If gym memberships are a waste of wellness dollars (see Rand Study and IL Wellness study) , why not give a smaller after-tax amount for people to spend on what they want. One idea is equipment. Give employees $150 to buy running shoes, ski poles, yoga pants, entry fees to races, or new mountain bike tires.
It’s the ultimate in choice. Yes, some would waste it but dollars are already going down the drain. Employees would appreciate it and have a deeper respect for their company, truly promoting a culture of wellness. Companies could even have a social media campaign where people are tagged doing what they want. That sounds radical but it’s what most people want. The fact that “wellness” had to get re-branded as “wellbeing” is a sign that it’s value is dubious.
Photo by Jeremy Lapak on Unsplash
