The Small Business Guide to Employee Wellbeing

Your team’s wellbeing directly impacts everything from daily productivity to long-term business success. Supporting your employees’ physical and mental health isn’t just nice to have — it’s essential for building a thriving workplace culture. Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) around the world are discovering that when leaders prioritize team wellness, everyone benefits.

But what exactly does it take to help your teams thrive together? Why are workplace wellness plans important for creating a supportive culture for both in-office and remote workers? In this blog, we’ll get into why building a healthy work environment matters and how SMB leaders in any industry can create programs that improve team wellbeing both in and out of the office.

What we’ll cover:

What is workplace wellness and why it matters

Workplace wellness refers to the practices, programs, and policies implemented by organizations to promote the physical, mental, and emotional health of their teams. It includes a range of initiatives, from health insurance and fitness programs to stress management and employee assistance programs. 

The goal of workplace wellness is to create a supportive work environment that fosters employee wellbeing, improves productivity, and reduces healthcare costs. Some common components of workplace wellness programs include:

• Health promotion: initiatives such as fitness classes, healthy eating campaigns, and health screenings
• Stress management: programs like meditation classes, mindfulness training, and employee assistance programs
• Work-life balance: policies supporting flexible work arrangements, parental leave, and employee wellness days
• Mental health support: access to counseling services, mental health days, and stigma reduction efforts
• Physical workplace improvements: ergonomic workstations, natural lighting, and wellness-focused office design

Why workplace wellness works

Many small business owners wonder if these programs actually work. The good news is that they do, and they can save you money. A health study from Harvard Medical School suggests that ‌money invested in wellness plans saves more money in the long run.

Workplace wellness programs help teams build healthier habits through education and support, creating positive changes that benefit both individuals and the company. According to the Rand Health Quarterly, these programs play a direct role in improving employee health and longevity.How to start a small business wellness initiative

How to start a small-business wellness initiative

Workplace wellness has evolved beyond gym memberships and office fruit bowls: The most effective wellness plans address both mind and body. Now, wellness involves education, practice, and the creation of daily personal habits that can enrich everyone. Here are some ways to create and implement a wellness plan that boosts your employees’ quality of life.

Step 1: Conduct a team wellness audit

Start internally, with your team (if you have one built already). Ask them what they’d like to see in a wellness program. Everyone has different wellness preferences. After researching options, survey your team to gauge interest in specific programs. Include the methods you’ve researched, but also provide space for employee suggestions. This prevents costly mistakes and ensures high participation rates.

Step 2: Research wellness options

Today’s employees aren’t as excited by the average big-box gym membership. To avoid pouring money into something that your team won’t use, start by doing your research. The online wellness world is booming, and there are countless options for virtual fitness and health classes that teams can tune into from anywhere. Here are a few engaging wellness programs worth exploring:

• Meditation and mindfulness workshops like live events on Insight Timer
• Healthy habit and routine-building sessions such as morning routine challenges or 21-day habit trackers
• Cooking classes and nutrition education like meal prep workshops
• Journaling and expressive art workshops such as guided gratitude journaling or watercolor therapy sessions
• Local community support initiatives like group wellness walks or peer support circles

Step 3: Incentivize healthier habits

Some of the most common health risks are those correlated with an unhealthy lifestyle, including diabetes, hypertension, and stress. These conditions can also be remedied. Employers can coordinate with healthcare providers to encourage health-conscious actions. For example, wellness programs can encourage teams to have a yearly well visit, complete recommended preventive screenings, or take steps toward a healthy body mass index. 

Step 4: Create the right rewards for the right wellness levels

Rewards and incentives can also motivate teams to make healthy lifestyle changes. Some employers offer cash incentives and bonuses to workers who complete a wellness regimen. Additional incentive ideas include:

• Virtual or in-person wellness event tickets (like meditation workshop, nutrition seminar, or yoga retreat)
• Healthy lunch delivery services
• Wellness adventures and retreats
• Wearable devices
• Other wellness goods (such as a blender, spin bike, or blood pressure monitor)

Step 5: Incorporate recovery and mental rest

Rest days aren’t lazy days‌ — your body and mind actually get stronger with rest. With 82% of employees at risk of burnout, helping your team understand that taking breaks is part of being productive, has never been more critical.

Set up simple ways for teams to unwind during the workday, like quick stretching sessions in the office or virtual relaxation breaks for remote workers. For home-based teams, teach people how to create calm spaces at home, offer occasional self-care days off, or share easy breathing exercises they can do between meetings. Small reminders about rest help everyone feel okay about slowing down and recharging.

Plan activities that help your team stay healthy and connect. Annual wellness retreats let teams bond through hiking and yoga while unplugging from technology. Quarterly challenges like step competitions or meditation streaks get everyone working toward shared goals. When group activities aren’t possible, provide wellness stipends for spa treatments or gym memberships.

Get leaders involved by having managers participate in wellness activities and form committees with representatives from every level. When leaders actively participate and discuss wellness in meetings, it shows that employee wellbeing is a genuine priority.

Creating a workplace wellness program is one thing, but making it last is another. The key is to move beyond surface-level perks and give employees resources and flexibility that fit into their everyday lives. 

Stay on track with these helpful wellness resources:

• A customer relationship management (CRM) tool helps track team participation in wellness programs and follow up on goals
• Slack integrations for daily wellness reminders, habit check-ins, and team challenges
• Automated workflow tools like Zapier to send personalized milestone celebrations and progress updates
• Employee wellness apps such as Thrive Global for habit tracking and peer support
• Calendar automation for team cohesiveness, preventive care appointments, and wellness activity reminders
• Data tools to visualize team wellness metrics and progress trends
• Survey platforms for regular wellness pulse checks and feedback collection

Use collaboration tools to share team tips

You can also make the most of tools you already use. Platforms like Slack can host dedicated wellness channels where employees share tips, celebrate achievements, and encourage one another. Automated systems can personalize health tips, track participation, and send friendly reminders. Even your CRM can be repurposed to monitor wellness program engagement, helping you see which initiatives truly resonate with your team.

Provide resources and community support

Start by providing educational resources and support. Something as simple as sharing healthy cookbooks can help. You could also host a health workshop or nutrition screening. Ask your network for resources, or provide access to a curated self-development and personal wellness books to learn from. These ideas can inspire long-term healthy habits.

Offer flexibility as a wellness tool

Flexibility can be just as important as fitness or nutrition. Remote work removes commuting stress but can blur work-life boundaries. Flexible schedules give employees time for healthy rituals like morning journaling or mindful tea breaks.

Tools like Slack help maintain balance by setting clear boundaries. Use “Do Not Disturb” mode during personal time, schedule messages for work hours, and separate urgent from non-urgent communications. Flexibility means being intentionally present, not always available.

Team wellbeing success starts here

Even as a small business, you can build a wellness program that makes a real difference. Healthy teams are happy teams, and big budgets or corporate-scale perks aren’t the only way to keep people motivated. The right mix of creativity, modern tools, and genuine care can help your wellness program inspire, support, and grow alongside your team. And, we’re here for it! 

Start your journey with Starter Suite today. Looking for more customization? Explore Pro Suite. Already a Salesforce customer? Activate Foundations and try out Agentforce today.

AI supported the writers and editors who created this article.