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Motivational Interviewing as a Leadership Strategy for Improved Employee Well-Being

It is no secret that we all want to be part of a positive and healthy work environment. Helping employees be well at work is about more than encouraging them to eat better and move more. Yes, those things are important, but employee well-being is also about creating work environments where employees feel authentically connected…

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Strategies for Mental Hygiene and Psychological Safety at Work

What actions can you take to maintain your own mental health and to ensure that your workplace is psychologically safe? Reaching these goals requires deliberate effort, according to the presenters of “Developing Leaders to Support Total Worker Health,” a recent webcast from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. LaBarron Burwell, faculty and employee assistance…


Cancer in the Workplace: How Employers Can Support Employees Who Are Diagnosed With Cancer

A cancer diagnosis can be life changing, and as patients try to navigate the “unknowns” of their new reality, many wonder how this diagnosis will impact their work life. Half of people diagnosed with cancer are within working age. Beyond that, half of diagnosed patients are afraid to tell their employers about their diagnosis even…


2024 Well Workplace Award Winners 

WELCOA’s Well Workplace Award sets the standard for workplace wellness, recognizing organizations that contribute to whole-person wellness through innovative workplace wellness initiatives. Each award winner has excelled in each of WELCOA’s 7 Benchmarks and has built and shaped high-performing, effective wellness programs.  All of our Well Workplace Award winners share a vision of protecting and…


Parents Are Stressed: How We Can Help 

The U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy recently released a Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Parents, highlighting the urgent need to better support parents, caregivers, and families to help our communities thrive. 


Best Health and Wellness for All

Health equity (or lack thereof) impacts multiple dimensions of personal well-being and can have a dramatic effect on employee job satisfaction. But what exactly is health equity? What does it look like in the workplace, and how can organizations work to become more equitable when it comes to employee health and wellness? In a special…


Thriving Together: Wellness and Group Benefits in Hybrid and Remote Work

Once viewed as a rare perk, working from home (WFH) became necessary for many during the pandemic. Despite the benefit’s popularity among many workers and businesses, some organizations have reverted their WFH policies amid fears of losing productivity and collaboration, replacing flexible and remote work arrangements with in-person mandates. In his article “Rethinking Group Insurance…


Fostering Joy to Fuel Well-Being

What is that spark that can connect us more deeply and more meaningfully to our lives and our work? Transcendent states of joy and awe contribute to a more positive relationship with work and can even impact our relationships with others. While this concept may seem nebulous, it is likely we have all experienced transcendence…


The Business Case for a More Meaningful and Joyful Employee Experience

After an optimistic uptick in organizational investments in employee experience in 2021 and 2022, researchers are tracking concerning declines. Employee engagement rates dropped from 41% in 2022 to 37% in 2023, and the declines have continued into 2024. Gallup announced employee engagement rates hit an 11-year low point after the first quarter of this year.…


Understanding and Addressing the Women’s Health Gap

Women continue to juggle increased home and work responsibilities, with many making sacrifices in terms of pay or quitting their jobs due to the ongoing impacts of the pandemic. While progress has been made to address issues like the gender pay gap and the underrepresentation of women in certain professions and leadership roles, there is…


Human Nature: Wellness Benefits of the Outdoors

It should come as no surprise that the spaces we occupy every day have a huge impact on our overall wellness. The Environmental Protection Agency and Vancouver Coastal Health report that Americans and Canadians spend about 90% of their time indoors. But what about the time we spend outdoors?


Shaping Human-Centered Workplace Cultures

From the increased necessity for remote work to trends in employee turnover and new generations entering the workforce, work as we have known it is changing. Although these numerous changes have forced organizations to adapt rapidly, one aspect where workplaces are still falling behind is culture.


Building Meaningful Relationships

In recent years, a startling trend has emerged: We are feeling lonelier than ever, especially at work. BetterUp reports that 69% of U.S. employees are not satisfied with the opportunities for connection in their workplace. This is especially troubling because most of us spend a majority of our time at work, surrounded by colleagues and…


Exploring the Contexts for Healthy Change

Change is necessary—now more than ever. Between the popularity of remote work and the emergence of AI technologies, it has become increasingly important for organizations to be change ready and adaptable. In the webinar “Setting the Contexts for Healthy Change” presented by WELCOA and the National Wellness Institute (NWI), Hanlie van Wyk and Colin Bullen…


The Road Less Traveled—High Impact Wellness Initiatives

I recently had the honor to speak at the Midwest Business Group on Health’s annual conference in Chicago. The theme was “Buckle Up! Employers Driving Real Change Through Transparency and Innovation.” The U.S. continues to outspend every other developed nation in healthcare expenditures. These costs are now north of 17% of our GDP, which is…


Reducing Loneliness: 4 Action Steps for Employers

During the COVID-19 pandemic, people spent a lot of time isolated and indoors, which helped foster an environment where some people now feel lonelier than ever. The result is a loss of social connectedness—the degree to which people feel the social connections and relationships in their lives to satisfy their wants and needs. When social…


Five Steps to Nurture Belonging in the Workplace

Building a sense of belonging in the workplace is crucial for employee well-being and performance. Discover five strategic steps, applicable even for remote workers, that not only reduce turnover and sick days but also foster a strong culture of support. From addressing cultural differences to prioritizing mental well-being, these steps provide a roadmap for employers to create a workplace where every employee feels valued and connected.


Six Steps to Addressing Mental Health in the Workplace

I’d like to think I’m working toward breaking down the stigma of mental health. I have family members, friends and colleagues who struggle with various challenges, and I have had bouts of anxiety and depression throughout my life. Yet, when someone is right in front of me, clearly struggling, I still find myself paralyzed by what to say or do.


A Restful Resolution: Prioritizing Sleep Health in the New Year

Amidst the chaos of our daily routines, sleep frequently becomes a secondary priority to the demands of work, social engagements, and the constant allure of screens. How often this year have you found yourself staying up late, trying to make up for lost time?


Creating a Heart-Healthy Culture for Yourself and Your Workplace

The American Heart Association, marking its centenary in 2024, highlights heart disease as the top cause of death in the U.S. During American Heart Month, they emphasize lifestyle changes and organizational strategies to promote longer, healthier lives for all.


WELCOA and the National Wellness Institute (NWI) Announce New Partnership

The National Wellness Institute (NWI) is joining WELCOA as an affiliate of the International Foundation. Together, the International Foundation, WELCOA, and NWI will enhance their ability to serve a diverse community of professionals who play a key role in shaping the health and well-being of individuals and workplaces.


Moving Well Into the New Year

Join the wave of belonging, collaboration, and personal growth—because 2024 is not just a new year; it’s a chance to make ripples that change the world.


Fostering a Workplace Culture of Giving Back Through Blood Donation

Did you know that, in America, someone urgently needs blood every two seconds? This need extends beyond unexpected emergencies, such as car crashes. It encompasses a wide range of medical treatments including cancer therapies, cardiovascular and orthopedic surgeries, and organ and bone marrow transplants.


Prepare for 2024 Worksite Wellness: Closing the Gap

It’s crucial to authentically communicate the significance of work to employees, utilizing organizational supports like professional pathways and demonstrating social impacts. Failure to do so may lead to demotivation and increased turnover. Understanding how to effectively showcase meaningful work through values and actions is essential.


The First Two Steps to Prepare for 2024 Worksite Wellness

BY: Derek Bell // VP, Solutions & Clinical Operations • VITAL WorkLife Let’s start with the obvious—2024 stands to be a pivotal year for worksite well-being. Many wellness, HR, and Benefits professionals are in strategic planning mode for the next calendar year. While it’s critical that each organization examine its own data to understand employee…


What’s Emerging in the World of Workplace Well-Being for 2024?

Many wellness, HR, and benefits professionals are in strategic planning mode for the next calendar year. While it’s critical for each organization to examine its own data to understand employee needs, it’s also helpful to consider emerging trends in workforce well-being.


Offering Psychedelics, Like Ketamine, as an Employee Benefit

There is growing evidence and interest in psychedelic medication as a way to improve mental well-being. What implications does this have for employers? Will psychedelics be the next Ozempic?


Key Takeaways from WELCOA Summit 2023

A look back at the takeaways, highlights, and power of the 2023 WELCOA Summit.


The Power of Workplace Friendships: Building Stronger, More Connected Teams

Workplace leaders who apply intentional strategies in a few key areas of social well-being can create stronger, more connected, and more successful organizations where employees thrive together through the power of workplace friendships.


Science Alone Is Not Enough

If we are going to positively change the health and well-being for people in every nation, in every community, in every workplace, and in every team, science alone is not enough. We also need art to help us do that work.


Why Emotional Intelligence is the Key to Organizational Wellness

Emotionally intelligent leaders help to foster a culture of psychological safety, inclusion and belonging, and employee voice – things that are essential to creating healthy organizations.


Why Resilience is the Cure for Feeling Overwhelmed

Before the COVID pandemic, workers talked about not having capacity and a less than optimum work/life balance. Now, after over 40+ months of the pandemic, with work-from-home and return to/hybrid work dynamics, social justice, and hyper-partisan politics, workers feel like they have been pushed to the brink of exhaustion from feelings of being overwhelmed.


10 Ways to Nourish Your Well-Being at WELCOA Summit

Can you imagine going to a conference and coming back even more refreshed than when you showed up? Check out these 10 opportunities to nourish your well-being at WELCOA Summit this year.


Can We (Please) Move Beyond Imposter Syndrome?

While it’s crucial to address one’s self-doubt, slapping the label “imposter syndrome” on it might not be the best approach. Learn why this in this blog.


7 Habits of Highly Happy People

Consider these 7 habits and rituals to add to your weekly routine to boost your own happiness – they are guaranteed to elevate your mood and put a smile on your face.


Massachusetts’ Workplace Wellness Program Law May Set the Standard

Massachusetts happens to have one of the most comprehensive workplace wellness program laws, and it may just set the bar for other states to follow.


International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans and WELCOA Expand Workplace Wellness Impact Through New Partnership

The International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans and the Wellness Council of America (WELCOA) have formalized a strategic alliance to amplify the collective mission of improving the health and well-being of workplaces across the United States and Canada.


Why Wellness Law?

Appreciating the purpose behind workplace wellness laws and then adopting those concepts into a workplace wellness program can lead to more inclusive and hence more successful programs. Learn five reasons why wellness law is crucial to any successful workplace wellness program.


Let’s Elevate Change by Taking a More Holistic Approach to Workforce Well-Being

It’s time to take a more holistic approach to workforce well-being by expanding our offerings and resources to address three innate human needs: the need for meaning and purpose, the need for connection and belonging, and opportunities and support to connect with something bigger than ourselves.


Well Workplace Award Winners of Q2 2023

Congratulations to our Q2 Well Workplace Award Winners! These organizations share a vision of protecting and enhancing the health and well-being of each and every employee as part of the very fabric of their organization.


Who’s Responsible for Complying with Federal Workplace Wellness Laws? A Recent Lawsuit Provides Insight.

It’s important to know where the legal responsibility falls when it comes to operating an employee wellness program.


7 Strategies for Building Well-Being into Your Corporate DNA

Workplace wellness initiatives are at the heart of top performing organizations in the United States. Companies with a successful workplace wellness initiative recruit top talent, retain tenured employees, and overall have happier, healthier, and higher performing teams. But how do we engage our employees in wellness?


Conference Green Flags: How to Choose the Right One for You

Professional conferences are back, and there are plenty of them to choose from. You have the budget, you have the time, you need the continuing education credits, and let’s be honest, you could use some time away from the office. So how do you choose the right one for you?


Breaking the Silence: The Butterfly Effect of Opening Up About Mental Health

BY: Brian Quinn, Senior Global Wellness Specialist, CooperVision When I was five years old, my grandmother, a great philanthropist with her time, took my brother and me to a nursing home to visit no one in particular. This was back in the day when you could just walk into a place such as a nursing…


Summit San Diego

10 Reasons WELCOA Summit is THE Wellness Conference to Attend in 2023

The days of conferences aren’t over, but the days of conferences that don’t bring meaning and impact are. We’re building something different because you deserve something different. WELCOA Summit fuses community, think tank, and an ultimate self-care experience into a full, four-day, immersive experience for the heart, mind, and soul. Here are 10 reasons WELCOA…


The Power of Believing You Are Good Enough

The whole world is run by people who simply believe they are good enough to do the work. People in leadership are there either due to privilege, perseverance, or a combination of both.


You Can’t Afford to Keep Wondering if You Have What it Takes

As the work of corporate well-being continues to expand in ways we have been fighting for, don’t take yourself out of the fight. Chances are, you are the only person who has been looking at company dynamics through the lens of employee well-being.


