Wellness Strategy

How to Build a Stronger Employee Wellness Program

Employee wellness programs have evolved considerably over the past decade. What once meant a gym membership reimbursement or a step challenge has grown into a more comprehensive conversation about how organizations support their people across multiple dimensions of well-being. The data increasingly reflects why this shift matters.

According to a 2025 analysis, companies with strong wellness programs report a 17% higher employee productivity rate and comprehensive wellness strategies reduce employee turnover by 22%. Research from Wellhub found that 77% of companies reported overall return on wellness investment greater than 100%. For HR teams building or improving a wellness program, these figures reflect a business case as much as a people case.

Starting With Assessment

Effective wellness programs begin with understanding what a workforce actually needs — not what is simply available or easy to offer. Before expanding or redesigning a wellness offering, it is useful to examine participation data from existing programs, gather direct employee input through surveys or focus groups, and review demographic data to understand which dimensions of wellness may be most relevant to the workforce.

The 2024 SHRM Employee Benefits Survey noted that the number of available employee benefits rose from 175 to 216 in a single year — a 23% increase. The expansion of options makes the assessment step more important, not less: more choices require more clarity about what will actually serve a specific workforce.

Addressing Multiple Dimensions of Wellness

The most effective wellness programs address more than one dimension of well-being. Physical wellness, mental wellness, financial wellness, and social wellness each represent a distinct area where employee needs and organizational support intersect. Organizations that address all four are better positioned to meet the full range of their workforce's needs.

Mental wellness: 82% of employees say mental health support is crucial when evaluating job offers. By 2024, 86% of employers offered some form of mental health support.
Financial wellness: According to a 2025 PwC survey, 63% of employees say their financial stress has increased since 2024, and employees stressed about money are 4.1 times more likely to be looking for a new job.
Physical wellness: Companies with robust wellness programs report 28% fewer sick days compared to those without.

Building in Flexibility

The one-size-fits-all wellness program is increasingly ineffective. Workforce demographics, role types, and individual circumstances vary, and programs that allow for some degree of personalization — whether through a menu of benefit options, a wellness spending account, or varied program formats — tend to see higher participation and better outcomes.

Measuring What Matters

A wellness program that cannot be measured cannot be meaningfully improved. Organizations benefit from establishing baseline metrics before implementing new programs — participation rates, absenteeism data, employee satisfaction scores, and turnover figures — and reviewing those metrics regularly after implementation. According to a 2025 Selerix survey, only 27% of employees say they fully understand their benefits, suggesting that communication and accessibility are themselves measurable components of program effectiveness.

Communicating With Employees

A well-designed wellness program that employees do not know about or understand cannot achieve its intended outcomes. HR teams benefit from developing a communication strategy alongside the program itself — ensuring that employees know what is available, how to access it, and why it was designed with them in mind.

This article is provided for informational purposes only. Atlanta Life Insurance Company does not provide HR consulting, benefits advisory, or financial planning services. Organizations are encouraged to consult qualified HR professionals or benefits advisors for guidance specific to their workforce and situation.

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