hrtechoutlookapac
Homeยป News

Six Employee Wellness Trends that Businesses Need to Follow

HR Tech Outlook | Friday, September 27, 2019

Employee wellness programs are gaining grounds and are aimed at enhancing employee’s well-being, ultimately enhancing their engagement levels and productivity.

FREMONT, CA: Employee wellness programs are gaining recognition, especially because it allows the organizations with the infrastructure to individually focus on the individuals, thereby motivating and engaging the employees. There are several trends that are emerging with the goal to ensure that the employees’ health and well-being continue to progress from an individual as well as from an organizational point of view. Here are the emerging trends that will shape the employee wellness programs in the future:

Privacy Concerns

Stay ahead of the industry with exclusive feature stories on the top companies, expert insights and the latest news delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe today.

Data security is not just confined to the IT department. According to a report, the amount of employee wellness data collected via surveys, wellness portals, gym records, wearable devices, and lab tests in increasing exponentially. Companies are expected to be transparent with their employees over who has access to their health records. Employers are also tasked to ensure that their wellness vendors maintain the best security, data privacy, and compliance standards.

Prioritizing Self-Care

Apple listed self-care as the trend of the year in 2018. The trend is expected to continue in the future as well as people are viewing self-care as an essential ingredient and not just as an indulgence. An aspect of self-care that has been on the rise in the workplace is mindfulness practices. Some of the major firms are offering it to reduce workplace stress and increase productivity.

Self-care practices will continue to evolve in the corporate world, as more employers are emphasizing holistic wellness. As per the Harvard Business Review, wellness program don’t work unless there is a culture where it is acceptable and encouraged to prioritize self-care. 

Addressing Burnout

Owing to modern life’s hectic pace, employees are under more pressure than before. According to a recent survey from Gallop, 44 percent of employees reported burnout at work. Employee burnout affects every industry, resulting in a loss due to productivity, errors, and poor engagement.

Each manager should be aware of the signs of employee burnout so that they can take appropriate steps to help employees. Burnout can be prevented by encouraging employees to recharge and relax via mid-day breaks, suggesting them better sleep habits, and offering them flexible schedules.

Personalization

Every individual is unique and faces a unique set of challenges. However, everyone needs different solutions. Artificial intelligence (AI) is impacting the corporate wellness industry by offering a more personalized experience to the employees. Transformative technology enables employees to access information which is timely and relevant to them. Wellness programs will also allow creating a better user experience by leveraging data based on employee’s preference and wellness goals.

Digital platforms are still expanding without any signs of slowing down. However, if the budget is insufficient to invest in technology, personalization can also be achieved by just asking for employee feedback.

Financial Fitness

Access to financial wellness programs is on the rise. As per the Employee Financial Wellness Survey, 2018, 14 percent of employees could access resources or programs offered by their employer to assist them in improving their financial well-being. The survey also stated that 63 percent of workers who had access to financial wellness resources used them and 53 percent of the employees without any access to financial wellness plan said that they expected their employer to offer one.

Financial worries are not only limited to the individual. Instead, it spills out into the workplace too. Employers who are having financial issues can also result in significant loss to the employers in terms of work errors and productivity. An efficient wellness program should encourage emergency savings, budgeting, debt elimination, and retirement planning.

Onsite Clinics 

Increasingly the employers are embracing onsite health clinics. According to the National Association of Worksite Health Clinics, around 50 percent of employers with more than 5,000 employees have near-site or onsite clinics. Developing onsite employee health clinics has helped the employers to control costs, offer competitive benefits, and provide quality healthcare to the employees. As per a study by Mercer, 58 percent of the employers who decided to have an onsite clinic stated that it has been successful in allowing the members to control chronic conditions.

It’s important for wellness professionals to assess and evaluate their wellness platforms routinely. Considering the latest industry trends each year can assist the employers in reforming their employee wellness strategy, thereby keeping the employees engaged.

