Wellness Program Development

Another shocking headline below. Half of benefit managers know their wellness programs are failing. 🙄 Humans are a little more complicated than a program, portal or prize (or a benefit). In my opinion, there are two main directions employers can take to create the best opportunities for employees to be healthier and happier: 👉 Create the institutional infrastructure needed to support employees. 👉 Create a well-being culture that prompts the shared behaviors, beliefs and attitudes that align with health and well-being. What does this mean in practical terms? 1. Choose an organizational assessment tool that is evidenced-based. These tools provide a framework to approach the policies, leadership support, interpersonal strategies and yes, benefits, that support most employees' needs. Examples include: 👉 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Worksite Health Scorecard 👉 The American Heart Association's Well-Being Works Better Scorecard 👉 WELCOA (Wellness Council of America)'s Well Workplace Checklist [now sponsored by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP)] 2. Create a Well-Being Culture. You can't buy this from a vendor and it's certainly not a point solution from a benefit company. You have to roll up your sleeves and build it yourselves. The good news is that you don't have to guess how to build this culture. There is a framework that addresses these six pillars: 👉 Leadership Engagement 👉 Peer Support 👉 Norms 👉 Social Climate 👉 Connection Points 👉 Shared Values The full recipe can be found in 📖 "A Cure for the Common Company". https://amzn.to/3bG1q1D Also not shocking... this is a marathon, not a sprint. Have a 3-5 year plan. #HumanResources #OccupationalHealth #EmployeeBenefits https://lnkd.in/eB_iZT_Y *** Hi, I'm Rich Safeer. I’ve been in the employee health and well-being space for 25 years and continue to learn how the intersection of our workplace, our jobs and the people at work impact our health and well-being. I’m a husband, dad, son and brother, manager, author, speaker and the chief medical director of employee health and well-being at Johns Hopkins Medicine. 📖 Trying to develop a new healthy habit? Try ‘A Cure for the Common Workday’, a journal designed to keep you on track. https://lnkd.in/ex5ywsc5 🎤 Keynotes, Workshops and Podcast Guest 💻 Already read the book and you want to learn more? Try the training program at https://lnkd.in/eeidfsrM 💙 Learn more at RichardSafeer.com Want to stay connected? 🔔 Ring the bell on my profile

Why are so many people struggling mentally, despite “having it all”? No, it’s not just burnout. It’s deeper. And it’s more common than we think. We’re living in an age where access, ambition, and achievement are at their peak, yet anxiety, emotional numbness, and relationship breakdowns are rising at alarming rates. What’s causing this silent mental health storm? -Lack of Emotional Literacy & Safe Spaces Most people were never taught how to feel, express, or regulate emotions. Especially in high-pressure environments, it’s about performance, not presence. -Digital Overwhelm + Emotional Isolation We're always online, yet rarely connected. Scroll fatigue, comparison traps, and "highlight reel" lives leave many feeling unworthy or invisible. -Workplace Pressure The hustle is glorified. The stress is minimized. And somewhere in between, people stop sleeping, eating right, or even checking in with themselves. -Unseen Trauma & unspoken Expectations Not all trauma is dramatic. Conditional acceptance, micro-aggressions, or toxic dynamics can deeply impact how we think, relate, and function, even in "normal" settings. Here’s a radical idea to what can be done! Every company, especially MNCs and fast-growing startups, should have a multidisciplinary wellness team. We’re talking about real integration, not token workshops.  * A psychologist to decode emotional patterns * A nutritionist to support gut-brain health * A mindfulness coach for nervous system regulation * Movement specialists focusing on ergonomics, posture-related mood issues, and sedentary burnout. * A functional medicine expert for root-cause healing * A workplace culture coach to encourage empathy, feedback, and openness Not just to fix problems, but to prevent them. Mental health isn’t just a personal issue, it’s a systemic one. Let’s move beyond generic EAPs (employee assistance program) and mental health days. Let’s build human-centered companies where people can actually thrive, not just survive. This change is overdue. #MentalHealthAwareness #WorkplaceWellness #FutureOfWork #EmotionalHealth #FunctionalMedicine #MindBodyConnection #HumanCenteredLeadership #CorporateCulture #PsychologicalSafety #PreventiveHealth #EmployeeWellbeing #BurnoutRecovery #HolisticHealth #WorkplaceInnovation #LifeBeyondBurnout #LinkedInThoughtLeader #InikaHealth

Your ‘wellness program’ might be harming your team. 🚨 A company once launched a step-count challenge to “boost health.” Within weeks, three employees quietly disclosed relapses into eating disorders. The initiative was meant to unite—it fractured trust instead. Eating disorders thrive in silence. 9% of the global population will face one in their lifetime (NEDA), yet 82% of employees hide their struggles, fearing stigma or career penalties. Leaders often unknowingly fuel the fire: 🍽️ Food-centric events: Pizza Fridays, snack-filled meetings 📊 Weight-loss incentives: BMI-based insurance discounts 🗣️ Casual comments: “You’ve lost weight—you look great!” How to lead with care: 🌱 Offer flexible lunch hours: Let teams block calendars for meals without scrutiny. 🎨 Redesign wellness programs: Partner with experts to remove triggering metrics (calorie counts, weight goals). 🤝 Train managers in non-invasive support: “I noticed you’ve been quiet in lunch meetings. How can we adjust?” > “Are you okay?” 🔇 Normalize food autonomy: Provide private eating spaces and never comment on choices. The ROI of compassion? 👉 Teams with psychological safety report 76% higher engagement (Gallup) 👉 64% of employees with EDs say workplace support would reduce sick days (Beat UK) 👉 90% recover fully with early intervention (ANAD) Leaders: Your pantry isn’t just stocked with snacks. It’s stocked with triggers or trust. Choose wisely. #MentalHealthAtWork #Leadership #PsychologicalSafety

