As we step into 2026, employee health and wellness have never been more critical to organizational success. Today’s top employers recognize that supporting the whole person physically, mentally, and emotionally isn’t just a benefit, it’s a business imperative that drives engagement, retention, and performance.
The companies featured in this article are leading the way with comprehensive wellness strategies that go beyond traditional healthcare benefits. From preventive care incentives and mental health resources to innovative wellness campaigns and care navigation tools, these organizations are creating cultures where employee well-being is prioritized and celebrated.
Their approaches demonstrate how intentional investment in health and wellness programs creates healthier, more engaged workforces and stronger businesses setting the standard for what it means to truly care for employees in 2026 and beyond.
What specific health and wellness programs or initiatives has your company implemented?
At Builders FirstSource, we’ve built a comprehensive health and wellness strategy designed to support our team members and their families. This includes preventive care incentives, behavioral health resources, virtual care, care-navigation tools, and wellness campaigns for birthdays, new hires and location HR led meetings focused on promoting the importance of early detection, chronic condition support, and whole-person well-being. We continue to evolve these programs to prioritize our team members’ health and make accessing care simple, meaningful, and aligned to the needs of our workforce.
How have wellness initiatives affected your employees and your business? Are you seeing improvements in areas like morale, retention, performance, or overall workplace culture?
These initiatives have helped strengthen our culture of care at Builders FirstSource, encouraging team members and their loved ones to be more proactive and confident in managing their health. We are seeing meaningful improvements in engagement, morale, and retention, as team members feel more supported, valued, and connected to the company’s commitment to their well-being. We believe in helping our team members which is a key way we live our core values as a people first culture. Ultimately, investing in wellness has contributed to a healthier workforce and a stronger organization.
Check out Builders FirstSource’s careers page here!
What specific health and wellness programs or initiatives has your company implemented?
Smartsheet prioritizes a holistic approach to employee well-being by integrating physical, mental, and financial support into the core of our culture. Central to this is a robust mental health program that provides employees and their dependents with access to counseling, coaching, and mental wellness tools. Beyond clinical support, the program includes resources for financial and legal guidance. We further support our employees’ daily lives through a monthly productivity stipend and a dedicated platform offering local retail and experience discounts, ensuring that wellness extends to their financial health and work-life balance.
Flexibility and time away is a cornerstone of long-term health, and we recognize this through our Flexible Time Away program alongside flexible working options to promote a work-life balance. To foster continuous personal and professional growth, we provide every employee with a personal Smartsheet account and access to Udemy for professional growth. By combining flexible leave policies with investment into development, we ensure that our team feels valued, supported, and can thrive both in and outside of their work environment.
How have wellness initiatives affected your employees and your business? Are you seeing improvements in areas like morale, retention, performance, or overall workplace culture?
The impact of our wellness initiatives is most clearly seen in the high engagement rate of our mental health program, with 22% of our employee population actively engaged with our mental health provider. This significant engagement rate demonstrates a deep level of trust in our program as well as a culture where prioritizing mental well-being is valued.
Check out Smartsheet‘s careers page here!
What specific health and wellness programs or initiatives has your company implemented?
Beacon Hill prioritizes employee well-being through a combination of mental health resources and physical wellness initiatives. We partner with Lyra Health to provide comprehensive mental health support, including therapy, coaching and self-care tools. Additionally, we keep wellness engaging and fun with step challenges and fitness contests throughout the year, encouraging employees to stay active and connected.
How have wellness initiatives affected your employees and your business? Are you seeing improvements in areas like morale, retention, performance, or overall workplace culture?
These programs have had a positive impact on morale and overall workplace culture. Employees appreciate having accessible mental health resources and opportunities to participate in wellness activities, which fosters a sense of community and support. By investing in well-being, we’ve seen improvements in engagement and retention, as employees feel valued and cared for beyond their professional contributions.
Check out Beacon Hill’s careers page here!
What specific health and wellness programs or initiatives has your company implemented?
At Golden Hippo, we’re committed to supporting the well-being of our employees through a holistic approach that prioritizes physical, mental, and emotional health. Last year, we launched a year-round wellness initiative anchored by monthly wellness themes. Each month focused on a dedicated health topic such as stress management, financial well-being, nutrition, movement, or work-life balance, and included webinars, interactive challenges, and curated wellness resources.
Employees can participate in monthly challenges designed to promote healthy habits in fun and accessible ways, from step and hydration challenges to mindfulness and gratitude prompts. To keep engagement high, we also offer wellness-themed prizes each month such as walking pads, smart water bottles, water flossers, and smart watches, helping our teams stay motivated and connected.
Beyond monthly programming, we offer a robust suite of benefits and resources, including mental health support, an on-site gym and kitchen stocked with healthy food, access to EAP services, and opportunities for personal development. Our goal is to make well-being a consistent part of our culture rather than a one-time effort.
How have wellness initiatives affected your employees and your business? Are you seeing improvements in areas like morale, retention, performance, or overall workplace culture?
Our wellness initiatives have had a meaningful and measurable impact across the organization. Participation in our monthly themes and challenges has helped foster a stronger sense of community and engagement among teams, especially those working in hybrid or remote environments. Employees have shared that the programs make them feel more supported not only as professionals but as people, reinforcing the idea that Golden Hippo truly values their well-being.