More in News

Enterprises responsible for workforce integrity face a shift that traditional background screening approaches are no longer equipped to handle. Hiring decisions once relied on static verification at the point of entry, treating trust as a fixed attribute rather than a variable condition. That assumption is under strain as identity manipulation becomes easier, credential distortion grows more subtle, and fraud patterns evolve faster than periodic checks can keep up with. The result is a widening gap between what organizations believe they know about their workforce and what is actually unfolding in real time. The pressure is not only technological but economic. Many organizations recognize the limitations of one-time checks, yet struggle to justify the cost of expanding screening into continuous processes. Budget constraints often reinforce outdated practices, leaving risk exposure unaddressed beyond the hiring moment. At the same time, regulatory expectations around data handling and personal information continue to rise, placing equal emphasis on how trust is assessed and how sensitive data is protected. A more credible approach to workforce trust begins with acknowledging that verification must extend beyond a single event. Continuous monitoring introduces a dynamic layer, enabling organizations to detect changes in risk status as they occur rather than after damage occurs. This shift reframes background screening from a compliance exercise into an ongoing risk awareness function. Real-time visibility into criminal activity, credential validity or registry changes allows decision-makers to act with current information rather than historical snapshots. Equally important is the integrity of the data infrastructure supporting these insights. Organizations are handling increasingly sensitive personal information, which requires stringent safeguards and disciplined governance. A foundation built on regulatory frameworks ensures that data is collected responsibly and used in ways that preserve privacy while enabling meaningful analysis. This balance between protection and insight is critical, as poorly governed data environments introduce risks that can outweigh the benefits of expanded screening. Another dimension shaping evaluation is the ability to detect patterns that individual organizations cannot see in isolation. Fraud is rarely confined to a single incident or entity; it often operates through distributed signals that only become visible when data is aggregated and analyzed at scale. Platforms that can surface these patterns offer a distinct advantage, highlighting anomalies and risk indicators that would otherwise remain hidden within isolated datasets. This capability becomes increasingly relevant as fraud tactics shift from obvious identity fabrication to subtle credential manipulation, making detection more dependent on contextual intelligence than standalone checks. The market's direction also points to broader applications of trust verification beyond the workplace. Interactions between individuals in digital marketplaces, short-term rentals and peer-to-peer transactions increasingly require assurance that both parties are credible. Screening platforms that can extend their capabilities into these adjacent contexts position themselves not just as hiring tools but as infrastructure for trust across multiple forms of human interaction. Yardstik reflects this shift by positioning trust as a continuous, technology-driven process rather than a one-time verification step. It builds on a regulated foundation that safeguards sensitive information while enabling broader analysis of workforce risk signals. Its platform extends beyond traditional checks to include ongoing monitoring, credential validation and fraud detection capabilities that respond to evolving threats. By integrating real-time indicators and leveraging aggregated data insights, it provides organizations with a more current view of workforce risk. For executives evaluating modern screening solutions, it presents a model aligned with how trust must be managed in an environment defined by constant change. ...Read more
Leadership development transcends mere strategy; it is essential for unleashing the full potential of leaders. When effectively nurtured, leaders enhance their decision-making abilities, inspire their teams, and boost overall performance. Fostering strong leadership is just the starting point. Organizations that prioritize leadership development see significant benefits for their performance and growth. Reasons to engage in leadership development Developing a competitive advantage: Investing in leadership development provides a competitive advantage that distinguishes a business from its peers. Alternatively, only one in every five organizations that did not provide a leadership development program reported financial performance in the top ten percent of their industry. Effective leaders can negotiate problems, seize opportunities, and promote innovation, increasing competitive advantage. They promote a culture of accountability and quality throughout the organization. Companies that invest in leadership development ensure their leaders possess the necessary expertise and knowledge to remain competitive. Recruiting and retaining top talent remains a persistent challenge, as high-potential employees recognize the demand for their skills and actively seek growth opportunities. Visual Workforce enhances workforce visibility through skill intelligence and analytics to support talent development and retention strategies. Visual Workforce has been awarded Top Skill Intelligence Platform by HR Tech Outlook for real-time skills mapping, workforce insights, and predictive analytics capabilities. As a result, organizations must adopt structured approaches to attract and retain high-performing individuals in competitive environments. However, investing in leadership development can provide enormous benefits. Companies that provide extensive leadership development programs exhibit a commitment to their employee's professional development and success, instilling confidence and a sense of security in their jobs. Employees are more likely to stay with a company that invests in their development, lowering turnover and associated expenses while instilling a sense of stability and dedication to the organization. A commitment to leadership development demonstrates to potential employees that the organization encourages continual learning and professional advancement. This reputation can boost the brand, making it easier to attract the industries finest and brightest. Boosting the next generation of leaders: Succession planning is crucial to any organization's long-term viability. Developing the next generation of leaders guarantees a robust bench of capable individuals ready to take on leadership opportunities when they become available. Leadership development programs assist in identifying and nurturing future leaders, equipping them with the skills and experiences required to take on larger responsibilities. These programs frequently include mentoring, coaching, and exposure to all aspects of the organization, ensuring that potential leaders are well-rounded and ready for future difficulties. ...Read more
