnout costs the healthcare system about $190 billion per year, according to an O.C. Tanner report.
Disengaged employees cost $2 trillion in lost productivity per year, according to a Gallup report.
About one out of every four employees think their financial struggles impact their work productivity, according to a 2024 SoFi survey.
Almost two-thirds of all employees think their job is a big source of stress, according to OSHA.
Emotionally exhausted workers are more than three times more likely to miss work, according to a study published in Frontiers in Public Health.

The Bottom-Line Benefits of Employee Wellness

More than 90% of workers want their organizations to offer comprehensive wellbeing support, according to the American Psychological Association. That’s why it’s so important for companies to invest in their employees’ wellbeing, as this can directly contribute to their productivity and profits. Here’s how:

Happy employees are productive employees. Happiness can boost productivity by 10%, according to the EU Business School.
One in two employees would go to a different company for better benefits, according to a 2024 Maven report. Investing in these benefits can help you retain your top talent.
Employee wellness programs decrease annual healthcare costs by about $360 per employee, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.
Improving employee wellbeing can improve creativity and innovation, according to a Public Library of Science study.

24 Ideas for Different Types of Employee Wellness Activities

Creating effective wellness activities means thinking bigger than traditional healthcare and fitness programs. The best initiatives address multiple dimensions of employee wellbeing, from physical health to mental wellness and from financial stability to social connections.

Physical Wellness

Physical wellness is the foundation of overall health and energy. When employees feel physically healthy, they’re better equipped to handle workplace challenges and perform at their highest level. Creating opportunities for healthy lifestyles can change the way your employees approach their lives — and work.

Fitness

Supporting employee fitness doesn’t mean turning your office into a gym. You can make fitness more accessible and enjoyable to your employees through some of the following initiatives:

Remote fitness classes: Offer virtual yoga or Zumba sessions that employees can join from anywhere. Include a mix of intensity levels and class types to appeal to different fitness levels and interests.
Gym memberships or discounts: Partner with local fitness centers or national chains to offer free or discounted memberships.
Active breaks and challenges: Introduce walking meetings for small groups and organize step competitions between departments to get active during the workday.
Ergonomic assessments: Provide professional evaluations of workstations and necessary equipment adjustments. Maybe standing desks are out of the budget. But proper posture can have a massive impact on physical health.

Nutrition

Good nutrition fuels both body and mind. Supporting your employees to have a healthy diet can look like:

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs: Partner with local farms to deliver fresh produce to the office or provide pickup points for employees. This supports both employee health and local agriculture.
Nutritional council: Form a group of interested employees to help guide healthy food choices in the workplace. They can help change cafeteria options, vending machine selections, and even catering options for meetings.
Healthy cooking classes: Host virtual or in-person cooking demonstrations focusing on quick, nutritious meals that anyone can make on a work night. Include meal prep tips for busy professionals who may not have the time. Remember, the key is to make it as easy as possible for everyone to eat more healthy.
Nutritious potlucks: Organize department or company-wide healthy potlucks where employees share their favorite healthy meals. You can think about creating themes like “International Healthy Cuisines” or “Protein-packed power lunches” to keep things interesting.

Sleep

Quality sleep is indispensable for employee wellness and productivity. Here’s how to help your team get better rest:

Blue light reduction campaign: Launch an awareness program about blue light’s impact on sleep cycles. You could even offer blue light filters for work devices and educate workers on how blue light before bed affects sleep.
Stress management program: Create programs to help calm racing minds at night. You could offer guided relaxation sessions or stress-reduction tools to help employees relax after work.
Sleep tracking challenge: Create a program where employees use sleep tracking apps to improve their sleeping habits. Focus on quality over quantity, celebrating improvements in sleep patterns rather than total hours.
Sleep education workshop: Bring in sleep experts to discuss healthy sleep habits, environmental factors, and the importance of consistent sleep schedules.

Mental & Emotional Wellness

Managing mental health in your workplace can help you keep a healthy and productive team. You can create a comprehensive approach that normalizes mental health discussions and offers different ways of support:

Mindfulness & meditation programs: Create dedicated spaces for mindfulness practice and offer premium subscriptions to meditation apps like Headspace. Host regular guided sessions both in person and virtually. Train team leaders to incorporate brief mindfulness moments into meetings and daily routines.
Stress management workshops: Develop ongoing workshops that teach practical stress management techniques like deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and time management strategies. Include regular sessions on burnout prevention and offer personalized stress assessments with action plans.
Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs): Partner with comprehensive EAP providers that offer 24/7 confidential counseling services for both work and personal issues. A comprehensive program includes crisis support, legal resources, and family counseling options with multiple avenues of support, including phone, video, and in person.
Mental health days: Having clear policies that include mental health in paid time off allowances can make all the difference in your employees’ lives. Provide managerial training to support members who need mental health days and create a culture where mental wellness is discussed as openly as physical health.

