Most workplace wellness programs fail for one simple reason: they don’t let employees choose. Instead, they prescribe a one-size-fits-all approach (like a gym stipend or a step challenge) that doesn’t reflect the real needs of a diverse workforce.
The result? Low engagement, wasted budgets, and wellness programs that look good on paper but don’t actually improve employee well-being.
But when employees set their own employee wellness goals, with meaningful employee wellness incentives and clear options, participation doubles, habits stick, and organizations see measurable ROI.
On IncentFit’s platform, we’ve tracked over $91 million in rewards across 200,000+ employees. The data is clear: when given choice, employees consistently choose hydration, walking, mental wellness, and preventive care – far beyond just gym visits. This blog reveals exactly what employees want from wellness programs, and how HR leaders can design flexible wellness programs that actually work.
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Behavioral science has long shown that autonomy fuels motivation. When people have control over their own actions, they’re more likely to stay committed. This is why rigid, top-down wellness programs often fall flat – employees don’t see themselves in the activities.
In fact, Gallup research shows that employees who feel their employer cares about their well-being are 69% less likely to search for a new job. But “caring” doesn’t mean offering one perk, it means offering meaningful choices.
That’s exactly why flexibility matters. IncentFit’s platform data confirms it: workplace wellness participation averages 60%+ when employees can set goals that fit their lifestyle, compared to the industry norm of 30%.
For HR leaders, the takeaway is clear: employee wellness goals should be personalized and flexible, not one-size-fits-all.
Want to dig deeper into why generic wellness programs fail? Download our free whitepaper, One-Size-Fits-None: Why Flexibility Is the Future of Workplace Wellness, to see how choice transforms participation and ROI.
So, what happens when employees set their own employee wellness goals? The data speaks volumes. As of 2025, IncentFit users have set thousands of personal goals across categories and the trends reveal what employees value most:
| Goal Category | Total Goals Set | Example Goals |
| Exercise | 3,194 | Walk a Mile, 30 Minutes of Cardio, Yoga |
| Nutrition | 3,158 | Drinking Water, Kick the Caffeine, Healthy Heart |
| Steps | 3,047 | Average Steps, Steps Streak |
| Mental Wellness | 2,269 | Daily Meditation, Journaling, Social Connection |
| Sleep | 1,249 | Sleep Hygiene, Sleep Streak |
| Environmental | 856 | Back to Nature, Go for Green |
| Financial Wellness | 591 | Don’t Break the Bank |
One stat stands out: 33.61% of users completed at least one personal wellness goal. That completion rate shows that when employees set their own targets, they’re far more likely to follow through.
For HR admins, this is powerful insight. Employees aren’t just chasing fitness milestones, they’re also prioritizing hydration, nutrition, sleep, and mental wellness. Programs that reflect these preferences are more likely to resonate and deliver stronger workplace wellness participation.
While goals show intent, activities reveal day-to-day behavior. IncentFit’s activity tracking shows where employees actually spend their time:
This trend reinforces a key lesson: employees want simple, accessible activities that align with their everyday lives. A hydration reset or daily mindfulness streak can engage just as strongly as a gym-based challenge.
Too often, companies equate wellness with gym stipends. But IncentFit data shows that over 60.8% of activities logged happen outside the gym.
So, what are employees actually doing?
Annual physicals, dental check-ups, and other preventive screenings are among the most logged activities on IncentFit. Employees value benefits that help them catch health issues early, while employers see fewer claims and reduced long-term healthcare costs.
From therapy visits to meditation goals, employees are increasingly prioritizing mental well-being. This reflects a broader workplace trend: burnout and stress management are now seen as core parts of overall wellness.
Hydration and healthy eating goals rank high across IncentFit users. Employees want simple, everyday ways to improve their well-being, and nutrition-based goals provide accessible entry points for lasting lifestyle changes.
Wellness isn’t just about the individual, it’s cultural. Many employees log volunteering hours and team-based activities, proving that social connection and community involvement are critical parts of a balanced wellness program.
