Originally published January 28, 2021. Last updated December 3, 2025, to reflect the most current industry data, workplace trends, and best practices in employee wellness. This post is maintained annually and includes updated insights for hybrid teams, distributed workforces, and recognition-driven wellness strategies.
Employee wellness has changed a lot in a short amount of time. Expectations are higher. Needs are different. And companies are looking for straightforward ways to support people in a work environment that isn’t one-size-fits-all anymore.
If you’re planning your wellness approach for 2026, these four considerations can help you build programs that are practical, inclusive, and aligned with how employees work now.
1. Make Wellness Part of the Every-Day Experience
Wellness programs tend to gain the most traction when they’re simple, consistent, and built into the rhythm of the workday. When employees don’t have to rearrange their schedules or track down information just to participate, engagement increases naturally.
A good starting point is understanding what employees already value. Look at participation trends from past initiatives. Which activities drew interest? Which ones fell flat? Instead of launching a brand-new program each year, strengthen the ones that already show signs of success.
It’s also worth considering the structure of the workday itself. Short, accessible opportunities, micro-breaks, guided stretches, short wellness challenges, quiet hours for focus, often make a bigger impact than large, high-effort programs. Small steps create momentum, and momentum is what keeps a wellness program alive long term.
2. Reinforce Balance in Ways Employees Can Feel
Balance isn’t achieved through messaging alone. Employees want the practical side: reasonable workloads, predictable expectations, and a culture that doesn’t reward burnout. This is where leadership plays a major role. When managers set realistic timelines, take time off themselves, and encourage healthy boundaries, teams follow their lead.
Companies can support balance by removing friction. For example, offering meeting-free windows, maintaining clear communication norms, or providing wellness hours during the workday can all help employees carve out time for themselves. None of these require major policy changes, but they signal that the organization is paying attention to how people actually work.
The impact shows up in very real outcomes: lower turnover, more consistent performance, and employees who can stay engaged without sacrificing their well-being to do it.
3. Make Sure Remote and Hybrid Employees Aren’t an Afterthought
In many organizations, wellness programs unintentionally center around the office: on-site classes, in-office events, or resources that only make sense if you’re physically present. Remote employees notice this quickly. Even small exclusions can make a program feel out of reach.
The most successful wellness strategies are designed from the start to include every employee, regardless of where they work. Virtual learning sessions, digital wellness platforms, self-led fitness options, peer-to-peer challenges, and inclusive communication all help level the playing field.
It also helps to diversify the types of wellness you support. Remote employees may benefit more from mental health tools, ergonomics resources, or programs that address isolation and connection. When companies think beyond physical fitness, participation grows, and the program becomes much more representative of the full workforce.
4. Use Recognition to Strengthen Wellness Efforts
Recognition can elevate a wellness program from “optional extra” to “part of how we work.” A quick thank-you, a visible shoutout, or a small reward for taking part in a challenge can be enough to increase engagement. It reinforces that the company sees the whole employee, not just their output.
When recognition is tied into an existing company-wide strategy, employees experience wellness and appreciation as part of one unified approach to culture. This consistency builds trust. It also makes it easier to maintain program momentum, especially in longer initiatives where motivation can fade.
Recognition doesn’t have to be complex. What matters most is that it’s timely, meaningful, and accessible to all employees, including those who work remotely.