In today's rapidly evolving workplace, diversity and inclusion (D&I) have become increasingly important for organizations to attract and retain top talent, foster innovation, and promote a positive work culture.

Many companies have developed employee wellbeing programs designed to prioritize the health and happiness of their employees. However, these programs can often overlook the importance of D&I in creating an inclusive and supportive workplace.

In this blog, we will explore ten ways a human resource leader can focus on D&I in employee wellbeing programs to promote a more diverse and inclusive workplace and support the overall wellbeing of all employees.

The impact of a diverse wellbeing strategy

When organizations implement employee wellbeing programs, they can expect to see a positive impact on the overall health and happiness of their workforce. This positive impact can lead to several benefits, including improved work performance and productivity, higher employee retention rates, reduced absenteeism and sick days, and lower healthcare costs.

According to Gallup, employees who feel their wellbeing is a core focus of their employers are four times more likely to be engaged. In addition, employee wellbeing programs can promote cohesion across departments and teams, decrease dependent healthcare costs, and improve preventative care, which can help mitigate health concerns.

However, it's important to be intentional about including diversity and inclusion in these programs. Without a deliberate effort to create inclusive offerings, there can be a bias towards a particular subset of the workforce, making the wellbeing programs exclusive and limiting their adoption by other employees. It's crucial to focus on diversity and inclusion in corporate wellbeing solutions to ensure that everyone can benefit from the offerings.

Why diversity and inclusion is critical for employee wellbeing programs

When it comes to a holistic wellbeing program, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) may not be the first thing that comes to mind. However, it's important to remember that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to promoting health, benefits, and employee wellbeing.

While DEI might already be top of mind for other policies and programs, it's equally important to prioritize it in wellbeing initiatives. It's essential to recognize that not every employee is inspired by the same things, and everyone will have different abilities to engage in wellbeing activities.

To create inclusive programming that reflects the diversity of your workforce, it's crucial to include relatable instructors who are credentialed in their area of expertise. This can help employees make a personal connection with their trainers and increase their likelihood of returning.

In addition, it's important to consider solutions that provide a wide representation of age, race, ability, wellbeing categories, and class length. This can improve employee engagement and allow every employee the opportunity to continue on their wellbeing journey with your benefits or offerings.

By prioritizing DEI in your wellbeing programs, you can create a more inclusive and supportive work environment that benefits all employees.

How HR can focus on D&I in wellbeing

To prioritize DEI in your employee wellbeing programs, human resource teams can take several steps, including:

Choose an accessible platform that allows all employees to easily access their benefits, wellbeing solutions, and programming.
Ensure anonymity in surveys and searches for benefits to reduce the stigma surrounding getting help or chronic conditions.
Look for programming that includes adaptive class offerings as part of the main solution, so employees can have a common point of reference.
Consider programming that works with diverse and relatable instructors to ensure inclusivity.
Offer a broad range of programming to meet every ability or level and include access to employees' families so that everyone can pursue health together. For example, BurnAlong offers four free family accounts with every employee membership, and Navigate has program levels that allow users to engage their spouses.
Provide inclusive employee challenges that don't exclude those in assistive devices.
Make sure the program or solution supports multiple languages, especially for multilingual workforces.
Look for employee wellbeing apps that offer various time commitment options to work for parents, beginners, and other employees with different needs.
Provide wellbeing programs that support employees no matter what stage of life they are in and reinforce your overall commitment to their wellbeing.

Employee wellbeing is an essential factor in the success of an organization. When employees feel supported and valued, they are more likely to be engaged, productive, and loyal to their employer. By investing in diverse and inclusive wellbeing programs, organizations can create an environment that fosters a sense of community and belonging for all employees, regardless of their backgrounds, abilities, or identities.

This blog was adapted from it's original form for the Navigate website. Visit our friends at BurnAlong or the original article.