Corporate Wellness and the COVID-19 pandemic

Investment in corporate wellness can be seen in any program created to encourage healthier lifestyle choices within an organization. Companies experience less absenteeism, better productivity, and higher levels of engagement and morale when their employees are healthier and happier. Companies whose employees are healthier also make big savings on health costs. This acknowledgment is central to the drive to boost corporate wellness globally. And the pandemic has only intensified this.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the safety and protection of employees have become the number one priority for organizations. The US corporate wellness market’s revenue is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 9% during the period 2021–2026. This isn’t surprising when we consider how the current global situation has shown us the necessity for businesses in every sector to adopt high resilience and innovative strategies. This realization will undoubtedly accelerate investment in corporate wellness.

Pre-COVID, investment of this kind had already become a feature of progressive organizations, with many companies proactively managing population health through the development and implementation of wellness programs. This intensified when the realities of the pandemic hit, and companies had to help employees adjust to new work practices as well as combat their isolation and mental health challenges by offering structured and solid support mechanisms. Going forward, this will improve access to wellness tools and enhance the quality of programs that already existed.

Employees’ expectations of their employers to prioritize their wellbeing have also increased over the past year. In fact, an organization’s attitude to corporate wellness will likely determine its attractiveness to potential talent going forward. It seems workplace wellness is now viewed as a corporate responsibility. 360-degree wellness, it seems, has become everyone’s priority.