Well Workplace Award Winners of Q4 2022 and Q1 2023

There are many “Employer of Choice” awards that an organization can choose to apply for in order to stand out and attract top talent, but the Well Workplace Award sets a new standard for what it means to be human at work by recognizing organizations that are contributing to human flourishing and thriving through their…


Following Fads Won’t Find You Solutions

As the work of corporate wellness continues to expand in scope, seasoned professionals may find themselves wondering, “Is this a job for me? Am I equipped to deliver on this?” The world needs leaders who intimately understand the needs of employees and who are willing to roll up their sleeves to get it done.


Wearing Too Many Hats

As wellness professionals, we do have a multitude of factors to expertly consider to successfully support an organization in this work, but we don’t have to be an expert in every area. We need to be experts in the 7 Benchmarks of a Well Workplace.


What Really is Workplace Wellness?

If you’ve been involved in human resources, employment, or wellness professions for long, you’ve been along for the ride of evolving focuses and terminology. At times you may have even been left asking yourself, “what really is workplace wellness?”


Let’s Talk Money – Part 3

It doesn’t matter how much financial education you provide if you aren’t paying your employees a living wage. Companies that offer dignified working conditions and livable wages will continue to recruit and maintain talent. Without that talent, employers will fail.


Let’s Talk Money – Part 2

When a salary increase alone isn’t enough to provide a job that supports overall well-being, data can validate growth potential.


Let’s Talk Money – Part 1

It’s uncomfortable to talk about money when you’re placing a value on yourself. The conversation is about more than your worth. It’s about how a company values your expertise.


Workplaces Aren’t Safe Until We Address Gun Violence

If we are going to promote workplaces that support the well-being of all working people, we cannot ignore the staggering statistics and impact gun violence has created.


Changing the Game: Four Professionals Who Gave Wellness a Glow Up

Four professionals, across very different industries have stepped up, answered the call, and are leaders in the glow up that the wellness industry is experiencing. These are their stories.


Influence is a Learned Leadership Skill

Influence is the ability to invite others into the leadership of the potential. It is not a sales pitch for the existence of said potential, it’s about inviting people into the action.


Well Beyond Benefits: The Business Case for Moving Wellness Out of Benefits

Many companies have their health and wellness strategy delivered as a subset of their health benefits. There is certainly some logic in this model, but is this the best model?


Welcome To 2023: A Revolutionary Year For The Way We Work

Welcome to 2023. This is the year historians will mark as the starting point of a movement that changed work for the next 50 years. Welcome to the movement.


A Look Back at 2022: Our Year of Safety

This year we called workplace wellness leaders to pivot away from the status quo, answer the call to meet the greatest need, and step into a place of powerful change. Our year of safety was one for the record books, all because of you.


How ERISA Fiduciary Duty Can Improve Workplace Wellness Programs

Workplace wellness professionals can always use ideas to help gain more support for effective workplace wellness programs. Another tool to create more effective wellness programs is ERISA fiduciary duty.


The Impact and Humanity of Layoffs

While having a “reduction in workforce” is never easy for anyone, having emotionally intelligent, compassionate conversations can go a long way in providing understanding for both parties.


How to Effectively Scale Wellness Consulting Services

If brokers and consultants want to maintain their vital seats at the industry table, it’s essential that they know how to anticipate change and how to effectively scale their services. The time for scaling up is now, WELCOA has the pathway to make that happen.


Rebalancing the Pillars of Wellness

The traditional four pillars approach to employee well-being has the right elements, but they’re not all equal. Investing in financial health should be the top priority, or efforts to deliver physical, mental, and social well-being will fall short.


How to Support Employee Mental Health in a Remote Work World

While remote work offers flexibility, freedom, safety, and comfort, it can also increase social isolation, feelings of loneliness, poor communication, work guilt, and poor work-life balance if a system for mental health promotion is missing. Here are some important considerations for supporting mental health in a remote work environment.


Psychological Safety at Work: The Remote Advantage

The remote/hybrid/onsite discussion is heating up. After the newness of no commute and improved work-life balance has worn off, a set of strong contrarian views seems to be emerging.


Pay Gaps Are Hazardous to Your Organization’s Health

Psychological safety at work is now recognized to be so vital that it is among the current priorities of the U.S. Surgeon General. This article explores the intersection of psychological safety and wage equality, including through the lenses of critical business metrics and human experiences.


The Real Meaning of Financial Wellness

Many businesses are beginning to supplement rising salaries they simply cannot afford with soft perks like pet insurance and house plant budgets. But, many are overlooking a benefit that employees are already asking for–Financial Wellness.


In Their Own Words: SkinIO Users Share Their Stories

When is the last time you looked at your skin? Really looked at it – to examine a spot that had changed or a new one that you noticed for the first time? If your answer is “it’s been a while,” you’re not alone. Though 1 in 5 of us will get skin cancer, far too few of us are looking. And the majority of employees in the U.S. have never been to see a dermatologist. SkinIO exists to fill that vital blind spot, by allowing anyone anywhere to perform a full-body skin exam with their smartphone in just 10 minutes. And we’ll connect them to in-person care if they need it.


Unhealthy workplace cultures and other workplace factors are part of America’s declining physical and mental health. Now employers are being called to be part of the solution. Surgeon General Releases Framework.

Yesterday the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released the Surgeon General’s Framework for Mental Health & Well-Being in the Workplace. The Surgeon General’s message released with this framework is powerful. It is a signal to employers that it is time to stop asking questions about whether employee well-being is their responsibility.


The True Benefits of a Benefits Package – How Standout Benefits Amplify Employee Well-Being

When planning your evolving benefits for a new year, take into consideration the purpose behind your offerings and the unique demographics that you serve.


Improve Employee Engagement with an Integrated Approach to Well-Being

Organizations have renewed their focus on employee well-being, seeking to improve the health and productivity of their workforce, as well as more effectively manage costs.


What is the Workplace? How Flexible Work is Redefining the Employee Experience

The concept that work doesn’t always have to take place in one physical workplace, from the hours of 9 AM – 5 PM has unlocked the potential for organizations and individuals alike to improve and transform the way work is done and experienced. Here are some key ways flexible and remote work is reinventing the employee experience and the future of the ‘workplace’.


10 Effective Actions to Drive Employee Engagement

Employee engagement: essential for company success but (at times) difficult to achieve. Even the most interested and well-intentioned employees need convenience and a supportive culture to drive participation.


Tools for Designing Work for Well-Being

The workplace landscape is evolving, a new generation of the workforce is emerging with unique needs, and employees continue to demand better work experience. Businesses must consider the one factor that addresses it all: designing work for well-being.


Mental Health for All: The Missing Middle and Beyond

Mental health is more than simply the absence of mental illness. Despite the fact that 83% of people will experience mental health issues by middle age, it’s a topic that has long been misunderstood and stigmatized. These issues range from temporary periods of overwhelming stress to more serious, chronic conditions.


4 Ways to Lead Mental Health at Work

While there is growing research demonstrating that employers are beginning to step up to the plate, that is just one piece of the equation. The real question is how can employers be sure their mental health initiatives are going to hit a home run when it comes to cultivating healthy, happy, safe workplaces?


Change You Can Feel: How Leaders Can Drive a Mentally Healthy Culture

Global events have altered how we deal with racial injustice, social interactions, the cost of living, war and more. One day soon, the climate emergency will force an urgent review of how we live. Just like Covid-19 redrew our relationship with work.


Well Workplace Award Winners of Q3 2022

Congratulations to our Q3 Well Workplace Award Winners! These organizations share a vision of protecting and enhancing the health and well-being of each and every employee as part of the very fabric of their organization.


The Solution to Employee Wellness: Personalized Approach

What an amazing event Onward: Breakthrough Solutions was a few weeks ago, expertly designed and hosted by WELCOA! The resilience and ingenuity attendees demonstrated over the past couple years was apparent. Their respective employee population approaches or innovative business solutions in response to the VUCA circumstances were on full display!


What is ‘Quiet Quitting’ and How Should Workplaces Respond?

The buzz phrase ‘quiet quitting’ has been trending on social media and it’s starting some important conversations from all different perspectives. The workplace landscape is changing and employers must choose how to respond in the moment and for the long haul. Here’s what workplaces need to consider.


Employee Belonging Makes Business Better

The world of work has changed over the past few years. Many roles have shifted to hybrid or remote opportunities, allowing employees to have better flexibility with their schedules. And many are happier for it—they get more time back in their day to focus on their families, hobbies and other responsibilities outside of the workplace.


Breakthroughs of the 2022 WELCOA Summit

A look back at the takeaways, highlights, people, and power of the 2022 WELCOA Summit.


Solving for EX: How Holistic Approaches to Mental Health Can Improve Employee Experience

While hybrid work models and bumps in pay have proven to be positive outcomes of the pandemic, employees are still increasingly unhappy in their current roles.


Are HRAs and Biometric Screens “Medical Benefits” Under ERISA? Why Should Employers Care if They Are?

Whether employer-provided biometric screens and/or health risk assessments (HRAs) qualify as “medical care” is important because a number of federal laws apply to employer-sponsored plans that provide “medical care” or “medical benefits” to employees.


How Does Social Media Impact Well-Being?

Research has shown a correlation between social media use and its negative effect on body image and disordered eating, and anxiety and depression. For that reason, technology like social media could be considered a social determinant of health.


What is Wellness?

If employers want to grow and stay competitive, they must broaden their understanding of what makes individuals well and actively seek to make a positive impact within the workplace.


WELCOA Select Matches Great Wellness Vendors with Great Companies

We recognize the role that technology plays in our ability to scale well-being programs, but shopping for vendors, consultants, apps, and training can be cumbersome as the market expands. Learn what we’re doing to simplify the way you filter out the noise to find the best fit for your needs.


What I Wish I Had Known About Workplace Conflict

We are socially conditioned to work toward kindness, respect, and comfort. However, most conflict feels uncomfortable, and many people don’t learn how to operate through conflict with kindness and respect. For that reason, unfortunately, a lot of our disagreements in the workplace are avoided.


Ethical Considerations of Incentive Design

We know the heart of this community. It is pure gold. We also know that sometimes industries cause unintentional harm. We believe in the power of this community to have hard conversations.


How WELCOA is Influencing HR and Well-Being Tech

Caring for the well-being of employees is so much more than a program. We believe well-being propels organizational success by enabling human performance.


How to Retain New Employees: The Other Side of the Great Resignation

Employers have a choice—either own their responsibility to create a workplace that retains top talent and change the things within their control, or maintain the status quo and become accustomed to volatile turnover rates.


Why Executive Well-Being Positions Matter

As the way we work changes, so do the positions that support these changes. According to LinkedIn data, there’s been a 13% growth in existing job titles that reference culture or well-being since 2019.


Well Workplace Award Winners of Q2 2022

Congratulations to our Q2 Well Workplace Award Winners! These organizations share a vision of protecting and enhancing the health and well-being of each and every employee as part of the very fabric of their organization.


10 Bonus Activities to Enjoy During WELCOA Summit

An in-person conference means in-person experiences outside of the office! Can you even fathom that? We can, and we’ve thought up some other activities that you can enjoy if you join us in Chicago for WELCOA Summit.

Check out our Top 10 Bonus Activity recommendations for you to do with your team or new conference acquaintances!


The Significance of “Voluntary” in Workplace Wellness Programs

As a wellness law expert, I am of the strong opinion that the words “voluntary” and “required” do not belong in the same sentence, much less the same paragraph when talking about worksite wellness programs that involve employee health information collection.


Webinar Reflections: The Addiction Epidemic and Its Impact on Employers

The addiction epidemic is a public health issue that can and should be addressed in the workplace. Employers have a lot more power in how these public health issues get addressed than they might think. Learn tangible steps for how workplaces can be a part of the solution in this week’s blog.


Member Spotlight: SECURA Harnesses the Power of Creativity and Leadership to Enhance Wellness

Life on the Farm: At This Insurance Company, Associates Get a Workstation, a Garden Plot, and Full Permission from Leadership to Embrace Wellness


Preaching To The Choir

Five years ago, no one was talking about what was missing in workplace wellness. There was no choir to preach to about change. While employers have added more robust offerings to include financial well-being, mental health support, and resilience training, many programs still struggle to effectively meet the needs of the employees or the business.


Member Spotlight: Dean Health Plan Breaks the Mold

Breaking the mold and redefining workplace wellness.


Safety and Worksite Wellness: Lurking Traps and Hidden Opportunities

We all live in more than one world. Many employees spend the day in an office environment, whether virtual or physical. But they spend more time in their worlds outside of work. Health and wellness-focused goals that sound straightforward and achievable on paper quickly and easily bump up against some pretty tough challenges in off-work hours and spaces.


