How to design a workplace wellness program that works

Today’s workforce is looking for more than a paycheck. Employees are seeking employers who recognize their whole-person health and invest in their well-being. For large employers, designing a workplace wellness program that meets the diverse needs of the population, and delivers measurable value, is both a challenge and an opportunity.

At Optum Workplace Well-being, we’ve seen what works. Here are our insights on how to design a wellness program that can improve the health and productivity of your employees so your business can thrive.

Start with strategy, not just tactics

Too often, wellness programs begin with well-intentioned initiatives—step challenges, healthy snack options or even on-site yoga classes—but lack a unifying strategy. The key to long-term success is building a program around a clear, data-informed strategy aligned with your organization’s values and goals.

Ask yourself these questions:

• What are your organization’s top priorities—retention, productivity, health care cost savings?
• What do your population health analytics reveal about current and future needs?
• How can well-being programming support your broader business strategy?

By identifying the “why” behind your wellness program, you’ll create a more focused, cohesive approach that guides decisions and measures success.

Design for the whole person and the whole organization

Well-being isn’t one-dimensional. It’s physical, mental, emotional and social. Effective programs take a holistic, whole-person approach and create meaningful interactions.

Consider adopting these approaches:

• Physical well-being:
  • Offer on-site gyms, virtual fitness classes or subsidized gym memberships to encourage regular physical activity.
  • Provide regular health check-ups and screenings to help employees stay on top of their physical health.
  • Promote healthy eating by offering nutritious snacks in the office, organizing cooking classes, or providing access to dietitian consultations.
  • Offer ergonomic services and education to encourage proper movement throughout the workday.
• Mental well-being:
  • Offer Mental Health First Aid training, create outreach campaigns to build inclusivity, and provide referrals to employee assistance programs.
  • Offer mindfulness workshops, meditation sessions and stress management training to help employees manage their mental health.
  • Implement policies that prevent burnout, such as reasonable work hours, regular breaks and manageable workloads.
• Emotional well-being:
  • Regularly acknowledge and celebrate employees’ achievements to boost their emotional well-being and sense of belonging.
  • Conduct workshops on emotional intelligence to help employees understand and manage their emotions better.
  • Foster a culture of empathy and support where employees feel comfortable expressing their emotions and seeking help when needed.
• Social well-being:
  • Organize team-building events, social gatherings and group activities to strengthen relationships among employees.
  • Encourage participation in community service projects and volunteer opportunities to build a sense of purpose and connection.
  • Promote diversity and inclusion initiatives to ensure all employees feel valued and included in the workplace.

By integrating these elements into well-being programs, organizations can create a supportive environment that addresses the diverse needs of their employees, leading to a more engaged, productive and satisfied workforce.

Large organizations also need to think broadly across locations, job roles, cultures and levels of readiness for change. What works for your corporate headquarters may not work for off-campus locations or remote workers.

We recommend offering a range of solutions that meet employees where they are—from team-based fitness programming and ergonomics to digital self-guided resources and lifestyle coaching.

Engage leadership to set the tone

Leadership buy-in is essential, but leadership engagement is transformational. When leaders prioritize their own well-being and promote wellness as a business imperative, it signals to employees that wellness is more than a mere checkbox item for the company.

Implement these best practices to lead by example:

• Train leaders to model healthy behaviors and champion mental health.
• Integrate well-being goals into leadership performance plans.
• Create executive sponsorship for your wellness initiatives.

A wellness culture starts at the top—and filters throughout the entire organization.

Make well-being accessible and inclusive

Equitable access is key to the success of any wellness program. Address barriers like time, language, technology, physical ability and stigma to ensure everyone can participate.

Take these factors into consideration:

• Flexible program delivery (on-site, virtual, mobile)
• Culturally relevant communications and program content
• Translation and accessibility tools
• Confidential options for mental health and lifestyle support

By building inclusion into your program design, you ensure more employees feel seen, supported and empowered to engage.

Measure what matters and use it to evolve

Well-being is not static, and neither is your workplace. Track metrics and analyze the data regularly to understand what’s working and help identify where there’s room for improvement.

Think beyond participation numbers:

• Use claims and biometric data to track population health trends.
• Collect employee feedback to refine offerings.
• Analyze engagement by location, job function and demographic.
• Report on outcomes like presenteeism, turnover and satisfaction.

And most importantly—use those insights to evolve. A great wellness program isn’t built once; it’s a continuous process.

Designing a workplace wellness program that works isn’t just about launching more programs—it’s about building an ecosystem of support for your people. At Optum Workplace Well-being, we partner with employers to create integrated, strategic wellness programs that engage employees, support population health and drive business outcomes. Let’s build a culture of well-being—together.

Contact us for help to build a resilient, connected workforce that drives long-term success.