Happier, Healthier, More Productive: The ROI of AI-powered Wellness Programs Imagine a talented employee who constantly feels overwhelmed by long hours and tight deadlines, leading to burnout and disconnection. What if there was a program that could identify their stress and offer personalized solutions? This is the power of AI-powered wellness programs. By leveraging artificial intelligence, HR departments can create personalized programs that address the unique needs of each employee, leading to a happier, healthier, and more productive workforce. Here's how AI can transform employee well-being: ◾ Uncover Hidden Patterns: AI can analyze employee data (with strict privacy measures in place) to identify trends and risk factors for burnout, stress, or other mental health concerns. This allows HR to tailor programs to address specific issues within the team, like offering on-site yoga classes for a department struggling with high stress levels. ◾ Personalized Support, Just a Click Away: AI can recommend personalized recommendations for each employee. This could be anything from suggesting mindfulness apps to recommending stress management techniques or even suggesting adjustments to work schedules based on individual needs and preferences. The benefits of AI-powered wellness programs are undeniable: ◾ Happy & Engaged Employees: Personalized programs boost morale, ownership, and satisfaction, leading to a thriving workforce. ◾ Reduced Costs: Proactive mental health support lowers absenteeism and healthcare expenses. ◾ Increased Productivity: A healthier workforce means a more productive and creative team. Win-win! It's important to remember that AI is a tool, not a replacement for human connection. HR should ensure a balance between AI-powered personalization and genuine human empathy. Regular check-ins and open communication are still crucial for employee well-being. Ready to explore the exciting possibilities of AI for your workforce? There are many resources available to help HR professionals get started. Let's work together to create a future where every employee feels supported and empowered to thrive! #HRTech #MentalHealthAwareness #EmployeeWellbeing

If your employee wellness program revolves around biometric screenings, smoking cessation, and heavy reliance on incentives, it’s time to evolve. These kinds of programs are attractive because they’re easy to track. But they don’t necessarily help you improve employee wellbeing. Your workforce is diverse, and meeting their needs requires a multi-faceted approach. They don’t need one-off screenings or one-off reinforcement of task completion. They need tools that allow them to address the root causes of their wellness struggles and keep them motivated over time. And they need to be able to access the personalized prevention that is best for them. Your wellbeing program should cover every aspect of employee health: - Exercise - Mental health - Sleep - Nutrition - Social and financial wellbeing When you cover all of these components and customize the employee experience, you create lifestyle change. So instead of focusing on screenings and task-completion for incentives, build a program that provides holistic support, convenience, inspiration, and personalization. That’s what sets effective, modern wellbeing programs apart. #EmployeeWellbeing #EmployeeWellness

Behavior Change Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All—And Neither Should Wellbeing Programs Be. Investing in workplace wellbeing is increasing, yet engagement remains a persistent challenge. Why? True behavior change is personal and highly dependent on each individual employee's needs and interests. When employers do a better job aligning well-being programs with where employees actually are (stage of behavior change, life stage, needs, interests, etc.)—participation goes up, health improves, and businesses thrive. This is why understanding the generational and demographical (I think that's a real word) dynamics of your workforce and their needs matters more than ever Different generations will engage with wellbeing benefits in different ways. An analysis of over 30 industry trend reports and surveys highlight: 🔹 Gen Z & Millennials: Seek purpose-driven work, sustainability, and tuition reimbursement. 🔹 Gen X & Boomers: Value caregiving support, financial planning, and flexible retirement options. 🔹 All employees: Want flexible, inclusive benefits that adapt to life stages. The research demonstrates that employees are more likely to commit to changes they are ready to make—meaning programs must meet them where they are in their journey. This is where readiness to change becomes a game-changer. At Navigate, we’ve designed our Total Health product to do just that: ✅ Personalized programming based on an individual’s unique wellbeing needs & interests. ✅ Data-driven insights to track engagement and outcomes in real-time, allowing employers to see immediate impact while also helping craft their future strategy. ✅ Holistic support across 8 Pillars of Wellbeing (Balance, Mindfulness, Community, Financial, Social, Nutrition, Physical, Purpose) addressing the whole human. Here are a few things to consider while crafting your wellbeing program or strategies: 🚀 Leverage AI & Data: Use technology to deliver personalized benefits, gather real-time feedback, and continually iterate. 🤝 Cross-Generational Mentorship: Foster collaboration by pairing employees at different career stages so they can learn from one another. 📈 Align Career Growth with Purpose: Help employees see how their work connects to a larger mission to drive motivation. Take a moment to reflect -- 🤔 How is your organization making wellbeing and benefits more personalized to address the needs of every individual employee? Let’s discuss. #Engagement #BehaviorChange #WorkplaceWellbeing #Benefits