Member Spotlight: WithersRavenel Prioritizing Wellness to Attract and Retain Talent

Choosing Well-Being as a Priority Was Instrumental to WithersRavenel Becoming an Employer of Choice


The Common Thread that Weaves Together High-Performing Wellness Programs

In 2021, WELCOA partnered with the Returns on Wellbeing Institute to conduct a study. Why? There was a big problem that we knew needed to be solved.


What It Takes to Elevate Well-Being in an Organization – How It Happened at Presbyterian Healthcare Services

The Solutions Group is a subsidiary of Presbyterian Healthcare Services (PHS), a not-for-profit health system based in the State of New Mexico. As a healthcare provider, PHS has always understood the importance of maintaining the health and well-being of its staff. In recent years, the organization decided to make it a strategic imperative. They turned to a team of internal well-being specialists to make it happen.


Supporting Parents at Work: Youth Mental Health

America is facing a dire mental health crisis for our young people, as the pandemic upended their education, social lives, and support networks. Are you equipped to support the parents, caretakers, and guardians of those young people?


Leading the Way

How to Convince and Coach Your Executive Team to Gain Focus, Commitment, and Investment in Wellness


Using Mental Health Parity Law as a Tool to Design More Holistic Workplace Wellness Programs

It’s no secret that the Covid-19 pandemic has adversely impacted the mental well-being of many workers. Coupled with the tight job market, recruitment and retention of employees is a huge challenge for employers. Many employers may want to focus more heavily on the mental wellness of their employees, and for good reason.


Reclaiming Your Creative Life is the Key to Unlocking Wellness

Have you considered who are you beyond a parent, a partner, or a professional and why that matters? When was the last time you gave yourself permission to reclaim time for you and your creative self?


Member Spotlight: Hillsborough County Public Schools

Organically Grown: How One School System Has Naturally Increased Engagement in Wellness by Nurturing the Growth of a Healthy Team of Champions


Put Mental Wellbeing at the Heart of the New Employee Experience

Content Contributed By:  It’s not news that COVID-19 has radically changed how work gets done and how employees interact with their organizations. What is striking is how these changes have coincided with the evolving demographics of the global workforce and, as a result, created the need for a fresh look at the employee experience. More…


Leadership, Culture, Strategy – The City of Albuquerque’s Blueprint for Building a Healthy Workforce with Wellness

The city of Albuquerque has made a long-term commitment to wellness and has invested in a five-year strategic plan that includes programs for improving physical activity, nutrition and brain health. It also offers support for lowering health risks associated with chronic disease.


Build it and they will come. But will they stay?

Benefits Utilization Might Be the Missing Piece to the Employee Retention Puzzle This past summer, four million Americans quit their jobs (US Bureau of Labor Statistics). The Great Resignation, set off and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, means many employers are looking at every aspect of their workplace under the microscope, including their benefits plans.…


The Surprising Reasons Your Wellness Vendor Relationships Aren’t Working

Relationships are hard. And not all of them make it. This is true for people, and it’s true for the partnerships you form with wellness vendors.


Why Safety Is Our 2022 Well-Being Baseline

Safety is one of seven areas of well-being. WELCOA respects the research that underscores a workplace’s responsibility to address this core tenet of wellness. When selecting our 2022 theme, we had an epiphany. For decades our industry has been giving people life rafts in the form of a wellness program when they are drowning and attempting to help them recover their well-being.


Member Spotlight: Froedtert – Caring for Frontline Healthcare Employees

Caring for the Caregivers–how one hospital is helping frontline healthcare workers stay connected with their own well-being practices.


Creativity Leads to Productivity

Can you give yourself permission to expand your knowledge within your area of expertise, follow a new curiosity or develop a new skill? I call this form of creativity your ‘Unicorn Space,’ but like the mythical equine that inspired the name, it doesn’t exist until you give yourself—and others—the permission to reclaim, rediscover, and nurture it.


Happy Holidays from WELCOA!

The WELCOA team is gearing up for the new year by reflecting on what we each have learned this year that we will carry on into 2022. We look forward to continuing to partner with you toward our mission to be a transformative force that improves the health and well-being of all working people. Happy Holidays!


Member Spotlight: Sun Prairie Area School System

Listen, Listen, Listen – Sun Prairie Area School System Shares Its Success Secrets, Including How the District Uses Wellness as a Talent Magnet


Why Workplace Wellness Professionals are Best Equipped to Handle the COVID19 Vaccine Mandate Debacle

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. There. I said it. The federal government’s attempt at instituting a COVID19 vaccine mandate is a debacle. President Biden’s announcement on September 9, 2021 of…


The Case For Elevating Human Resources

Human capital drives and determines American competitiveness. Now, and in the coming years, human capital management will be imperative for all companies, and it requires that HR sit at the leadership table.


Member Spotlight: Higginbotham

Higginbotham offers employers a single-source solution for insurance, financial, and HR services. The firm was established in 1948 and ranks by revenue as the nation’s 20th largest independent insurance firm, serving thousands of businesses and individuals through locations across 10 states. The company’s wellness journey began with a very focused program for tobacco cessation.


We Are Grateful For You

In this line of work, you rarely have the opportunity to see the full impact of the work.


A Personal Reflection: Grief 101 — Understanding Grief in the Workplace

I remember sitting at my desk at my first job. I started it knowing that my dad had cancer, but not grasping the fact that he could die. Deep down, I knew it was probable, but I could not come to terms that a world could exist without him.


The New Dawn of Employee Mental Health in 3 Acts

The traditional and still typical employee mental health model focuses on reacting to specific employee needs as they arise – things like employee assistance programs (EAPs) and occupational health referrals. Rather than focusing only on those who are already experiencing challenges (roughly 1 in 5 Americans will experience mental ill-health each year), Nick designed Unmind to help companies proactively and preventatively support all of their employees.


The Fate of Telehealth and State Licensure Laws Post-COVID19, and How Wellness Programs can Adapt

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. Many wellness providers and programs want to take advantage of the increasing availability of virtual platforms to deliver health and wellness services to patients and…


Member Spotlight: Core Creative

Culture Teams, Group Learning, and Office Olympics – How Core Creative Keeps Wellness Fresh and Flexible, While Staying True to Its Purpose


Silly Wellness Scaries

Stories from the trenches.


Lessons Learned from an Award-Winning School District

Self-Care, Collaboration, and Creativity


Should Large Employers Mandate the COVID19 Vaccine?

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. As discussed in previous blog posts, on September 9, 2021, President Biden announced his Path Out of the Pandemic plan through a press conference. That…


Drexel University: Authenticity and Approachability

With approximately 24,000 students, Drexel University is one of America’s 15 largest private universities. Drexel serves three distinct populations: students, faculty, and professional staff. In some cases, a lack of integration among these groups can make wellness a little harder to deliver. “Although our program is mostly geared toward employees, we try to bring all our populations together whenever possible,” said Monica Fauble, wellness consultant for Drexel. “A few examples are our walking club and meditation groups, which are open to students, faculty, and staff.”


3 Things Your Corporate Wellness Program Needs Right Now

Let’s keep things simple. It’s been another whirlwind of a year. We have heard from several of you that you’re not sure which direction to take your corporate wellness strategy right now. Here are three things you can do right now.


Member Spotlight: Well Workplace Award Winner Garver

This engineering firm places high value on data to ensure they deliver meaningful solutions in a high-stakes environment.


We Want Our Employees to Get the COVID19 Vaccine. Now What?

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. Now that the Biden Administration is requiring employers with 100 or more employees to mandate the COVID19 vaccine or conduct weekly employee testing, more employers…


From Migration to Acquisition: Tips For Your Talent Strategy

For decades, employees have waited for companies to improve or deliver on promises of a better future. The pandemic illuminated for many employees that their company simply wasn’t going to get the job done. Right now, companies are either experiencing a migration, an acquisition, or worse yet, nothing.


Creating Psychologically Safe Workplaces

Psychological safety increases job satisfaction and commitment to organizations. It also enhances engagement, increases helping behavior, and improves work performance. Overall, psychological safety is a key mechanism that predicts plenty of positive outcomes for employees and organizations. So, what does psychological safety entail?


Innovation Extends To Our People Practices

Innovation requires that you recognize that things could be better. This is a vulnerable move when it comes to being in relationship with other human beings. Maybe this is why we’ve been avoiding it. It’s time to think bigger, to be vulnerable, to build better trust by serving employees’ needs rather than measuring their productivity, to apologize for what you’ve gotten wrong, and communicate openly about your efforts to create a better workplace for your people. They are, after all, giving their livelihood to your success.


Considering The Whole Human: Simone Biles

What if your inability to let your employees take a step back when they are experiencing the messiness of life is damaging the whole team? Given that everyone goes through life events and challenges that impact their performance, it’s likely that the issue isn’t their inability to be a superhero in that moment, but rather, the organization’s inability to respond effectively.


Can Health Coaches Legally Offer Mindfulness/Meditation Training?

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. Given the increased stress felt by employees, particularly in the aftermath of COVID-19, many employers and wellness professionals may seek assistance from health and wellness…


Enriching Every Life: How Gundersen Health Drives Wellness Through Personalization and Prevention

Enriching every life. This is the core mission for Gundersen Health System. It applies to the patients and communities they serve, and it also holds true for their employees. The population health team at Gundersen is responsible for delivering health and wellness programming to support the health system’s workforce. And the number one focus for this team is to deliver personalized support to each and every employee.


Good Deeds Lead to Well-Being: How Kohler Co. Supports the Health and Wellness of Associates and Communities with a Heart for Social Impact

Based in Wisconsin, Kohler Co. is a global leader in the design and manufacture of kitchen and bath products, engines, generators, and clean energy solutions. The company also offers premium lifestyle experiences through a network of golf courses, resorts, and spas. Overall, the company employs more than 35,000 associates across six continents.
At Kohler, well-being starts with good deeds.


Employer Updates Relating to COVID-19

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. Last month, we wrote about the EEOC update to its COVID-19 vaccination guidance, stating that the EEOC now allowed employers to offer incentives to employees…


Design Thinking for Well-Being

What do you do when you know that “this is the way we’ve always done it” is not going to work anymore?


What Can Professional Tennis Teach us About Workplace Wellness?

There are two popular narratives we love to tell in our society. 1. We care deeply about mental health and seek to support those struggling. 2. People are responsible for their own health and well-being as demonstrated by their resilience and determination. What happens when people take responsibility for their health and well-being by setting a boundary with their employer when that employer has stated that they care deeply about mental health and seek to support those struggling?


Is Workplace Wellness the Engine That Can Fuel Value-Based Care?

There are few things everyone in healthcare can agree upon, but one exception is the fact that fee-for-service payment models are no longer sustainable. It is almost universally accepted that we must reward providers based on outcomes, not activity, if we want to dramatically improve healthcare in the U.S.


Six Ways to Get your Reactions to Stress Under Control

This year more than any other we have learned that we are stressed beyond our limits. Stress was already becoming an issue with 66% of Americans approaching burnout, according to Gallup.


Fighting Fire with Fire: A Clarion Call to the Wellness Community – The World Needs Us Now

You can see it in their eyes. Hear it in their voices. Feel it in the air. This pandemic has scorched the emotional, physical, social, and financial well-being of our workforces. You don’t need stats to understand this truth. Our collective health is on fire.


Amazon’s Wellness Program: What Went Wrong & What Happens Next

With all of the news surrounding Amazon’s new wellness program and lots of people weighing in (Mashable, The Verge, Gizmodo) with little to no workplace well-being expertise, we put together our thoughts to shed some light from an expert lens.


New Research: What Well Workplaces Are Teaching Us about Strategic Well-Being

A brand new well-being imperative is foundational to the future of work, and WELCOA in partnership with the Returns on Wellbeing Institute is applying a “what works” philosophy to what should happen next to bring more health and humanity into the workplace.


The Legal Importance of Group Health Plan Status

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. Determining your wellness program’s “group health plan” status is an important first step for achieving compliance. Whether your workplace wellness program qualifies as a group…


The Frantic Rise of Consumer Wellness: Combat the Craze or Ride the Wave?

In case you missed it, Playboy is a wellness company now. So is Amway. At L’Oreal it’s not about the makeup. They are filling the fundamental need for beauty, which taps deep into our “sense of belonging, self-realization, and self-confidence.” Sleep Number doesn’t sell beds. Its mission to improve lives by individuating sleep experiences. Even building a new home is a wellness experience now, with companies like Evolutionary Home Builders offering health-focused dwellings to maximize your well-being.


