Wellness is not a fitness craze or some marketing gimmick. It is a concept grounded in the connection of mind and body, the multi-dimensional aspects of an individual’s environment — and it’s influenced by external factors outside one’s control. Wellness matters for everyone, and that includes learning and development (L&D) and the learners they work with.

The Global Wellness Institute defines Wellness as: “the active pursuit of activities, choices, and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health.”

A workplace wellness program may include:

• On-site fitness rooms or discounts to area fitness centers.
• Healthy food choices in employee breakrooms, vending machines and cafes.
• Mental health days within paid time off options.
• On-site nutrition and fitness consultations.
• Training on wellness topics such as stress management, meditation and healthy cooking.

While hybrid and remote work environments may not include an on-site fitness room, organizations can implement other means to promote wellness, such as step count challenges, downloadable playlists for meditation and virtual wellness classes.

Why Does Employee Wellness Matter?

Employees who miss work frequently, struggle with anxiety and stress that limits their work performance or leave work due to burnout are examples of why wellness matters for companies. Being unwell can mean that you struggle with work or cannot work — peers and teammates may, in turn, experience stress over worrying about the unwell employee.

An individual’s environment influences their wellness, and unhealthy employees have higher health costs and lower productivity. By investing in workplace wellness, companies can enrich their culture and support their workforce.

Workplace wellness matters for employers as they need their workforce not to be distracted by worries outside of work but to be fully present, engaged and capable of performing their jobs at the required level. Enabling wellness at work benefits both employees and the employer by fostering:

• Higher employee retention.
• Easier employee recruitment.
• Higher productivity.
• Strong employee morale.
• Lower employee health costs.

Workplace wellness programs address the connection across employee health, health costs, engagement, productivity and retention.

How Can Trainers Incorporate Wellness Into Training?

Corporate trainers significantly influence corporate culture, norms and work environments. They are influencers by the very nature of their job and often engage with teams across the company. For a workplace wellness program to reach its full potential, L&D must be involved.

Wellness can be incorporated into training in multiple ways. The most common is a wellness curriculum, with training classes on healthy habits, physical fitness, mental health and wellness.

Yet, a wellness curriculum is only one of the ways trainers can incorporate wellness into training. Any class’s training design and delivery can incorporate wellness tips and practices.

Begin Training With Wellness Elements

Trainers can include wellness reminders within the training expectations provided beforehand and at the start of the class.

• Class introductions: Add a wellness topic to the typical name, job title and how long you have worked at the company exercise (e.g., what is your favorite fruit, favorite place to walk, or other relaxation tips).
• Class guidelines: Be clear that it is a “screens down” environment and that the learner’s full attention is needed. Creating a focused environment can help clear thoughts and help employees be more open to learning.
• Positive reinforcement: Incorporate the employees in positive reinforcement of each other’s progress. Ask each participant to write a note of congratulations or encouragement on index cards at the start of the class. Throughout the training, empower learners to give index cards to peers when they get the correct answer, learn something new or add comments to the discussion. If a class is online, ask people to write down one of the phrases, and when they get a question right later, call on the person to read their note or use chat functions to show support.

Incorporate Wellness Elements Into Class Breaks

As wellness is holistic, it should be incorporated into training experiences. Within training, consider these options:

• During breaks, replace the “check your email” message with “Let’s take two minutes to reflect quietly and collect our thoughts.”
• Leverage office locations for breaks, including a walk around the building or outside.
• Begin the class after lunch with two examples of desk stretches that employees can take back and use daily.
• Use “bio breaks” to encourage drinking water. For the online class, ask everyone to show their fun mug or bottle on camera.

Include Wellness in Training Wrap-Up

Learning is like wellness: It is achieved through an active, continuous mindset. Include wellness in your training wrap-up and post-class communications. For example:

• When you go around the class, ask each employee what they learned about wellness that day.
• Incorporate wellness resources and tips in the post-training communication, key points and learning resources.
• After class, send learning points and include tips for adding wellness into your workday.

Workplace wellness is critical to the workforce — and corporate trainers can use their position of influence to incorporate concepts into the training catalog and training best practices.

Prioritize the Wellness of the Trainers

Trainers and training managers are employees, too, with all the challenges and stresses of the workforce. Incorporate wellness practices to support trainers in train-the-trainer programs and within your trainer team culture:

• Design trainer manuals and guides to include reminders for drinking water, doing desk stretches and taking breaks from staring at a monitor.
• Provide wellness training for trainers that includes breathing exercises, meditation techniques and stress management.
• Include wellness moments in trainer team meetings and, if possible, include walks or meetings in different areas outside the training classrooms for variety.
• Ask how the trainer is doing! Knowing others care about you is critical to achieving wellness.

L&D’s ability to create a productive learning environment and to be high-energy and engaging for employee classes is directly impacted by their wellness.

Wellness is Holistic and the Approach Must Be as Well

Incorporating wellness practices and tips in training should be one part of a holistic approach to company culture and wellness. To realize all the benefits of a workplace wellness program, there must be supported policies, engaged leadership and ongoing programming communication with the workforce. Wellness should be baked into each step of the employee experience — recruitment, onboarding, training, mentoring and job performance.

Conclusion

Corporate trainers are uniquely positioned to directly contribute to employee wellness. A better understanding of employee wellness tips, resources and practices can be an incredible resource across the training catalog and offerings to benefit all.