Employee Wellness Doesn’t Require a Corporate Gym
You’ve seen the articles about Google’s nap pods and company fitness centers. That’s great for companies with HR departments and million-dollar budgets. You need wellness initiatives that actually work for a 20-person company operating out of co-working space.
Why wellness programs matter even for small businesses:
- Healthcare costs increasing 5-10% annually (wellness can slow this)
- Burnout and stress driving turnover (wellness improves retention)
- Remote/hybrid work creating isolation (wellness builds connection)
- Employees expecting wellness support (it’s a recruitment/retention factor)
But most small business wellness programs fail because:
- They’re too ambitious (“we’ll do a biggest loser competition!”) and fizzle out
- Leadership announces it, then never mentions it again
- Participation is embarrassingly low (3 people showed up to yoga)
- No one owns it, so it dies
- They pick one activity that appeals to 10% of employees
Our Wellness Program Development service gives you a sustainable, budget-friendly program for $799.
WHAT YOU’LL RECEIVE
1. Wellness Program Strategy
- Needs assessment framework (survey template to understand what employees actually want)
- Wellness program goals (what are you trying to accomplish? Lower healthcare costs? Improve morale?)
- Budget planning guide (what wellness initiatives cost and ROI)
- Program structure options (ongoing vs. challenge-based, required vs. voluntary)
- Success metrics (how to measure if it’s working)
2. Wellness Program Components We’ll help you design a balanced program across 4 dimensions:
Physical Wellness:
- Activity challenges (step challenges, fitness goals)
- Healthy eating initiatives
- Ergonomics and desk setup guidance
- Preventive care encouragement (annual physicals, etc.)
Mental/Emotional Wellness:
- Stress management resources
- Mental health awareness and stigma reduction
- EAP (Employee Assistance Program) education
- Mindfulness/meditation resources
Financial Wellness:
- Financial literacy workshops
- Retirement planning resources
- Student loan support
- Emergency savings initiatives
Social Wellness:
- Team activities and connection opportunities
- Volunteer/community service
- Celebration and recognition
- Interest-based groups (book club, running club, etc.)
3. Annual Wellness Calendar
- 12-month activity calendar (monthly themes and initiatives)
- Quarterly challenge ideas (step challenges, hydration challenges, etc.)
- Seasonal program suggestions (mental health awareness month, financial wellness week, etc.)
- Event planning templates (how to run lunch-and-learns, wellness challenges, etc.)
4. Program Launch Materials
- Wellness program announcement (email template introducing program)
- Wellness committee charter (if forming employee wellness committee)
- Program kickoff plan (first 90 days of activities)
- Participation tracking template (how to monitor engagement)
5. Communication Templates
- Monthly wellness newsletter template
- Challenge announcement templates
- Participation reminder emails
- Success story/testimonial collection
- Wellness tip series (weekly wellness facts/tips)
6. Vendor & Resource Guide
- Wellness vendor recommendations (apps, platforms, challenge providers)
- Free/low-cost wellness resources (YouTube yoga, meditation apps, etc.)
- EAP provider comparison (if adding Employee Assistance Program)
- Health screening vendors (biometric screenings, flu shots, etc.)
- Wellness incentive ideas (how to reward participation)
7. Budget-Friendly Wellness Ideas
- No-cost wellness initiatives (walking meetings, mindfulness minutes, etc.)
- Low-cost high-impact activities ($500-$2,000/year budget)
- Wellness perks that don’t break the bank (discounted gym memberships, wellness apps)
- Wellness challenge templates (ready to run step challenge, hydration challenge, etc.)
8. Manager Enablement
- Manager’s guide to supporting wellness (how to encourage without requiring)
- Wellness conversation starters (incorporating wellness into 1-on-1s)
- Recognition ideas for wellness champions
All materials customized to your company size, budget, and workforce preferences
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED
This is program design, not ongoing wellness management:
- ❌ Ongoing wellness program management (we design it, you run it)
- ❌ Biometric screenings or health assessments (we recommend vendors)
- ❌ Wellness coaching or personal training (we provide framework for offering these)
- ❌ Nutrition planning or meal prep services
- ❌ Mental health counseling (recommend EAP for this)
- ❌ Fitness equipment or gym memberships (we recommend approaches)
- ❌ Wellness incentive rewards budget (we provide ideas, you fund)
- ❌ HIPAA compliance for biometric data (if you collect health data, consult attorney)
This gives you the program design and materials. You’ll need someone internally to champion and coordinate ongoing wellness activities (often HR, office manager, or volunteer wellness committee).
WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU
Complete our intake (15-20 minutes):
Required Information:
- Company basics:
- Number of employees
- Office, remote, or hybrid?
- Age demographics (affects interests)
- Current wellness situation:
- Do you do anything wellness-related now?
- What has/hasn’t worked?
- Any vocal employee requests?
- Budget and resources:
- Annual wellness budget (if any)
- Who will coordinate wellness activities?
- Leadership support level?
- Goals and interests:
- Why do you want a wellness program?