Breathe Your Way Into Those Restful ZZZZ’s

Whether you’re the person who can’t fall asleep or can’t fall back to sleep, we’ve got some breathwork tools and strategies to have you sleeping like a baby. To begin, let’s understand what’s happening in the body so we can make some changes during the day well before it’s time to go to bed.


Tying Wellness Incentives to Health Savings Accounts Legal Considerations

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. One question that frequently arises in my wellness law practice is whether and how employers can tie incentives to Health Savings Account (HSA) contributions. Given…


WFH In 2021: 4 Practical Strategies For Maintaining Mental Wellbeing

While there are many benefits to working from home, a lot of people will find it quite lonely and struggle to stay connected with their colleagues. With no commute each morning, and less engagement throughout the day, it’s all too easy to lose motivation and start feeling isolated. We take a look at four practical strategies for maintaining mental wellbeing as you’re working from home.


At Home Workouts and Tips for Success

The coronavirus outbreak has left millions of people without their normal gyms, exercise studios and fitness community. But being hunkered down at home doesn’t mean it’s an excuse to gain the #quarantine15.


Can Employers Legally Incentivize Employees to Take Better Care of Themselves?

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. It is in an employer’s best interest to have employees be healthy and happy, because such traits lead to more productivity and job satisfaction. But…


How the Proposed EEOC Wellness Incentive Rules May Impact Workplace Wellness Programs

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. On January 7, 2021, the EEOC finally released the proposed language revising the wellness incentive rules under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the…


Do You Really Know Resilience? New Research: How Organizations Should be Preventing Burnout

Leaders are beginning to rally around resilience and look for ways to build their workplaces, cultures, and resource base to help employees adapt effectively to life events.


Ignite Your Power

With almost 9 billion people on the planet, it’s going to take all of us, applying ourselves in unique ways to create positive change. In short, your unique leadership matters.


Isolation: Combating the Latest Lifestyle Risk to Good Health

COVID-19 is affecting employees across all sectors across the entire world in many ways—from a subclinical illness to death—and we’re practicing social distancing to flatten the curve. But is the “cure” creating additional risks, and how can it be avoided?


Working from Home: The Long-Term Effects on Employee Well-Being

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage in hotspots throughout the country and around the globe, it’s beginning to dawn on the working world that the “new normal” may mean continuing to work from home full-time, part-time, or on a flexible schedule.


Bounce Back and Rise to Excellence!

If 2020 taught us anything, it revealed how we process the stress of change, how we self-regulate, how we show up, or how we retreat. 2020 also revealed the incredible importance of our social connections to our mental, emotional, and physical well-being. One message rang clear – We are not meant to do life alone, we are designed for connection.


EEOC Releases Guidance for Mandating COVID19 Vaccines by Employers

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. Although the share of people who are willing to get the COVID19 vaccine has increased since Fall 2020, from about 64% in September 2020 to…


Onsite or Near-site Clinic Legal Issues

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. Many health and wellness professionals and companies see the advantage of providing direct care to employees at the worksite. However, before jumping into this exciting…


Temp Check: Is Your Planning Process Truly Collaborative?

WELCOA regularly promotes the importance of aligning an organization around a shared vision for employee well-being.


Strike While the Iron is Hot

Since the onset of the pandemic, employee health and well-being have quickly shifted to the foreground in the minds of business leaders. Now more than ever, our leaders are listening to guidance on how to create safe and healthy workplace environments, and cultures for employees.


Legal Issues with Offering Telemedicine as Part of Wellness Programs

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. We will be studying the fallout from COVID19 for years to come, but one change is already apparent: the increased use and popularity of telehealth.…


Announcing WELCOA’s Focus for 2021: Year of Resilience

A year ago, WELCOA announced that—of all of the basic human needs that comprise our definition of employee wellness—2020 would be our Year of Social Connection. At that time, we did not foresee the power of social connection as we experienced isolation and stress brought on by a global pandemic.


Misery & Well-Being Are Mutually Exclusive: The Issue with Corporate Wellness Culture Today

Let’s talk about grind culture – the belief that we have to do more to be good enough. It is basing the merits of self-care on productivity and approval rather than our inherent worth as human beings. It’s a constant hustle.


How to Unclutter Work and Life Resulting in Inner Calmness

Many of us made quick adjustments to our living spaces when the pandemic hit and we had to adapt quickly to everyone working from home. Many workspaces are now chaotic with clutter everywhere.


To Mandate COVID-19 Vaccines or Not? An Employer’s Dilemma

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. As each day of COVID-19 passes, anticipation for a vaccine to remove all the social barriers grows. According to the New York Times, researchers are…


Making the Workplace Whole: Meeting Basic Human Needs

Two years ago, WELCOA launched a list of basic human needs that we, along with a panel of experts, believed should be met to achieve true wellness at work. This blog kicks off an 8-part series that takes a deep dive into this definition and gives you tangible ways to help employees and organizations flourish.


Why Traditional Health Still Matters, But We Have to Get It Right!

This is the final post in our eight-part series exploring the necessity of fostering all areas of human wellness to make the workplace whole again. To be honest, it has been the hardest to write. As I started putting my thoughts together about why physical and mental health are so critical for making the workplace whole again, I couldn’t help thinking about the history of wellness programs over the years.


Reflecting Back On WELCOA Connect Idea Collective: The Future of Work & Social Connection

Over the past five weeks, WELCOA brought together 15 incredible subject matter experts to create conversations around the future of work and social connection. During a time of division in the world, whether from the global pandemic, racial injustice, or opposing political views, the need for connection is vital, more now than ever. The result of this Idea Collective has been awe-inspiring.


Cultivate Physical and Psychological Safety in Your Workplace

The core of a successful wellness strategy occurs when the groundwork is set for to know they are physically and psychologically safe. Making safety part of the everyday culture is something every company should be working towards.


Back to School, Back to Work, and a New Kind of Anxiety

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. September 2020 marks the start of a new school year unlike any other. For many, summer is now over and it’s back to work and…


Forget Stress Management: The Future of Work Requires Resilience

For WELCOA, no approach to well-being is complete without a conversation about burnout and resilience. Before the pandemic, many organizations addressed this in the form of a stress management initiative, but making the workplace whole again requires taking it one step further. It was true before COVID-19, and it is even more true today: none of us can really escape stress.


Another Dangerous Epidemic Is Creeping Into Your Workforce: Burnout

Last week my friend Sarah called and exclaimed, “I’m at my edge. I can’t do this anymore! Give me your therapist’s number, please!” Quite frankly I was surprised. I thought of Sarah as living a fantasy COVID lifestyle. She got to visit the beach safely several times a week. Sarah’s parents would sweep in to help with the kids.


Measuring What Matters Most

In today’s pandemic-ridden, rapidly changing world, employee health and well-being is a top priority for leaders. Well-being is viewed as an essential aspect of creating a high performing, thriving workplace. Well-being programs have been modified, expanded, and refocused to adapt to these changing needs.


Why Growth Opportunities Give Employees a Reason to Show Up

“I am a very growth-motivated person, and if you tell me that I don’t have any trajectory at my job, or I don’t feel like my company really cares if I grow personally, then I’m like… what’s the point of going?” This was a quote from a dear friend of mine this week as he and I caught up about how things are going in a post-COVID world.


Removing Barriers in the Workplace to Help Employees Achieve

Wellness thought leader and culture expert Judd Allen has collected data about goal achievement from thousands of employees across thousands of organizations. No matter what the job type, region or industry, he will tell you that one thing is consistent across all populations of people.


Why the EEOC Wellness Rules Shouldn’t Matter

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. At a wellness conference about a year ago I was chatting over breakfast with some workplace wellness professionals when one of them noticed my name…


What is the Meaning of All of This? Strategies for More Purpose at Work

For WELCOA, the construct of meaning and purpose has been central to our evolution of wellness.


How Better Connection Can Make the Workplace Whole

This is not the first time in our history that we have had to help workers be effective and maintain their well-being through periods of volatility, uncertainty and complexity and ambiguity (VUCA).


Civil Rights and Wellness

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. The recent US Supreme Court decision Bostock v. Clayton County giving protection against discrimination to LGBTQ employees does a lot more than expand Title VII’s…


WELCOA Well Workplace Award FAQs

The Well Workplace Process (including our all-new Well Workplace Award and Well Workplace Checklist takes WELCOA members on a journey from evaluation and education to validation and designation.


Health Coach Legal Guidelines

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. I work with a lot of health and wellness coaches. Unlike many other professions, none of the 50 states issue licenses, certificates or registrations to…


To Build Trust, Cut Down on Surveillance—Even for Employees Working at Home

According to a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, at least one type of business is flourishing in our COVID-19-induced world of remote work: companies selling tools that permit employers to monitor how employees spend their time.


The Future of Workplace Wellness is Occupational Health?

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. A wellness professional recently asked a wide audience what the future of wellness will look like post-COVID19. I responded that the overlap between occupational health…


Reframing Well-Being

Raise your hand if you have ever experienced a pandemic that required you to stay socially distanced for over a month… yeah, I hadn’t either, until now. Come to think of it, none of us have. There have been many pandemics over the course of the past 100 years, but none of them like this.


Using Tech to Keep Employees Safe

As states begin plans to re-open in the wake of COVID-19, businesses are faced with daunting questions around employee safety, privacy, and what returning to ‘business as usual’ means. While many have been comparing this pandemic to others throughout history, this time is unique and unprecedented for many reasons.


The Ultimate Balancing Act

All working parents have experienced the challenge of balancing work and kids for several generations, this is nothing new. However, since the global pandemic hit, many parents have added the title of teacher to their existing roles of parent and employee now performing all of these roles at once in their homes.


Caring for Earth as We Care for Ourselves

During this time of uncertainty, there is a lot of anxiety about what the future will bring, but there is also a lot of hope. Within just a few short weeks of social distancing, as we ceased traveling and producing at the rates that defined our lives before the pandemic, we were already seeing some amazing changes in the environment.


Three Surprising Details about the Expanded Paid Sick and Family/Medical Leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) expanded paid sick leave, as well as paid family and medical leave for employees who are not working…


How to Redesign Jobs to Improve Employee Health & Company Performance

Employers today face an epidemic of workplace stress and depression that takes an enormous toll on employees and company performance.


Navigating Coronavirus: The Power of Social Connection in a Crisis

How might we stay home, cancel everything and practice social distancing, while coming out stronger and more resilient on the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic, or any other crisis for that matter?


Micro-Moments of Self-Care

I called one of my clients to check in. The HR Director answered jokingly as she had been for the past week, “COVID Command Center. How can I help you?”


How COVID-19 Is Impacting the Workplace

We are in the midst of unprecedented times, and I want you to know you have a trusted partner to help navigate this uncharted territory. WELCOA has been supporting organizations for over 30 years and we are prepared to help our nation’s employers manage this situation and ensure all employees are taken care of.


COVID-19 & Social Isolation: How WELCOA Is Helping You Connect

WELCOA deemed 2020 the year of social connection because we know there is an important link between our relationships and our health, and we felt compelled to spend a year providing health promotion professionals with the best possible information about how they can leverage the power of social support and connection to improve the lives of their employees.


Answers to Your Most Burning Employment Law Questions about COVID-19

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. The Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has sent the United States into a tailspin. While the primary focus has been on containing the virus, employers have a…


Bringing Wellness Services Onsite: Remember the Corporate Practice of Medicine!

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. A client recently expressed interest in delivering wellness services onsite at various manufacturing companies. He is a licensed chiropractor and was hoping to teach employees…


Aging in Wellness: Understanding What Is Influencing Health Behavior in Our Aging Workforce

Aging in America is a scary proposition. Not only is getting “old” and looking old unpopular, but no one really wants to talk about it either. Turning fifty-five this past year has me in a very reflective place as a wellness professional and an aging citizen.


New Certification: “Navigating the Complex Waters of Human Behavior Change”

We all know that real change doesn’t come easily to people or organizations. This is because people are complex and not easily controlled. As a consequence, countless studies have shown that using incentives to promote change may result in short term compliance, but falter over the long term. There just isn’t a shortcut for meaningful…


Tackling Employee Tobacco Use: Consider the Legal Landscape Before Moving Forward

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. Many employers would like to reduce tobacco use among their employee population. One reason may be to reduce health care costs. Some studies have estimated…


Best Resources to Engage Employees in Wellness Right Away

Download a Sample Health Bulletin Download A question we often hear is “How do I start using resources like Health Bulletins and Expert Interviews? There are so many resources and trainings available and am not sure how to use each in my efforts!” Well, thank your lucky stars because we have an answer for you!…


Navigating the Complex Waters of Human Behavior Change

We are living and working in a world where disruption is the new normal – often referred to with the acronym VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous). Thriving in a VUCA world requires us to leverage new thinking and to adapt in ways like we’ve never experienced.