If HR teams only offer gym-related perks, they’re missing the majority of what employees want from wellness programs. And external research confirms this shift: a recent report found that 75% of employees rank mental and social well-being as equally important to physical health.
The bottom line? A successful workplace wellness program must look beyond fitness centers and embrace the full spectrum of well-being through flexible wellness programs.
So, how do you turn these insights into action? By building flexible wellness programs that balance structure with choice. The goal isn’t to run four different initiatives for four different demographics, it’s to design one program that feels personal and inclusive
Here’s how HR leaders can get it right:
Employees should have options that span fitness, nutrition, mental health, and preventive care. A “menu” approach means employees engage in activities that fit their lifestyle while still aligning with company wellness priorities. For example, an employee might log steps with a wearable, another might submit a receipt for a yoga class, while someone else chooses a preventive screening. Programs that cast a wider net consistently see higher participation.
The type of reward matters as much as the activity. IncentFit data shows that employees overwhelmingly prefer direct financial rewards like payroll credits or HSA contributions. But offering alternatives such as extra PTO, premium offsets, or gift cards adds freshness and choice. This way, employees feel valued in ways that fit their lives, and HR teams still maintain budget control.
Program fatigue is real. Rotating between challenges, personal goal-setting, and reimbursements keeps things engaging year-round. For example, Q1 might emphasize preventive screenings, Q2 could feature a steps challenge, and Q3 could lean into mindfulness. Variety sustains engagement and appeals to different employee groups at different times.
Flexibility doesn’t mean complexity for HR. The most successful programs automate activity verification, reward distribution, and reporting. This reduces time spent managing spreadsheets and frees up HR leaders to focus on strategy rather than logistics.
Even the most flexible program won’t succeed if employees don’t know about it. Tailor communication by using multiple touchpoints – email, push notifications, manager reminders, or even posters. Different generations prefer different channels, and consistent messaging keeps participation high.
This doesn’t mean letting employees run wild; it means providing curated options that align with organizational goals while empowering employees with agency.
The numbers are clear: flexible wellness programs deliver results.
And the impact extends beyond participation. A recent study found that employees who engage in wellness programs report 12% higher productivity. Combine that with lower absenteeism and stronger retention, and the ROI becomes undeniable.
For HR leaders, the real challenge isn’t just launching a wellness program, it’s creating one employees actually engage with. Based on IncentFit data and client best practices, here’s a step-by-step playbook for building flexible wellness programs that employees love and HR teams can manage with confidence.
Steps to Designing a Wellness Program:
Start with the data that matters most: your people. Use quick surveys, pulse checks, or onboarding questionnaires to ask about their top wellness priorities. Are they more interested in stress management, fitness, or preventive care? This ensures your program reflects real employee needs rather than assumptions.
Best practice: Keep surveys short (5–7 questions max) and repeat them annually to capture evolving needs.
Wellness programs succeed when leadership models participation. Communicate how wellness links to organizational goals – reduced absenteeism, higher productivity, improved retention – to secure budget and visible executive support.
Best practice: Ask executives to join challenges or publicly share their own wellness goals, it signals that wellness isn’t just lip service.
Employees want choice. Your program should cover fitness, nutrition, mental health, preventive care, and even social well-being. If you only reward gym visits, you’re leaving out over 60% of where employees actually log activity.
Best practice: Use a “menu” design. For example, employees might pick between a step challenge, a meditation streak, or a hydration goal in the same quarter.
Behavioral science shows immediacy is key: people are more likely to repeat a behavior when they’re rewarded right away. With IncentFit, employees see their reward appear the moment an activity is verified, even if payouts happen later. This creates momentum and builds lasting habits.
Best practice: Tie big outcomes (like premium offsets) to consistent behaviors, and use small, instant rewards to encourage day-to-day participation.