Technology intervention in learning management systems (LMS) has opened up seamless advantages within businesses in recent years. Furthermore, an accelerated demand for employee training and development in an organisation has instigated the need for innovations in LMS technology, which has been gaining momentum in recent times. An advancement in data collection and analysis patterns has likely facilitated increased immersive learning experiences, thereby elevating the productivity and performance of an enterprise. Moreover, an enhanced understanding of eLearning trends within an industry favours leveraging employee training and development substantially. For instance, video-based learning modules in learning management system technology are likely gaining momentum in recent times. That is, the invincible role-play of video in people’s lives has meticulously triggered organisations to incorporate video content into employee training as an effective policy via video quizzes, tests, coaching, interactive videos, and virtual classrooms. Generally, video-based learning confines varied advantages like reduced costs, easy scalability, improved retention, and engagement, enabling organisations to reinforce their materials while incentivising employees to complete desired courses corresponding to their job functions. Likewise, Learning Experience Platforms (LXP) have meticulously carved their space in LMS technology, enabling enterprises to design systems beyond mere course management. Thus, the very approach facilitates varied learning experiences like video, gamification, and social media while allowing LXPs to efficiently share documents and user-generated content, chat, collaborate, write articles, and design their learning paths alongside Similarly, an integrated eLearning project management tool is gaining monumental importance in LMS technology in recent times, enabling organisations to efficiently manage resources for employee training. The approach aims at an effective collaboration between teams while tracking time and other necessary resources for an emphasis on sharing, chatting, managing, designing, and validating eLearning projects. The functionality ought to be critically incorporated into learning management systems, thus enabling employees to efficiently manage their training and development processes. This functionality aims at enhancing businesses with robust and engaging training materials, in addition to ensuring intermittent training for employees, thereby favouring effective performance. Additionally, the creation, branding, designing, animating, and management of course materials, i.e., creative authoring tools, are highly crucial for businesses adopting learning management systems. The technique aids enterprises in the effective simplification of processes for creating, engaging, and compelling course materials, thereby nurturing interactive content like quizzes and videos while managing the content effectively via a desired central location. It enables organisations to create more robust and engaging training materials, thereby scrutinising the intensity of the procedure accordingly. ...Read more
Recognizing employees is a vital strategy that profoundly impacts company culture, employee motivation, and overall performance. It elevates morale, cultivates a positive workplace atmosphere, enhances employee engagement, and contributes to the organization's success. Businesses can build a motivated and productive team by implementing effective recognition programs that align with the company’s values, ensure consistency, and consider individual preferences. The committed workforce strives to achieve shared objectives.  Employee recognition is crucial in an organization as it goes beyond acknowledging individual achievements, reinforces positive behaviors, motivates employees, and fosters a culture of appreciation. Recognizing employees' contributions and accomplishments boosts morale, job satisfaction, and retention rates. Benefits of effective recognition programs include enhanced employee engagement, improved morale and job satisfaction, increased motivation and productivity, and retention of top talent. Peer-to-peer, informal, and formal recognition are the three categories of employee appreciation. Formal recognition initiatives that showcase outstanding accomplishments and support the organization's goals include employee of the month awards, annual performance awards, and public recognition ceremonies. CompWizards supports employee recognition programs through data-driven insights and structured communication tools that enhance peer-to-peer engagement and workforce alignment. Informal recognition involves spontaneous gestures of appreciation, such as verbal praise, thank-you notes, or small tokens of appreciation. Peer-to-peer recognition programs empower employees to acknowledge and celebrate each other's achievements, promoting camaraderie, teamwork, and a supportive work culture. Best practices for implementing recognition programs include aligning with organizational values, maintaining consistency and fairness across all levels, providing regular feedback and communication between managers and employees, and offering flexibility and personalization to accommodate diverse preferences. The Abelson Group provides workforce solutions supporting employee recognition programs, enhancing communication, teamwork, and organizational culture development. The impact of recognition programs can be measured through employee satisfaction surveys, monitoring turnover rates and retention of top performers, and tracking performance metrics. Lower turnover rates among recognized employees indicate higher levels of engagement and satisfaction. Performance metrics, such as productivity levels, team collaboration, and customer satisfaction scores, can also be used to assess the impact of recognition on organizational performance. Employee recognition is pivotal in cultivating a positive work environment, enhancing employee engagement, and keeping top talent within the company. By carefully implementing best practices and incorporating flexibility into their approaches, organizations can guarantee that their recognition programs are not just token gestures but meaningful expressions that genuinely impact their employees' morale and motivation. This thoughtful approach to acknowledgment can significantly contribute to a culture of appreciation, encouraging a sense of loyalty and driving higher performance across the team. ...Read more