HR Has the Power to Change Its Bad Reputation

For years, human resources has been the department that everyone loves to criticize. More than 20 years ago, Tom Stewart, a Fortune editor at the time, suggested that instead of improving HR, the department should be abolished, eliminated, nuked.


Blood Donations Saved My Life

In the United States, someone needs blood every two seconds. I had heard similar statistics many times, but they never really sank in. At least until I found myself as part of that statistic.


2019 Year in Review

2019 was the biggest year yet for WELCOA! We presented at conferences from coast to coast with President Ryan Picarella even keynoting in three countries. We crushed records this year with our largest attendance at the WELCOA Summit and most continuing education opportunities ever offered in our Institute.


Whither the EEOC’s Proposed Rules on Wellness Incentives?

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. By now I thought I would have been able to share the news from the EEOC about their much-anticipated proposed rule changes to the Americans…


The impact of social connection on health

The Year of Social Connection

We need each other. We are all human. At least I think we are. No matter our race, ethnicity, size, first language, religion, sexual orientation, or anything else that makes us unique, we as humans require the same basic needs.


Workplace Wellbeing: Get the Fundamentals Right First

The landscape of workplace wellness has changed significantly in Ireland in recent years. The idea that wellness in the workplace consisted of bean bags, table tennis and a yoga class here and there is still the opinion of some. However, this view is dying out as we gain a greater understanding of what a healthy workplace really is.


What Does It Mean to Be a Well Workplace?

The Well Workplace Award application period is open! WELCOA’s VP of Business Development sits down with COO Sara Rauch for a quick conversation about how the award has evolved and why you should lead the charge to get your organization designated a Platinum Well Workplace.


Creating Connections at Work: Healing the Loneliness Epidemic

Loneliness is on the rise, particularly in the workplace. It might seem ironic that with myriad ways to stay connected with our colleagues—including chat and messaging services like Slack or virtual meeting platforms like GoToMeeting—more of us are feeling more socially disconnected than ever.


What are the Top Five Things To Know About Wellness Programs and Data Privacy?

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. Many wellness programs collect employee health data, either through health risk assessments or biometric screens. Individuals who work with wellness programs that are part of…


A Culture of Wellness and Leadership Buy-In

It is no secret that many workplace wellness programs struggle with engagement. A step in the right direction to increase engagement is to create an organizational culture that supports well-being. Creating that culture is much more feasible when you have committed and aligned leadership.


Collaboration for Wellness Success

King Sisyphus, of Greek mythology, was punished by Zeus for tricking him. His punishment was to roll a huge boulder up a steep hill repeatedly. To make it worse, Zeus would make the boulder roll away from Sisyphus when he neared the top of the hill.


Gratitude Changes Everything

Gratitude stems from the Latin word gratus meaning ‘pleasing, thankful’. It is a feeling or expression of appreciation for what we have. As with many human emotions, some of us experience and practice gratitude more than others.


Why It’s Important to Include Age in Diversity and Inclusion Efforts

At Stanford University, during the 2018-2019 academic year, virtually every meeting of the faculty senate included a report—or two—on the university’s diversity efforts. Yet ageism was never addressed—and continues to go unnoticed.


What Civil Rights Law Can Teach Workplace Wellness Professionals

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. Not too long ago I believed that no one would or could object to the primary goal of workplace wellness, which is to improve employee…


Beans Score Big for Diabetes Protection

Legumes’ legacy as superfoods for metabolic health reigns supreme. In a four-year study that followed the diet and health status of 3,349 individuals “at-risk” for type 2 diabetes, those who consumed the most legumes were 35 percent less likely to go on to develop diabetes vs. those consuming the least.


Four Ways Organizations Can Cultivate Resilience in the Workplace

Resilience has been identified as an important factor in the workplace. But resilience is more than just being mentally or emotionally tough. And it’s certainly more than having “grit,” a popular term these days for tenacity. It’s an ability to persevere in the face of setbacks, be present, and learn from failures.


Healthy Halloween

Do those words scare you? Ask any kid about Halloween and the majority will bring up candy; it’s a Halloween staple. So are there really ways you can make Halloween healthier without raining on the parade of every kiddo and kid-at-heart out there? We think so!


The Role of Financial Wellness on Total Employee Wellbeing

Financial wellness is becoming an essential component in successful workplace wellness and employee benefits programs. When we think about the word “wellbeing” it brings to light thoughts of good health, serenity, happiness and security.


Introductory Insights from Well-Being Thought Leader Lori Thomas

I have worn many hats in my career in the well-being field. I have been a certified personal trainer, health coach and fitness director. I’ve run internal employee wellness programs working as a health promotion specialist and wellness coordinator. I’ve been both a broker and a vendor.  I have worked with municipalities, large corporations, small…


What’s Wrong With Wellness?
And How Do You Get It Right?

Written by: Heath Shackleford, Chief Marketing Officer, CHC Wellbeing Ramki Ramanarayanan, Chief Executive Officer, CHC Wellbeing The statistics speak for themselves. The majority of Americans (60%) are living with a chronic condition – 42 percent of adults are suffering from multiple chronic conditions. Meanwhile, an estimated 8.3 million American adults suffer from serious psychological distress. We…


Pets in Workplace Wellness Programs: Benefits and Legal Risks

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. There are many different ways employers can help employee wellness. One way that is gaining popularity is the creation of “pet-friendly” workplaces. Companies like Google…


Employee Wellbeing Works When Done the Right Way

by Jeff Brizzolara, PhD, MPH; Rajiv Kumar, MD; and Gary Smithson, MD Employee wellbeing programs work. Not all of them, of course, but those that are high quality and evidence-based do produce measurable and meaningful results. Over the years, there have been numerous articles and studies regarding the effectiveness of workplace wellbeing programs. For every…


On The Move Is Now Wellable

Many WELCOA members have used or heard about WELCOA’s On The Move solution. It was a holistic online wellness platform launched in 2014 to address a specific need in employee wellness programming. After years of operating fun, engaging, and impactful programs at worksites across the country, On The Move has found a new home. Last…


Wellness Programs Work

By: Abbie Leibowitz, M.D., F.A.A.P., is Chief Medical Officer, Founder and President Emeritus at Health Advocate A study published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association has raised questions about the value of workplace wellness programs. While the findings confirmed that employees who participate in wellness programs make positive behavior changes, the results…


Employees Are Shoppers, Companies Are Brands

By: Anna Greenwald, CEO of On the Goga We live in a lifestyle economy. We shop, buy, subscribe and engage with businesses that fit our unique values and sub-cultures. The brands that thrive in our lifestyle economy, “Lifestyle Brands,” make us feel special. They know what we care about, what we think is cool, and…


Massachusetts and WHP Programs for Smaller Employers

We’ve all seen the sobering figures on the health issues faced by American working adults. Obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease are just a few of these problems. Some employers recognize their role in providing workplace policies and practices that advance health and wellbeing and are providing worksite health promotion (WHP) programs which include that goal.…


Workplace Obesity: The “Hidden” Cause and How to Deal with It

Personal note from the author: Obesity is not only a controversial topic, but also a highly sensitive one. While the purpose of this article is to provide education, insights and suggestions, you may react emotionally to some of it—especially if you personally struggle with your eating habits or weight. If that’s the case, you’re not…


Who is Responsible for Workplace Wellness Compliance?

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. One of the interesting conversations I had at the recent WELCOA Summit in Philadelphia was the dynamic between employers, wellness vendors and brokers when it…


5 Ideas for Improving Your Workplace Wellness Initiatives

By: Ryan Picarella, MS, CEO and President of WELCOA A Harvard Medial School study of almost 33,000 employees looked at the impact of wellness programs and found little to no impact when looking at self-report measures, medial cost saving, and general health improvement. While it is hard to prod and pick at each and every…


Wellable Acquires On The Move From WELCOA

OMAHA, Nebraska and BOSTON, Massachusetts / August 1, 2019 / EINPresswire Wellable, a leading employee wellness technology and services provider, acquires the On The Move wellness technology platform from the Wellness Council of America (WELCOA).  Created in 2014, On The Move was designed to address a specific need in employee wellness programming, and since its…


4 Ways People With Disabilities Can Protect Their Financial Future

Guest Contributor People with disabilities are more likely to be on a low-income budget than the rest of the population. With almost one in five low-income earners admitting to not setting financial goals for their households, it is easy to see how people with disabilities can struggle to protect themselves financially as they grow older.…


Straight Talk About the Yale University Case

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. On July 16, 2019, a class of employees sued their employer, Yale University, on the ground that Yale’s employee wellness program violates the Americans with…


5 Key Principles for Re-Humanizing Workplaces

Our world is rapidly changing and becoming increasingly complex and disruptive. The acronym VUCA is frequently to describe this new reality: volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. Therefore, the rules of business – and wellness – need to evolve. Yet many organizations are stuck in outdated practices and are not equipping people to thrive in this…


Reviving the Lost Art of Connection

As a child, I remember going to my mom’s “company picnics”. All the employees and their families (including pets) came together for a day of BBQs, games, and celebrations. As a kid, I loved the water balloon tosses and three-legged races. Now as an adult I realize there was so much more to those off-site…


Melanie Cumbee

WELCOA’s 2019 Top Health Promotion Professional Winner is…

WELCOA’s 2019 Top Health Promotion Professional Winner is Melanie Cumbee, MemorialCare Health System Melanie Cumbee is the Director of Organizational Health and Well-being at MemorialCare Health System in Long Beach, California. Melanie holds many certifications and accreditations including WELCOA Faculty Designation, Certified Wellness Practitioner (National Wellness Institute), and a Certified LEAN Leader. With over 20…


Top 10 Fun Philly Facts About The 2019 WELCOA Summit

Setting the 2019 WELCOA Summit stage in historic Philadelphia this year means loads of fun sights to see! Checkout our Top 10, Fun Philly Facts that you could experience at this year’s conference. Stay Connected Welcome Reception: Hosted by HealthAdvocate — August 26 at 5:00pm Join us on the Regency Foyer for a free drink…


Untangling the Law Behind Tobacco and other Lawful Product Use in Workplace Wellness Programs

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. Can I legally incentivize employees to not use products like tobacco, alcohol or marijuana as part of my workplace wellness program? That may be a…


Cultivating Wellness in Your Workplace

Organizations are powered by the teams behind them: the employees who keep the operation moving, growing and evolving. An investment in the health and well-being of your people is an investment in the health of your business. A growing number of leading organizations are putting this wisdom into practice and realizing the returns. Take for…


Recent Enhancements to the Well Workplace Checklist

Explore current and future features to the Checklist including trending, enhanced navigation, and subscore resources.