We’ve seen a positive influence on morale, with employees reporting greater energy, improved work-life balance, and increased connection with coworkers. Plus, it’s a great way for us to engage in some friendly competition throughout the year! Culturally, the focus on wellness has created a more supportive and empathetic workplace. Teams are more communicative, more collaborative, and more mindful of healthy work habits. While wellness programs are not a singular solution, they play a significant role in making Golden Hippo a place where people feel empowered to do their best work and feel good doing it.
Check out Golden Hippo’s careers page here!
What specific health and wellness programs or initiatives has your company implemented?
Recognizing that each individual at First Advantage has unique needs and approaches to self-care, our goal is to help evoke a feeling of empowerment in our employees with a diverse range of opportunities and resources that support their well-being in the ways that matter most to them. Over the past year, we have implemented several well-being initiatives to provide meaningful support to our employees:
Monthly well-being webinars: Through our benefits partners, we offer monthly well-being webinars on topics such as the benefits of physical movement, finances and mental health, and in collaboration with our Employee Impact Groups, we also offered a session on loneliness and social connection. While the content is informative and engaging, the real impact happens in the chat where colleagues connect with each other and feel less alone in challenges they may be facing.
Mindfulness sessions: As we strive to highlight the skills and interests of our colleagues both inside and outside of work, we partnered with one of our own colleagues who has a special interest in mindfulness and meditation to enhance our well-being program. On the second Wednesday of each month, this employee hosts two sessions on mindfulness that are consistently well attended by several hundred of her First Advantage colleagues.
FA Moves Challenge: A little healthy competition goes a long way. For 30 days, employees across the globe were invited to join our annual fitness challenge, which encourages participants to get out and move their bodies while raising funds for charity. By the end of the challenge, we had collectively walked 39,000 miles and raised $15,000.
Global EAP and well-being resources: For those who may need more tailored support or prefer to utilize our resources more independently, we offer access to a global Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and regularly post resources and conversation prompts on our intranet page dedicated to well-being. We believe it’s important to keep the conversation going so that in a time of need, colleagues feel comfortable raising their hand for help and know where to turn.
How have wellness initiatives affected your employees and your business? Are you seeing improvements in areas like morale, retention, performance, or overall workplace culture?
These programs have had a positive impact on morale and overall workplace culture. Employees At the end of 2024, we went through a major acquisition that doubled the size of our workforce and presented unique opportunities to unify our teams through a focus on well-being. While our first annual global employee engagement survey as a combined organization is scheduled for April 2026 and will provide comprehensive data on the long-term impact of our wellness programs, current indicators are highly encouraging. We consistently see 300-400 participants at our monthly webinars with a 4.8 favorability rating. Feedback frequently highlights the value these sessions bring, with employees noting that outside speakers broaden perspectives and contribute to personal and professional growth.
Our most recent pulse survey included results that 90% of our employees feel well-supported by their manager, and 89% feel accepted by their immediate coworkers. These figures suggest that a relationship-oriented culture where open dialogue about well-being may help individuals feel empowered to care for themselves and consistently deliver high-quality work. By prioritizing wellness and fostering an environment where people feel seen and valued, we believe that we have strengthened our ability to retain talent, boost engagement, and build a resilient, successful organization.
Check out First Advantage’s careers page here!
What specific health and wellness programs or initiatives has your company implemented?
Snap Finance offers a variety of year-round programs and initiatives designed to support team member engagement, health, and well-being. In 2025, Me4We Wellness Months were piloted in October and November to support the physical and mental health of all team members. These Wellness Months featured mindfulness and hydration challenges, a guided virtual meditation session, a companywide step challenge, and Breast Cancer 5K events hosted at Hub locations. Hundreds of team members participated, coming together to prioritize wellness as a group.
In addition, Snap Finance hosts Health Fairs at hub locations in Salt Lake City and Costa Rica. These events bring together the Benefits team, Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), and healthcare providers to educate team members on personal wellness and the resources available at Snap.
Finally, Snap Finance supports health and wellness throughout the year through SnapWell, an ERG dedicated solely to wellness. SnapWell hosts live and virtual events year-round and plays a key role in promoting a culture of well-being across the organization.
How have wellness initiatives affected your employees and your business? Are you seeing improvements in areas like morale, retention, performance, or overall workplace culture?
Snap’s wellness initiatives have had a positive impact on both team members and overall workplace culture. Through programs like Me4We Wellness Months, Health Fairs, and the SnapWell ERG, the company has seen increased engagement and connection across teams and locations. These initiatives provide meaningful opportunities for team members to connect over shared hobbies and interests, participate in friendly competition, and engage with one another outside of day-to-day work.
Beyond individual well-being, these shared experiences add value to workplace culture by creating moments that bring team members together regardless of role, department, or location. Whether participating in a step challenge, attending a wellness event, or supporting a cause together, team members are able to bond through inclusive, companywide experiences. This sense of connection and belonging has contributed to stronger morale, a more engaged workforce, and a culture that prioritizes doing well by doing good.