Redefining wellness: From fitness to full-spectrum health

Workplace wellness is expanding as employers take a more holistic view of what goes into supporting employee health and performance. Alongside familiar offerings like fitness and activity-based programs, today’s wellness strategies address the interconnected nature of physical, mental, social, and financial well-being. By promoting health literacy, preventive care, and a whole-person approach, organizations can better support employees while strengthening business outcomes.

Wellness was once synonymous with physical health, but that definition has expanded. Global Wellness Institute says wellness is “associated with an active process of being aware and making choices that lead toward an outcome of optimal holistic health and wellbeing.” There are multiple models for wellness, most of which have at least six dimensions. No matter what model you adhere to, it’s important to understand that there are many interconnected drivers of health.

When it comes to the workplace, this broader understanding of wellness shows up in benefits strategies that support employees’ physical health, financial stability, and mental well-being. Together, these benefits acknowledge that health is interconnected and directly influences how employees show up, perform, and stay engaged at work. For example, financial health directly impacts both physical and mental health. A 2024 study found that people who felt more financially secure and capable tended to report better physical and mental health over time, while those experiencing financial stress reported worse health outcomes. Similarly, mental health influences both physical and financial health, just as physical health affects mental well-being and financial stability.

Knowing this, wellness programs and benefits can be viewed as investments in employees that support reduced burnout and stronger long-term retention. This is especially true for preventive care, which is the care a person receives to reduce their chances of getting sick. Benefits-wise, we see preventive care promoted for physical, mental, and financial health in the form of:

• Step challenges and movement programs;
• Rewards for completing preventive activities, like attending an annual exam;
• Fitness reimbursements and gym memberships;
• Access to therapy and digital mental health tools;
• Stress management and mindfulness programs;
• Financial literacy workshops or webinars;
• Student loan or debt management support; and
• Nutrition education or healthy lifestyle programs.

Ultimately, the evolution of workplace wellness reflects a growing recognition that employee health is multifaceted and deeply interconnected. When organizations emphasize health literacy, preventive care, and a more informed, whole-person view of well-being, employees are better supported in making proactive choices about their health. Over time, this kind of culture helps strengthen engagement, resilience, and retention, which reinforces the idea that wellness is not just about benefits offered, but about how health is understood and supported at work.

Learn more about how we’re supporting wellness at Mass General Brigham Health Plan.