EEOC Delays Revised Wellness Incentive Rules

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. In its Spring 2019 publication, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) revised its timetable to issue proposed rules regarding wellness incentives under the Americans with…


Wellness Council of America Announces New Director for Board of Directors

Reilly Brings 20 Years of Corporate Well-Being Consulting to WELCOA OMAHA, Neb. — The Wellness Council of America (WELCOA), a non-profit organization and resource for workplace wellness, announced the appointment of a new director to its Board. “WELCOA is always searching for new talent who can speak to the consultant and broker world as well…


Three Key Words for Expanding Your Value as a Wellbeing Professional

The wellbeing industry is in the midst of a significant evolution. Many wellbeing professionals are thinking differently about health, human nature and behavior change – and doing their best to figure out how to apply this new thinking to increase the impact they can have on the lives of those they serve. As this transformation…


A Behavioral Approach to Holistic Health and Wellness: Co-Creating Effective Wellness Plans

Comprehensive wellness programs embrace mind, body, spirit, and the environment. Wellness is, by its very nature, a holistic concept that helps people thrive when it is put into operation. A key component of comprehensive wellness programs and health promotion initiatives is the way they help individuals to succeed at improving their health and wellbeing. It…


20 Festive and Fit Tips for Summer Fun

WELCOA’s quick guide to surviving the heat and getting the most out of your summer. The summer is a wonderful time of year to plan lots of outdoor activities. Simply take care of yourself and have safe fun in the sun! Sarah’s Summer Health Tips Stay Hydrated Keep a reusable, BPA-free water bottle filled, and…


Q3 2019 Training Schedule Announced

In these training opportunities, explore tools and tips to help you navigate the road to workplace wellness practice implementation that incorporates secret weapons to get your ideas off the ground. It’s easy to participate in WELCOA’s Institute for Wellness Studies courses. You’ll receive top notch information to help you engage employees, stay current on emerging…


Simple Steps to Avoid the “Inevitable” Burnout

With long hours and lurking deadlines, burnout can seem like the inevitable consequence to the demands of the workplace. But there are things that organizations can do, by working to enhance how employees are managed by leaders, to prevent the inevitable burnout. It is possible to create a workplace that allows employees to experience less…


A Pricing Evaluation in Continuing Education

WELCOA’s assessment-based certificate program is meant to help wellness professionals build skill, education, and recognition in worksite wellness. Annually, WELCOA provides up to 12 brand new webinars and certifications to add to their library of over 40 trainings on the Institute for Wellness Studies. The break down below provides a broad overview of the benefits…


A New Study Reveals The Impact of Workplace Wellness

WELCOA’s founder, William Kizer, Sr. had a vision for the health of our nation. His vision was to establish a national resource that could easily be accessed by organizations of all types including large corporations, healthcare agencies, government organizations, small businesses, and institutes of higher learning. When William Kizer, Sr., Dr. Louis Sullivan, and Warren…


Using the IRS “Medical Care” Guidance to Achieve Health Coaching Compliance

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. Many employers engage the services of a health coach as part of their workplace wellness program. The main goal of a health coach should be…


Strategies for Spreading Awareness for Mental Health Month

At this time, there is an urgent need for workplaces to effectively address mental health and suicidal crises. They are complex issues and involve a variety of factors. Try these strategies to become more informed and spread awareness during Mental Health Month in May. Develop proactive strategic plans that address mental health and suicide prevention…


Bridging the Application Gap

WELCOA’s Evolved Benchmarks to Bridge the Application Gap Evolving the 7 Benchmarks content that informed WELCOA’s Well Workplace Process was our very first priority and where the process for the evolution began. Back in 2015 when we kicked off this part of the project, it was clear that our core tools: the Well Workplace Checklist…


5 Trends for the Corporate Wellness Landscape

Wellness is no longer seen as a nice to have in many organizations; it is seen as a responsibility. Yet the workplace continues to be a determinant of health and wellbeing for the American employee. At WELCOA this is what drives our vision. What was once executed through activity-centered programs is now becoming a cultural…


The Regulation of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in March 2016, 54% of civilian workers had access to employee assistance programs, or “EAPs.” Only 41% of…


The Benefits of Laughter

Celebrate Humor Month. You’ve heard the saying “laughter is the best medicine.” While utilized as a common phrase, there are actually many health benefits from improved mental wellbeing to increased productivity and stress relief. Encourage your employees to try these tips and tricks this month to celebrate National Humor Month. Science of Laughter. So let’s…


Ways to Stop Work-Related Back Pain

Whether you sit down, stand up, or do both at work, you are bound to have some experience with back pain. Even if your job does not include heavy lifting or other manual labor, the stress of your job could also lead to back pain. Your back pain could be stabbing, dull and nagging, or somewhere…


Well Balanced Recipes for National Nutrition Month

Crunchy Romaine and Sweet Corn Salad with Cilantro-Honey Dressing Tons of crunch and tons of flavor in the awesome salad. Ingredients Salad 2 romaine hearts, chopped 5 radishes, thinly sliced 1 small can shoepeg corn, drained and rinsed (use fresh raw corn off the cob in the summer!) 1/2 pint of grape tomatoes, halved 1/4…


The Power of Storytelling

Creating Your Destiny Through Connection One rainy day in Baltimore, a shy, little girl sat down in front of a glaring television screen to eat her breakfast. A powerful African-American woman commanded the stage with a beaming smile and waved to the crowd. As the woman interviewed guests and shared her personal story with the…


Your Next 12 Weeks Planned

Four Actions Employers Can Take to Get Employees Moving To better tap into the physical activity landscape among corporate America, The Wellness Council of America (WELCOA) along with Validic, a healthcare technology company, commissioned a nationwide survey, Increasing Employee Physical Activity at Work which surveyed both employers and employees. For employers that are interested in ensuring…


When Workplace Data Collection Becomes a Medical Inquiry

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. I recently received a question regarding a proposed fitness activity for a workplace wellness program. The very astute wellness professional called me to ask whether…


Three Stakeholders to Improve Communication for Your Wellness Goals

Communicating With Purpose and Power Health and wellness professionals often face an uphill battle when attempting to shift the conversation around wellness. How do we encourage our leadership, employees, and other important stakeholders to embrace wellness — personally and professionally? Understanding the key drivers of your organization’s overall goals will help you better communicate the…


Q2 2019 Certification Schedule Announced

With an emphasis on helping you create a culture of health and wellness at your workplace, the upcoming trainings offered through WELCOA’s Institute for Wellness Studies will guide and educate you on emerging and important topics in the field. Each quarter, receive access to two webinars and one certification course as part of your WELCOA…


Oral Health and The Impact on Your Health

Whole body wellness is a combination of many things. It is healthy eating, moderate daily exercise, well-visits to your physicians and dentists, and a healthy mental outlook. Oral health is often overlooked but plays a huge role in the overall wellness puzzle. Oral health is related not only to checking for cavities on a quick…


4 Ways to Recognize and Address Obstacles in Stress Management and Resiliency

Four Corporate Health Promotion Professionals Share Their Strategies for Addressing Stress at Work While some workplace stress is normal, continued and excessive stress interferes with productivity and negatively impacts the well being of employees. But you are not powerless. Find ways to manage workplace stress, and focus on the things that are always in your…


4 Ways to Connect With and Learn From Peers in Wellness

Meeting people in the field who understand the trials and tribulations you face as a health promotion professional can be difficult. So where do you go to find the best workplace wellness tips, ideas, and strategies? Here are four ways you can begin to connect with wellness professionals, just like you! Local Councils and Affiliates…


The 5 Essential Elements to Inspire Wellness Through Supportive Cultures

Traditional wellness programs have focused primarily on improving biometric markers among participants. While it is undeniable that our industry has done great work to improve health, this approach has yielded low program participation, questionable long-term gains and can be costly to implement. Fortunately, health promotion programs have begun to evolve toward a more holistic approach.…


Meeting Employees Where They Are: More Success and Less Legal Risk

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. Sometimes people want to change their behavior, and sometimes they don’t. The willingness to adopt healthier habits can ebb and flow throughout the year. Employee…


Questions to Strengthen Your Employee Wellness Program Strategy

As corporate wellness professionals, many of us view the planning phases of our programs as the most difficult and unpleasant parts of our jobs. How do I plan a meaningful wellness initiative to achieve what I want to achieve? What should my goals be? How do I improve my existing wellness program? If you struggle…


The Gap Between Theory and Practice

The state of workplace wellness is evolving…or is it? With the WELCOA Benchmarks evolving, the industry migrating away from incentives and weight loss contests, and studies that question the return on wellness, you may feel pressure to do something differently. Then you go back to your job and reality sets in. Employees ask you how…


EEOC Removes Incentive Limits in ADA and GINA Rules: What it Means in Practice

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. In the December 20, 2018 Federal Register, the EEOC specifies which sections of the wellness rules under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Genetic…


Reducing Stress for High Performing Professionals

High performing professionals are constantly on the go sometimes working well into the evening and even on weekends. Furthermore, many high-performing professionals rarely take a vacation. Even when we love our job there are times in which we start to get burned out from stress. Here are some important tips for reducing the stress. Expect…


Transform Your Work Culture

“If I can change, you can change. Everybody can change!” — Rocky Balboa The classic film Rocky was shot near the location of our 2019 Summit in Philadelphia. These words are a great reminder of why we come together each year to learn from each other and affect change in the industry, our own lives and the lives…


Your New Year’s Resolution: Become a Well Workplace

Year over year, health and wellness professionals dedicate their work to the health and wellbeing of their employees. This inspiring work is why WELCOA is committed to continually enhancing the way we communicate and educate organizations about the importance of workplace wellness. During one of our most landmark years, we’ve been working hard to deliver…


Have a Weight Neutral New Year

Stay Well Balanced™ with Mindful Eating WELCOA’s Well Balanced newsletter sources holistic wellness content from various experts around the country. Each month we provide science-backed, hype-free content with information that’s most helpful and important to your organization’s culture. Centered on helping readers thrive in work and life, each issue contains: A feature article relevant to the time…


WELCOA’s Best in 2018

2018 was a formative year for all of us in the wellness industry, and WELCOA owes each of you our gratitude. We set out to listen to the needs of wellness professionals in our membership and across the industry and learn from leading wellness research. Then we announced this past March that, as the world…


As of January 1, 2019, There Are No Incentive Limits, Right?

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. People are asking me this question a lot lately. The thought behind this question is this: because there will no longer be a maximum incentive…


The Effects of Poor Sleep in the Workplace

Poor Sleep and the Workplace: What You Need to Know Over one third of U.S. adults have sleep issues, costing employers over 1.2 million working days and $411 billion annually. Here’s how you can help. The Critical Role of Sleep in Wellness No matter which “Pillars of Health” model you look at, sleep is recognized…


WELCOA’s Institute for Wellness Studies

The Value of Continuing Education Learning something new not only helps the brain function more effectively but improves focus, overall confidence, and self-esteem. As wellness practitioners it is important to stay current on the trends of the industry and the legal climate to keep our employees informed with the latest health information. While some pursue…


The Role of Data in Well-being

Data analytics has emerged and grown as a critical tool throughout the healthcare industry, and workplace health and benefits are no different. As workplace well-being programs continue to evolve, data analytics plays a key role in both shaping program development and engaging employees in taking steps toward better health. Data can be used to determine…


EEOC Issues Notice Indicating It May Issue Proposed Revised ADA Rule in June 2019

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. On October 17, 2018, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued notice RIN 3046-AB10 and RIN 3046-AB11 indicating its timetable for promulgating proposed rules under…


Gratitude at Work: Ending the Cycle of Ingratitude

“Gratitude can transform common days into Thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”– William Arthur Ward At Tribute.co we make it easy to create a video montage of a group of people sharing their love and gratitude for someone they care about on any special occasion. We’ve delivered more than 100,000 Tributes and…


The ROI on Better Workplace Conversations

Better relationships and communication produces better outcomes. According to a 2016 Gallup poll, companies with better relationships and communication experience 20% higher productivity, 21% higher profitability, and 41% lower absenteeism. Thanks to these types of polls, employers are able to see the return on investment of better workplace conversations much more clearly. Companies are starting…


It’s The Biggest Sale of the Year

Deck your halls with our brochures. It’s the WELCOA Year End Sale! Books will make you feel secure. It’s the WELCOA Year End Sale! Perfect for your lounge or office. It’s the WELCOA Year End Sale! Your employees will be feeling wondrous. It’s the WELCOA Year End Sale! Fill your employees’, or customers’, stockings with…


Diabetes Awareness in the Workplace

November is National Diabetes Month, a time to bring attention to diabetes and its impact on millions of Americans. The workplace can be a perfect place to provide awareness, education and intervention for prediabetes and diabetes. According to the CDC, more than 100 million U.S. adults are living with diabetes or prediabetes. That’s almost 1…


Your Leadership May Be Bruising Your Wellness Efforts

Contributed by: Heather Hanson Wickman, Ph.D. of Untethered Consulting I know, no one wants to hear it, but sometimes the truth hurts. What if your greatest lever to increase wellness in your team and organization is… YOU? You’re likely thinking to yourself, but how could I really make that big of a difference? You have…


Dark Chocolate: Trick or Treat

If there’s one thing that almost all of us have in common, it’s a sweet tooth. And because life is for living, it would be unrealistic to expect any of us to completely forgo sweets…especially during the Halloween season! Thankfully, recent research supports that you don’t have to. There is a sweet that you can…


Life’s Simple 7® Journey to Health™

Contributed by: Heather Gavras on behalf of the American Heart Association. Ninety-nine percent of the U.S. adult population has at least one of seven cardiovascular health risks. The combination of these risk factors increases employer medical spending by more than 200 percent per person annually. Improved heart health benefits both employees and employers. Healthy, engaged…


7 Benchmarks for Building Successful Workplace Wellness Programs

Our Favorite Things: Top Seven Benchmark Resources

While our favorite things might not be as elaborate or entertaining as Oprah’s, we think they’ll make your holiday season a little brighter (and healthier) at work. Browse our top seven resources from each of WELCOA’s Seven Benchmarks™ to start your wellness approach off right for 2019. Cozy up with the Benchmark Bundle WELCOA’s Seven…


“Mandatory” or “Required” HRAs or Biometric Screens are Problematic Under the Law

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. The language you use in your workplace wellness program materials is important.  I see a lot of workplace wellness messages that use the word “mandatory”…