Even the best-designed program fails if employees don’t know about it. Use multiple channels (email, push notifications, HRIS dashboards, posters in common areas) to announce new challenges, deadlines, and success stories. Different generations and roles will prefer different formats, so vary your approach.
Best practice: Market your wellness program like you would a product launch – use storytelling, visuals, and testimonials to make it feel engaging, not administrative.
Avoid engagement drop-off by rotating the type of activities you offer. A step challenge in Q1, hydration in Q2, mindfulness in Q3, and preventive care in Q4 keeps employees curious and engaged. Variety also appeals to different needs at different times of the year.
Best practice: Lean into seasonality. For example, fall challenges consistently see peak participation in our data take advantage of those natural rhythms.
Wellness programs shouldn’t be static. Use participation data to see what’s working and where adjustments are needed. For instance, if nutrition challenges outperform fitness goals in your workforce, allocate more resources there.
Best practice: Share program results back with employees, it builds trust and shows that their input leads to action.
By following these steps, HR leaders can balance structure (to keep programs manageable) with flexibility (to keep employees engaged). The result: higher participation, stronger ROI, and a culture where wellness actually feels like part of work, not an afterthought.
Generic wellness programs fail because they ignore what employees want from wellness programs. IncentFit’s platform data makes it clear: when employees can choose activities that matter to them (hydration goals, preventive screenings, nutrition challenges, mindfulness streaks) workplace wellness participation climbs to 60% or more, roughly double the industry norm of 30%.
It’s not about giving employees free rein; it’s about curated flexibility. HR teams that pair broad activity menus with instant, meaningful employee wellness incentives see stronger engagement, healthier populations, and measurable ROI. Our clients have already distributed $91M+ in rewards, watched challenge participation rise from 31% to 40% in just three years, and proven that wellness works far beyond the gym.
For HR professionals, the path is clear:
The result is a program employees actually use and a benefits strategy leadership can proudly measure.
Ready to see what a flexible wellness program can do for your organization? Schedule a demo with IncentFit and start building a program that reflects what employees want from wellness programs.
Q: What do employees actually want from wellness programs?
A: Employees want flexibility and relevance. IncentFit’s data shows that employees set thousands of personal goals around hydration, steps, nutrition, sleep, and mental wellness – not just gym visits. In fact, over 60.8% of activities logged happen outside the gym, meaning employers who only offer fitness stipends are missing most of what employees value.
Q: Why do flexible wellness programs drive higher participation?
A: Because autonomy fuels motivation. Research shows that employees who feel their employer cares about their well-being are less likely to look for a new job. Flexible wellness programs let employees choose activities that fit their lives, which is why IncentFit clients see participation rates of 60%+, compared to an industry average of 30%.
Q: How do employee wellness incentives fit into all of this?
A: Incentives are the “stickiness factor” that turns good intentions into lasting habits. IncentFit data shows that direct financial rewards (through payroll or HSA contributions) are the most popular, with over 90% of rewards distributed this way. Gift cards, PTO, and charitable donations add variety, but financial incentives tied to daily life deliver the strongest engagement and ROI.
Q: What’s the role of challenges in wellness participation?
A: Challenges provide variety and community. IncentFit data shows challenge participation has grown from 31% in 2022 to nearly 40% in 2025, with Q3 (fall) consistently driving the highest engagement. Seasonal or team-based challenges prevent fatigue and make wellness feel fresh throughout the year.
Q: How do flexible programs balance choice without becoming unmanageable for HR?
A: The key is structured flexibility. HR doesn’t need to build four different programs for different demographics. Instead, they can:
Q: How do flexible wellness programs impact retention and ROI?
A: Wellness isn’t just a perk, it’s a retention strategy. Data shows that employees who feel supported in their well-being are more likely to stay. Employers using IncentFit have distributed $91M+ in incentives, directly tied to healthier activities, reduced absenteeism, and stronger retention. External studies back this up as HR leaders say well-being benefits are critical to retaining talent.
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