Protecting staff well-being has become essential to not only take care of your employees, but also to have a hugely positive impact on the success of the business. However, progress has slowed and employee wellbeing has become just another item to cross off the list.

Simply, employee wellness programs fail.

Having worked with leading organizations on their wellness programs, I have noticed a clear trend. They are too prescriptive and too focused on what they propose, rather than why they should propose such initiatives. The what inevitably becomes “things” – gym discounts or memberships, fruit bowls in kitchens, Friday pizzas – while the why – providing real support to real people with a variety of wants and needs – is neglected. Employee wellness programs are too static and fail to adapt to the wellness needs of each employee, especially their changing needs based on their current life stage.

In the end, it is the employee who loses. It’s a vicious cycle and it’s essential to rethink employee well-being and break the “illusion of happiness.” HR teams need to stop offering new benefits and perks without really thinking about how employees will physically engage with them in everyday life.

So how can HR leaders break this cycle? Start with the why. If the real goal is to ensure that employees feel supported and that they are not just surviving but thriving, this will allow companies to focus more clearly on what the strategy should be. This is how HR teams can transform employee wellness programs and reap huge benefits.

Find out how Heka is doing employee wellness programs correctly and start transforming your benefits today.