Rules for Employee Engagement

Increase Employee Engagement Through Clarity

Companies nationally struggle with participation in wellness programs. Only 24% of employees in organizations who offer a wellness program actually participate in it.1 What’s worse? Less than half of employees in the United States feel their work environment allowed them to maintain good health.2 Research by the Harvard Business Review found the top reasons employees…


Beating Breast Cancer Together

Women in the Workplace: Bringing Awareness to Breast Cancer

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which highlights a very serious and traumatic illness that affects thousands of women each year. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women in the United States (aside from skin cancer). As with most cancers, there is no singular cause for breast cancer, but rather a variety…


Asking for Help: Getting Past Reluctance

“To carry each other is not a burden at all, but a kind of privilege.” –Bono Most of us are overwhelmed, exhausted, and running on caffeine and refined carbs. Those of us with mental illness often feel like we are drowning and no one can see us. We say “yes” when really want to say…


Rehumanizing the Workplace: Leading Positive Change

Contributed by: Rosie Ward, Ph.D., MPH, MCHES, BCC, CEO of Salveo Partners, LLC As a leader in the wellness industry for over 20 years, I’ve experienced a wide-variety of approaches from forward-thinking companies investing in employee wellness as the right-thing-to-do to companies needing to prove that wellness results in a successful return on investment and could…


Reducing The Cost of Caring: 7 R’s for Battling Compassion Fatigue

Contributed by: Heath Shackleford on behalf of CHC Wellbeing If you work in the wellness industry, I’d like you to consider yourself part of a “helping profession.” Just like nurses, teachers, counselors, first responders or nonprofit leaders, you come to the office every day with the overall mission of helping those in need. Having a…


Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) & Employee Compensation for Time Spent Voluntarily Participating in Wellness Activities

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. On August 28, 2018, the US Department of Labor (DOL) issued an opinion letter regarding whether the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires an employer…


10 Effective Actions to Drive Employee Engagement

Employee engagement: essential for company success but (at times) difficult to achieve. Even the most interested and well-intentioned employees need convenience and a supportive culture to drive participation.


The Cost of Corporate Cholesterol

America’s cholesterol levels are too high making us at risk for heart attacks and strokes. It’s expensive. And it’s almost entirely preventable. We likely all know someone who has suffered from a heart attack. Heart disease is the number one killer in the United States.1 Annually, it costs approximately 200 billion dollars.2 The single most potent…


Behind the Humans at Summit

The 2018 WELCOA Summit came to a close over the weekend and the entire team at WELCOA is so grateful for humans like you who inspire us to continue to forge a path for wellness at work. We experienced inspiring presentations from 30 industry experts and felt the love from over 450 leaders in health…


Key Reasons to Keep Employees Hydrated

Americans are more aware than ever of every facet of their personal fitness and wellness. Few among us have escaped a bombardment of messages about new ways to change up our diet, exercise routine and lifestyle to positively impact our health and well-being. Even employers have gotten into the act as they now know a…


Workplace Wellness Guiding Principles

WELCOA is excited to announce the following trainings for the 2018 4th quarter: October Creating Movements of Change that Optimize Opportunity for Behavior Change and Positively Impact Culture Maggie Gough, Wellness Revolutionist and President, Realize Wellbeing [ LIVE WEBINAR ]*   November Mindful Healthcare: Healthy Team, Healthy Business Scott Kashman and Christin Collins, Lee Health [ INSTITUTE CERTIFICATION COURSE…


Employer Health Plan Obligations to Offer Evidence-Based Wellness Options as Alternatives to Opioids

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. Many in the workplace wellness industry are aware of the benefits of wellness services such as acupuncture, chiropractic, physical or exercise therapy, yoga and others…


No, Your ACA-Compliant Wellness Program is Not Exempt from the EEOC Rules

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. There is a misconception held by some in the workplace wellness industry that if their wellness program is subject to and complies with the Affordable…


Sun Safety

Stay Safe in the Sun

Summer is in full swing and our thoughts are turning to warmer weather, short sleeves and outside activities. But there’s something important everyone should learn about so that they can truly enjoy the sunny weather in a healthy way: Apply Cover Enjoy™. Did you know that skin cancer is the most common form of cancer…


WELCOA Transforms Traditional Wellness Approach with Tech Evolution

The Evolution of WELCOA’s Well Workplace Process sets the bar for exciting new Trends in the Wellness Industry. Omaha, Nebraska (June 27, 2018) — For the last three years the Wellness Council of America (WELCOA) has been exploring the real challenges their members were facing. Through quantitative research, focus groups and an advisory council of…


Adopting Informed Consent Standards to Strengthen Your ADA Notice in the Wake of GDPR

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. The premise behind the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union (EU) is to ensure that natural persons have rights with regard to…


Tools for Successful Employee Wellness Programs

Our Tools for Successful Wellness Programs

WELCOA WORDPLAY: Spelling Out Our Tools for Successful Wellness Programs We spend most of our time communicating with our thousands of dedicated members through email, phone and even LinkedIn to find out what pains you most at work. Each day we leave more and more inspired by the work that YOU are doing in your organizations.…


Sean Foy's 10 Steps to Improve Workday

10 Steps to Transform Your Work Day

Take a seat and think back to the last time you sat down for a big game or TV show in your favorite chair. As you begin to snuggle in you notice something a little different with this particular chair. You lift your left arm and underneath it you find a mini refrigerator stocked with…


Expert Worksite Wellness Ideas

Expert Ideas for Employee Wellness

Our mission is to serve YOU—by producing exclusive training experiences that help to create and sustain successful wellness programs. Our wellness definition speaks to our vision for this year’s Summit—seeing the human behind the numbers. Explore the ideas you could uncover from our panel of industry experts. Engaging wellness programs should address these things: Health. Beyond the…


Well Balanced Employee Wellness Newsletter

Well Balanced™. Our wellness newsletter.

Change is a good thing. Starting July 2018, we’re saying “so-long” to the Spark16 newsletter design and making way for a new, more-dynamic wellness publication tailored exclusively for the needs of your employees. Whether your aim is to educate employees about wellness or to partner with your clients in new meaningful ways, we’ve got you…


Tips for Employers with Mid-Year Plans Post AARP v. EEOC

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. Many employers with mid-year plans (i.e., plans that start on July 1 each year and end on June 30th of the next year) may be…


8 Reasons to attend WELCOA Summit

8 Reasons You Should Attend Summit

This year’s Summit is all about YOU—and the humans you serve. We’re ready to share exclusive access to our exciting new tools that’ll make a difference in your organization’s future. And while we’re focusing on the humans behind the numbers—here are 8 other reasons you should attend the 2018 WELCOA Summit this August. 1 |…


Employee Wellness Definition

Our Mark of Wellness

The key to creating thriving organizations. At WELCOA, we believe that healthy, happy employees are the key to creating thriving organizations. We believe that organizations that prioritize the wellness of their people should be recognized and celebrated. Part of the important work of positioning wellness front and center is being clear about what we mean…


EEOC Submits Update in AARP Case

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. On March 30, 2018, the EEOC filed its much anticipated update in the AARP v. EEOC case (“AARP case”). The court in that case asked…


The AARP v. EEOC Case and GINA

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. Even though the AARP v. EEOC case rejected the incentive limits under both the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act…


7 Benchmarks for Whole Employee Wellness

The 7 Benchmarks Evolution

The second generation of WELCOA’s 7 Benchmarks. Our industry has an engagement problem. Only 24% of employees in organizations who offer a wellness program actually participate in it.1 We have all begun to face the fact that no one wants to consume the programmatic approach to wellness that our industry has historically offered. WELCOA has partnered…


Workplace Environment

Change Your Environment, Change Your Habits: Why Designing Your Physical Spaces Is Critical to Creating Sustainable Habit Change

We tend to over-rely on goal setting, motivation, discipline and willpower to create change in our lives. It’s likely that we’ve all experienced how goal setting can be tricky, motivation is fleeting, discipline makes change feel like work, and willpower is easily zapped. We need more than measureable goals and inspiration to get the job…


No More Incentive Guidance for HRAs? An Update on the AARP v. EEOC Case

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. On January 18, 2018, the court in the AARP v. EEOC case agreed with the EEOC’s argument that the EEOC should not be held to…


National Nutrition Month

What’s Eating Your Corporate Food Strategy?

March is National Nutrition Month. Food is often the cultural glue that brings people together for celebrations, holidays, mourning or just special family time. Our taste for food is one of the strongest senses that brings us back to our childhood or invokes a special memory from our past. Yet, as familiar as we are…


Seeing the Human Behind the Numbers at this Year’s Summit

Sometimes the weight of the world lives on our shoulders. Every day millions of employees brave trains, planes, bikes, automobiles, traffic and concrete jungles to get to work. This daily ritual can be an uplifting time for reflection and preparation as we imagine future opportunities, anticipate an upcoming vacation or reflect on a special friend…


How I redesigned the contexts of my life to change a habit (and how you can learn from my success)

Growing up in South Africa, I began smoking at the young age of 6, even though I knew it was terrible for my health. I continued smoking through high school, knowing that it was bad for me. I smoked during college, while becoming an actuary, fully aware that smoking kills. While running NMG, a health…


Can the #MeToo Movement Improve the Sexual Harassment Legal Landscape and Employee Wellbeing?

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. The #MeToo movement has boosted attention on the civil rights violation of sexual harassment. However, there is a difference between the conduct making headlines and…


The Benefits of Stress Management for Employees

Eliminating stress at work as an organization isn’t feasible, but that doesn’t mean that your company shouldn’t be invested in stress management. Below, we cover why stress management is so important in the workplace and how it will benefit your organization. Understanding the Effects of Stress on Employees Before considering the impact that stressed employees…


Voices of Women On Leading Wellbeing: 6 Quotes That Will Inspire You

It’s been a blessing for me to interview leaders from all walks of life who strive to bring out the highest and best in people and situations. These leaders do not claim to be perfect – not by a long shot – yet they share a deep commitment to evolve our priorities from income alone…


New Year, New You: Brain Breakthroughs

Brain Breakthroughs for a Better You Have you ever found yourself coming home from a stressful day at work and mindlessly eating an entire bag of chips? How about cracking a beer immediately after work to “come down” from the happenings of the day? Whatever coping method you’re using to solve your problems, they’re likely…


Employee Health Information – Who Can See What?

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. One of the more confusing areas of employee wellness programs, especially those programs that gather employee (and family member) health data, is who can see…


Healthy Holiday Nutrition

Healthy Holiday Nutrition With Thanksgiving behind us and Christmas fast approaching many people may be stressed out about their unhealthy holiday eating and lack of physical activity. In fact some are likely already contemplating their New Year’s resolutions to “get back on track” with an extremely strict diet and a new gym membership. This is…


Using the Law to Reduce Worker Stress

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. When we think of the holidays, what word comes to mind? For many, it may be “stress.” This time of year places additional duties and…


Quickest Path to Happiness

For many people, November marks the beginning of the holiday season. Not only is this a time to gather with friends and family, it is also a time to reflect on all that we have to be thankful for in life. Luckily, practicing gratitude is one of the most effective ways to be happier and…


Flu Shots in the Workplace: Do HIPAA Privacy Rules Apply?

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. Envision this scenario: Employer hires a vendor to offer flu shots to all employees. Employees write their name on a list that all other employees…


10 Ways to Improve Culture in the Workplace

Whether you already have a strong workplace culture and are simply looking for ways to make it even better, or you’ve identified issues and are trying to find ways to change your company culture, the ideas below can help you achieve your goals. 1. Be Intentional About Company Culture Every workplace has a culture. Some…


The Resilience Formula

Although we can go into each day hoping that everything will go smoothly, human suffering is inevitable. So instead of wishing that bad things would never happen, it is imperative that people learn how to be resilient through life’s challenges, especially when it comes to work. Polls suggest that over 40% of American workers find…


How to Build a High-Performing Culture

A strong company culture can attract top talent, improve employee retention, and more. It’s no wonder why businesses are looking for ways to improve their company cultures. Most importantly, though, company culture can result in a more productive work environment in which a company and all of its employees are working cohesively toward the same…


Workplace Wellness in the Legal Crosshairs Once More: This Time It’s HIPAA Incentive Rules!