- What problems are you trying to solve?
- Any known employee interests? (runners, yogis, etc.)
Optional:
- Recent employee survey data about wellness interests
- Current health insurance/benefits (impacts wellness incentives)
PROCESS & TIMELINE
Day 1: Intake form completed
Days 2-3: We design program framework and activity calendar based on your budget/situation
Day 4: Deliver draft wellness program
Day 5: Review call (30 min) to discuss and refine
Day 6: Deliver final program package
Day 7: Implementation call (30 min) covering launch plan and first 90 days
Total timeline: 7 business days from intake to final program
Post-delivery: 30-day email support while you launch program
WHO THIS SERVICE IS FOR
This service is perfect for:
✅ Companies with 15-50 employees wanting to start wellness initiatives
✅ Startups with remote/hybrid teams looking to build connection
✅ Businesses facing burnout or retention issues
✅ Leadership teams who care about employee wellbeing but don’t know where to start
✅ HR practitioners who’ve been asked to “start a wellness program” with zero budget
✅ Anyone tired of one-off wellness attempts that never stick
You need this if:
- Employees have mentioned wanting wellness support
- Healthcare costs are climbing and you want to encourage preventive care
- Remote work has created disconnection
- You announced wellness initiatives that fizzled out
- You want to do “something” for employee wellbeing but don’t know what
Not right for you if:
- You have <10 employees (informal approach probably sufficient)
- You want a corporate wellness vendor to manage everything (different solution)
- You’re not willing to allocate any budget or staff time to wellness
WHY WELLNESS PROGRAMS MATTER FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
Healthcare Cost Management:
Companies with wellness programs see 25-30% reduction in sick days and healthcare claims over 3-5 years. Even a 10% reduction on $100k annual healthcare costs = $10k savings.
Retention:
65% of employees say wellness programs impact their decision to stay with employer. This matters when replacing an employee costs 50-200% of their salary.
Engagement:
Wellness programs (done right) build community, especially for remote teams. They give people something to connect over beyond work projects.
Productivity:
Healthier employees have 27% less absenteeism, 26% reduction in health costs, and better focus/energy.
Recruitment:
Millennials and Gen Z expect wellness support. It’s a table-stakes benefit, not a nice-to-have.
This $799 investment could save you thousands annually in reduced healthcare costs and turnover.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Don’t we need a big budget for wellness programs?
No. We’ll design a program that fits YOUR budget, even if it’s $0. Walking meetings, wellness tips, and mindfulness minutes cost nothing.
How do we get employees to participate?
Make it easy, varied (appeal to different interests), and recognize participants. Incentives help but aren’t required. Social pressure (team challenges) drives participation.
What if only 3 people participate?
Start small and build. 3 participants who are enthusiastic beat 30 who do it grudgingly once. Focus on making it easy and fun.
Should wellness participation be required?
No. Voluntary programs get better engagement and avoid legal issues. Incentives are fine (discounted insurance, gift cards) but never penalize non-participation.
What wellness incentives can we offer?
Gift cards, extra PTO day, donations to charity of choice, company swag, discounted insurance (if permitted), public recognition.
How do we handle privacy concerns?
Don’t collect individual health data without HIPAA safeguards. Track participation, not results (e.g., “completed biometric screening” not “John’s cholesterol is 240”).
What if we don’t have anyone to run this?
Form a volunteer wellness committee (3-5 employees who care about wellness). They coordinate using your program framework. Requires 2-4 hours/month.
Can we do wellness program with remote teams?
Absolutely. Virtual step challenges, online yoga classes, mindfulness apps work great for remote teams. Many activities work better remotely.
What’s a realistic participation rate?
20-30% regular participation is good for small businesses without incentives. 40-60% with incentives or strong culture of participation.
How do we measure success?
Track: participation rates, employee satisfaction scores, absenteeism, healthcare claim trends, retention rates. Success builds over 1-3 years, not immediately.
LEGAL DISCLAIMER
This service provides wellness program design and implementation guidance, not medical, mental health, or legal advice. Employee wellness programs must comply with ADA, GINA, HIPAA, and other regulations, particularly if they involve health assessments, biometric screenings, or health-related incentives.
We provide best-practice guidance for voluntary wellness programs, but you are responsible for ensuring your specific program complies with applicable laws. Consult employment attorney and/or wellness legal specialist if:
- Offering insurance premium discounts based on wellness participation
- Collecting biometric or health data
- Providing different benefits to wellness participants
- Operating in states with specific wellness program regulations
We are not wellness vendors and do not receive compensation from recommended vendors. Recommendations are based on publicly available information and industry best practices.
ADD-ONS AVAILABLE
Employee Wellness Survey (+$199): Custom survey to assess employee wellness interests and needs
Wellness Challenge Facilitation (+$299): We’ll set up and manage your first wellness challenge
EAP Vendor Selection Support (+$299): Help selecting and implementing Employee Assistance Program
Quarterly Wellness Check-in (+$199): 30-min call to review participation and adjust program