Financial Wellness

It’s hard to focus on meeting work deadlines when you’re not sure how you’re going to pay your bills. This goes beyond simply offering a larger paycheck. Helping your employees be responsible with their income and managing their debts is just as important as offering a competitive salary.

Here are some ways to ease those financial worries:

Financial literacy workshops: Host comprehensive sessions that cover the essential money management skills, from basic budgeting to investment strategies. You could bring in financial experts to discuss practical topics like emergency savings, debt management, and smart investing for different life stages.
Retirement planning seminars: Offer in-depth workshops about retirement strategy, especially those that focus on your company’s compensation offerings. For example, if you offer a 401(k) match, you can bring in professionals to talk about how a 401(k) works and why your employees should be contributing to them.
Debt management resources: Give employees access to financial counselors who specialize in common debt challenges like student loans and credit cards. You could even consider offering loan repayment assistance programs to help your employees get out of debt sooner.
Budgetingworkshops and application subscriptions: Organize practical sessions teaching budgeting tools and methods for modern life. You can also provide subscriptions to budgeting apps, which usually come with financial literacy materials as well.

Social Wellness

Strong social connections at work can help employees feel like they belong at your organization. Creating opportunities for meaningful team interactions helps build a supportive company culture where everyone feels valued and connected to their colleagues — and work.

Here are a few ways to start working out your social muscles:

Team-building activities: A great way to start building bonds is by organizing regular volunteer days that connect employees while giving back to the community. Besides volunteering, plan diverse social events that accommodate different schedules and interests. And don’t forget about your remote employees — host some virtual events so they can join in on the fun!
Employee Resource Groups(ERGs): Give employees the chance to form groups that focus on shared interests or identities. You can back these groups by providing resources, leadership support, and funding.
Mentorship programs: Develop structured programs that match mentors and mentees across departments. These relationships can be extremely rewarding for both mentors and mentees if done correctly. Offer training for both roles, set clear guidelines on the relationship, and check-in regularly to see the program flourish.
Company culture initiatives: Don’t forget to give your employees the recognition they deserve! Create a culture of employee celebration where employees are encouraged to give each other kudos and shout outs.

How to Plan a Successful Employee Wellness Activity

Planning an effective wellness activity isn’t all fun and games, but it’s also not too complicated. To maximize your chances of success, you’ll want to follow these steps:

Start with thorough research: Survey your employees about their wellness preferences, work habits, and what’s stopping them from joining current wellness offerings. Look at which past programs succeeded or failed — and why. Pay special attention to feedback from different departments and employee groups.
Build a detailed implementation plan: Include specific timelines, required resources, budget breakdowns, and staff responsibilities. Identify potential challenges early and develop contingency plans.
Create a communicationstrategy: Plan your announcement timing, develop clear promotional materials, and identify your main communication channels. You may recruit team or department leaders to help with spreading the word. You can even consider creating a wellness ambassador team to boost participation.
Launch with momentum: Start with a kickoff event that generates enthusiasm and gets everyone on board. Make it easy for anyone who attends the event to sign up there and then for the program. You could even offer early-bird incentives to encourage your people to sign up early.
Monitor and adjust in real-time: Track participation rates, gather regular feedback, and be ready to make quick adjustments. Pay attention to which elements resonate most with employees and which need tweaking.

Transform Your Workplace Through Comprehensive Wellness

Creating effective employee wellness activities requires more than just good intentions. It demands a strategic approach that addresses the physical, mental, financial, and social aspects of wellbeing. When done right, these programs can dramatically improve employee satisfaction, productivity, and retention.

A well-designed employee wellness program provides the structure and support needed to let these activities thrive. By partnering with wellness experts, you can create customized initiatives that genuinely engage and excite your employees. All the while delivering measurable results to your organization’s bottom line.

Speak with a Wellhub Wellbeing Specialist today if you’re ready to take your employee wellness activities to the next level. We can help you create a wellness program that revitalizes your team!

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[*] Based on proprietary research comparing healthcare costs of active Wellhub users to non-users.