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. The inactivity in legal suits for workplace wellness didn’t last long. After the three lawsuits brought by the EEOC a couple of years ago settled…


The Pursuit of Happiness

Whether your dreams are about professional success, deeper connection, purpose in life or spiritual fulfillment, its likely you desire them because you believe they will ultimately increase your happiness. But scientists are discovering the pathway to positivity takes a different route. One that is less dependent on reaching our life goals, and instead focuses more…


Data Privacy and Workplace Wellness

The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. You may have heard me say repeatedly that securing and maintaining the privacy of any employee health information wellness program professionals collect should be a…


A Year Later: What My Little Ladies Have Taught Me

Photo: Luca (left) and Elliott (right) Picarella sport 2017 Summit badges. One year ago my little ladies were both in the NICU after an early and abrupt welcome into the world. I have never been more scared in all my life. What was supposed to be a quick check-in with the doctor, turned into a…


Workplace Wellness Reality Check: 7 Critical Shifts Needed to Maximize the Impact on Your Organization and its People

Here are the seven critical shifts needed in order for employee wellness/wellbeing efforts to have a positive and sustainable impact on your organization and its people. 1. Stop Treating Adaptive Challenges like Technical Problems. As human beings, we face two main types of challenges: technical and adaptive. Technical challenges are those challenges that have a…


Burnout Blitz

Employee burnout seems to be a popular new buzz-term in the world of corporate wellness. Perhaps it stems from our connectedness to work through technology or our desire to be the best, burnout seems to be on the rise prompting researchers, practitioners and employers to begin taking action. As a nation, we are just beginning…


Autonomy: What Wellness Needs to Learn from Business (and quickly!)

Dr. Jon Robison at salveopartners.com Autonomy is defined in the dictionary as: “Independence or freedom, as of the will or one’s actions”  And though we often think of the “freedom” to act or the notion of “free will” from political or spiritual perspectives, some biologists now believe that it is an underlying and inalienable condition of life. “The…


What about me?

Have you ever asked yourself “Is this really my life?” Whether this is a rhetorical question, a reflective thought or, in my case, a humorous cry of frustration, I challenge you to start listening to that voice in your head and explore the possibilities. What New Year’s resolution do you proclaim is important? As you…


Surprise Guest Announcement: World’s Leading Brain Expert to Keynote Summit

The brightest mind in brain health, Dr. Daniel Amen, a man the Washington Post deemed “the most popular psychiatrist in America,” is making a special appearance to deliver a keynote at the upcoming WELCOA Summit. His world renowned research has been featured in Newsweek, Time, Huffington Post, ABC World News, 20/20, BBC, London Telegraph, Parade Magazine,…


Substance Abuse and Workplace Wellness

Want more WELCOA Resources on corporate wellness compliance law? RSVP for Barbara Zabawa’s Preconference course Mastering Workplace Wellness Rules at the WELCOA Summit. The following article does NOT constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. It is for educational purposes only. Readers should retain legal counsel to obtain definitive answers. Companies that embrace workplace…


What’s Love Got to Do With It?

Can love affect our health? Answering this question is no small undertaking, but one longitudinal study underway today has managed to do just that. This remarkable multi-million medical study started in 1939 at Harvard Medical School with 724 men in their twenties. These participants agreed to grant the researchers access to their medical records, give blood…


Food Truths

For the past 5 or 10 years the word superfood has been coined to describe foods promising to deliver incredible health benefits when consumed regularly. From kale smoothies to blueberry acai bowls, the superfood idea has been exploited in every media channel and sensationalized in every health magazine to date. Unfortunately, despite the notable health…


It’s Time for Employee Wellness/Wellbeing to Reconnect with Our WHY

by Rosie Ward & Jon Robison of Salveo Partners. See Rosie & Jon at the 2017 WELCOA Summit In his best-selling book, Start With WHY, Simon Sinek states that great leaders are able to inspire people to act by providing a sense of purpose or belonging; they create a following of people who act for…


2017 On the Move Company Challenge Winners

WELCOA is excited to announce the winners of the 2nd annual On the Move Company Challenge. Eighty-four companies representing more than 85,000 employees competed in a 12-week challenge to move more, sit less and thrive in work and life. The Leaderboard tracked activity in real time as companies competed in large and small business categories…


Can We Hire Them to Do That?

Want more WELCOA Resources on corporate wellness compliance law? RSVP for Barbara Zabawa’s Preconference course Mastering Workplace Wellness Rules at the WELCOA Summit. The number of wellness professionals in today’s marketplace is as varied as the types of wellness programs and activities employers use to encourage employees to live healthy lives. These professionals may include health educators,…


Creating Great Work Teams

Want more WELCOA Resources on creating great wellness teams? Navigate our best wellness team resources using this graphic. It can be life altering for people as they start to embrace the things they need to cultivate in an effort to let go of the things that stand in their way of well-being.  What’s more, when…


Workplace Wellness Lessons from the Fair Labor Standards Act and Workers’ Compensation Laws

Want more WELCOA Resources on corporate wellness compliance law? RSVP for Barbara Zabawa’s Preconference course Mastering Workplace Wellness Rules at the WELCOA Summit. There have been questions lately about completion of incentivized wellness activities “off the clock” and what, if any, Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) issues might arise. One sample question is whether a participatory biometric…


WELCOA’s “Why”

What do the wellness programs of the future look like – are they even programs at all or are they something different?  What have we learned by doing the great work we have done to date, and how will those learnings shape the future of wellness?  We all have a stake and serious role in…


How Well-Being Cultivates Innovation

In our industry, we love to tout the benefits of a healthy workplace. And we should – because if we didn’t believe it, we wouldn’t be very good at our work. We use words like engagement, productivity, innovation, and on and on. For most of us, or at least for me, in the beginning of…


Workplace Wellness Programs: The Penalties and Risks of Noncompliance

With all the concern about complying with various workplace wellness laws, it would be useful to know what is at stake if a company fails to comply. In a nutshell, monetary penalties from the government and lawsuits await workplace wellness programs that are found to be noncompliant with the law. Numerous federal laws and regulations…


What Personal Health Information can a Wellness Vendor Disclose to an Employer Client?

For many wellness vendors, a key component of a corporate wellness program is client reporting and evaluation of the program. A legal question often tied up in that reporting component is what individual employee health information, if any, can the vendor provide to the employer client? HIPAA privacy and security rules do not always apply…


The Relationship “Why” for Physical Activity

We all have basic needs such as food, water and shelter that must be satisfied in order to survive and progress to higher level growth needs like relationships. Psychologist Abraham Maslow famously framed this concept in his five stage model titled Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. If you find yourself reading this, suffice to say that…


It’s Tax Season! Is Your Wellness Program Meeting Reporting Obligations?

Few people enjoy reading or talking about tax issues, but they do arise in workplace wellness programs, particularly when those programs offer incentives. If your wellness program offers cash or cash equivalent incentives (such as gift cards), premium reimbursements or other incentives, this blog post is for you. Generally speaking, expenses for “medical care” are…


WELCOA Announces the Release of the Financial Wellness @ Work Video Training Series to Empower Employees to Build Financial Wellness

WELCOA is excited to introduce the Financial Wellness @ Work Employee Video Training Series. Expanding on WELCOA’s top-selling Financial Wellness @ Work book, which has helped thousands of employees achieve financial well-being, the educational video training series leverages the same pragmatic and realistic approach. Employers are increasingly looking for scalable financial education solutions for their employees.…


Turn Resolutions into Lasting Change

How long do your New Year’s resolutions last? If you are with the majority of Americans, your good intentions to lose a few holiday pounds and get healthy at the beginning of the New Year take a back burner as soon as life starts to get busy. “As a former weight management dietitian I noticed…


Do the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules Apply to Workplace Wellness Programs?

I get this question very often, and the answer is, “it depends.” Specifically, it depends on whether the wellness program is part of an employer’s group health plan, or if it is a stand-alone program offered directly by the employer. Many providers of wellness services contract with group health plans as well as employers directly,…


Show Gratitude, Be Happy

One of the greatest pieces of advice that my mother has ever given me was that “Life is all about perspective.” My mother has been my biggest role model and although she grew up in the home of an alcoholic, lost her birth mother at the age of 4, and sometimes didn’t have much food…


Moving from Controversy to Collaboration

I wake up every day and am incredibly grateful that my career and the company I work for has one sole purpose – to help improve the lives of all working people. In fact, our vison at WELCOA is to “Be a transformative force that improves the health and well-being of all working people.” To…


What the 2016 Election Means for Wellness

Regardless of your politics, you may wonder what happens next for wellness initiatives under new leadership. Professor Tim Jost wrote a very helpful blog post on the possible fate of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Although no one at this point knows what avenues the new administration might take regarding the ACA, change is almost…


Remembering Bill Baun

On Saturday November 5th, my friend, colleague and well known health promotion professional, Bill Baun, departed this world. Bill had been thriving for years as he battled cancer, in fact just days before his passing was busy planning his next efforts to help improve the lives of others. Years ago, as a new leader in…


Tying Rewards to Spousal Participation: A Lesson in Navigating Legal Risk in Wellness Program Design

When it comes to health behaviors, the wellness industry is quite familiar with the concept of levels of risk. Some people, despite knowing about the safer health choices, choose riskier health behaviors. They may choose to smoke, eat fatty foods, to not exercise, or to manage stress in self-destructive ways. Those choices are not necessarily…


WELCOA’s On The Move Program Gets America Moving

WELCOA is happy to announce our results from the 2016 national On the Move Challenge. The program was designed to engage employees in physical activity, help better manage their stress levels and promote long-term behavior changes. Eighty-four companies representing almost 80,000 employees participated in this 12-week online challenge spanning from April to June of this year. The challenge…


A Story of Hope & Victory

In our national initiative to provide training to employees on how to physically and mentally thrive, we have been exploring the mind-body connection. How does moving physically help move us in other areas of our lives? As Dr. Daniel Amen told us in a recent WELCOA Expert Interview (publishing later this month), “It is the…


Happiness and Health

What do health and happiness have in common? If you asked me this question prior to July 5th my answer would have been everything. Today my answer is a bit different. July 5th, 2016 my world changed drastically as my two daughters Elliott and Luca were born at 31 weeks, much sooner than my wife,…


August is Happiness Month at WELCOA

At WELCOA, we thought August would be a great month to tackle the concept of happiness—especially as it relates to health. On the Move, our online platform that helps employees thrive through physical activity, is focusing on happy moves all month, and we just published an exciting certification opportunity about the power of positive psychology.…


A How-to: Achieving Balance by Creating Margin

“Without great solitude no serious work is possible.” -Pablo Picasso Margin, specifically solitude, is the ability to step off the treadmill of life and just be. We as professionals rarely create the space we need to experience margin and solitude in our lives—and we might be missing out on tapping into our true genius when…


The Holistic Well-Being Research that’s Changing the Game

When WELCOA rolled out our new brand back in April, we were driven by the idea that the wellness industry needed to address employee wellbeing from a more holistic perspective, and we wanted to project that in our new look and feel. We as an industry have been throwing “holistic” around a lot lately though,…


Leveraging Your Purpose at Work

Have you ever had something that was so much on your heart to say that you were almost afraid of it? That was the question I began with as I addressed the four hundred attendees of WELCOA’s annual Summit this year in Orlando knowing that I had just thrown out my whole talk a week…


Helping You Promote Mental Health

(Photo by Ryan Picarella) What really determines good health? Can we truly be happy and reach well-being if we hate our jobs? If we are going through a divorce? If we are stretched too thin because of the demands of being caretakers for children or aging parents or both!? If we have a terrible boss?…


Reframing Wellness on Purpose – Thoughts from WELCOA’s 2016 Training Summit

Last week in Orlando, hundreds of health promotional professionals gathered for an incredible two days together. It’s hard to believe just last week we were sharing stories, cutting-edge research and new ways to connect those we serve with a sense of purpose for better health. A huge thank-you to all who attended. The energy and passion…


WELCOA 2.0 – A note from Ryan Picarella, President

It’s a new day for WELCOA and an exciting milestone in our 30-year history. For three decades WELCOA has had the great privilege of working with some of the best organizations around the globe. We are humbled that you have allowed us to be a catalyst in shaping the health promotion industry over the years.…


Video: Michelle Segar on Incentives and Penalties

Dr. Michelle Segar discusses incentives and penalties for long term behavior change. Do employees think they are meaningful? What should we do instead? This exclusive video first aired at the 2015 WELCOA National Training Summit. All New Webinar: Rebranding Health as Well-Being A science-based story about creating sustainable behavior change. Instructor: Michelle Segar WELCOA Members:…


Summit Speaker Spotlight: Why Alexandra Drane is a Disruptive Woman in Health Care

5 things you need to know about Alexandra Drane: Alexandra Drane is the Chief Visionary Officer of Eliza Corporation, a pioneer and recognized leader in Health Engagement Management, blending technology, communication expertise and data analytics to drive healthy behavior change. She’s founded four companies, sits on the Board of Advisors of TEDMED, was named one…