Corporate Wellness - What does It Mean and Where Does It Happen?

Up until a couple of weeks ago, I thought that wellness programs were only suited for corporate companies-- large organizations that had the capital and the resources to invest in wellness. However just recently, I learned start-up organizations can be home to health and wellness programs as well.

What exactly is Corporate Wellness? It basically means incorporating an employer-sponsored wellness or healthy lifestyle program into the lives of employees. In general, studies have proven that retention, employee turnover, employee morale, health insurance costs, and employee productivity are all influenced by an employee's health and access to such programs.

Worksite wellness has increased in visibility, scope & acceptance with the rise in understanding that health is a holistic practice and not something that is only attained by the hamster wheel at the gym. Increasingly, studies by medical institutions and prominent organizations reinforce the importance of incorporating "health" (however defined) into the workplace. Corporations have responded to this trend and are using wellness programs to recruit and retain employees. Many are even offering kickbacks and reduced health insurance premiums to employees who take advantage of such programs. Additionally, today's Millennials, who are increasingly opting for more flexibility over stability in the workplace, are eager to integrate wellness into their organization and not sacrifice their health for the "rat race". This is where & how start-ups begin to have an advantage over large corporations. Start-ups offer plenty of flexibility to their employees—from medicine balls at their desks, to non-conventional break rooms, to an endless supply of healthy snacks and games to stimulate their employees’ creative juices—they epitomize the mantra of merging work with a healthy lifestyle.

Their flexibility to have stability/medicine balls at desks, work in non-office environments, have break-rooms with soft chairs, healthy snacks and games to name a few attract those wanting a more unconventional work space to liven up their day, provided the needed brain breaks and ultimately encourage their desire to do work AT work.
What's needed for a corporate wellness program varies within the organization, and depends heavily on the employees, the size and the ultimate goal of the program. Start-ups, although having less capital, are more approachable for wellness service providers (fewer hoops to jump through in the initial outreach) and they are willing to take a more alternative approach to the wellness services they offer. What's wrong with a rock climbing club and wall in the office? If it ensures employees stay in the evening hours to bond and maybe even check up on that project, review that code or discuss the next improvement to their project, it’s well worth it!

For wellness service providers, Start-ups are appealing because they can incorporate wellness programs faster and they are willing to take more risks without having to abide by a  it provides more flex to the healthy ideas to be incorporated; not having to prescribe to the long list of HR benefit services rules & regulations. within a larger, established organization.
Start-ups for employees and the health services providers (such as myself) find the start-up culture an appealing alternative to the florescent lit cubicle with the obligatory flu shot in the fall.
Honestly I'd like to discuss wellness over a seltzer water & a ping pong match with the HR/Culture leader while jotting ideas on an IDEA wall in a bright lit, e sun- facing room. Wouldn't you?