Exercise more. Start meditating. Eat healthier.
Maybe some of these were on that list of resolutions you wrote down at the beginning of January. But did you know that about 80 percent of people give up on their New Year’s resolutions by the second week of February? It’s easy for other priorities like work to get in the way of making those changes you set out at the beginning of the year. But what if your job actually made it easier to achieve your health and wellness goals?
Also on Mediabistro
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is essential for work-life balance as well as overall quality of life, and some companies are placing renewed emphasis on employees’ physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. Here are 7 companies whose benefits include some awesome health and wellness perks–from nap rooms, to mindfulness zones, to onsite basketball courts.
1) Bridgewater Associates
Bridgewater Associates, an investment management firm headquartered in Westport, CT, takes the health and wellness of its employees seriously. The company has an on-site gym, stellar health insurance that’s fully covered, and meditation classes. Bridgewater Associates will also provide free daily lunch for employees.
2) Asana
Have you ever felt like you needed a nap in the middle of the work day? The project management software company Asana offers “nap rooms” for its employees to relax and recharge. In addition, Asana provides daily yoga classes, free gym memberships, and catered meals using fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. Monthly health-focused workshops also enable employees to reflect on their own health habits.
3) MINDBODY
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that this California-based company, an SaaS management platform for wellness companies, offers high-quality health and wellness benefits for its own employees, too. Some of these benefits include $65 in monthly wellness vouchers, 21 onsite wellness classes every week, 5 onsite massage therapists, and onsite acupuncture. Employees also receive generous PTO, with 20 days a year in addition to federal holidays.
4) Salesforce
Salesforce places a huge emphasis on wellbeing. The SaaS provider not only pays for its employees’ medical benefits–it also offers a $100 per month wellness reimbursement as well as discounts on gym memberships, weight-loss programs, and massage therapy. Many Salesforce offices are equipped with “mindfulness zones” to encourage mediation during the day, or an onsite “Wellbeing HQ” with features such as fitness classes, nutrition counseling, and more.
5) Microsoft
This software giant offers multiple programs designed to promote health and fitness for employees. In addition to its onsite running tracks, Zumba classes, and basketball courts, Microsoft’s “StayFit” annual reimbursement program provides employees with $800 to cover the cost of gym memberships and fitness programs. To encourage overall health, Microsoft’s campus offers healthcare services such as onsite clinics and pharmacists, and hosts a series of health screening events called “Know Your Numbers.” To extend these benefits to employees’ family members, the Microsoft CARES employee assistance program provides free personal and family counseling, stress management, and referrals for child and elder care.
6) Google
Health and wellness are seamlessly integrated into the culture of Google’s campus in Mountain View, CA. Similar to Microsoft, Google offers onsite healthcare services, fitness centers, and free classes for employees to get moving during the day. To promote healthy eating, Google stocks its cafés and micro kitchens with nutritious meals and snacks, serving its fare on smaller plates to assist with portion control.
7) Intuit
Another California-based tech company, Intuit offers employees a “Well-being for Life” program that provides up to $1,000 in reimbursement for health and well-being expenses like personal trainers, gym memberships, life coaches, massages, and even financial advising. To further defray the cost associated with health and wellness activities, Intuit’s Active&Fit membership program gives employees access to more than 9,000 fitness centers nationwide, and its GlobalFit program offers additional discounts on fitness and wellness activities. The Intuit benefits website also provides mindfulness and mental health resources.
Which of these health and wellness benefits appeal the most to you, or what type of benefits do you wish companies offered? Let us know in the comments below.
