Out with the Old: Employee Wellness Trends That No Longer Serve Today’s Workforce

Written by Kristine Keykal, CEO of AdvantageHealth Corporation

The world of work—and wellness—has changed dramatically in recent years. With the rise of hybrid models, generational shifts in the workforce, and a deeper understanding of whole-person health, some once-popular employee wellness trends have become outdated or ineffective. It’s not that these ideas were wrong, but that they no longer align with what today’s employees want or need.

Here are a few wellness program trends that are fading out, and what’s replacing them:

1. One-Size-Fits-All Wellness Programs

Outdated Approach: Traditional wellness programs often offered generic activities (like a step challenge or weight loss contest) designed to appeal broadly to everyone. But participation and impact were often low.

What’s In: Personalized and inclusive wellness experiences. Today’s employees expect choices and flexibility. Programs that include mental health support, stress management, financial wellness, and family care options are much more effective and inclusive.

2. “Check-the-Box” Wellness Incentives

Outdated Approach: Employers offered gift cards or premium discounts just for completing a biometric screening or annual wellness survey—without real engagement in behavior change.

What’s In: Meaningful engagement and intrinsic motivation. Today’s best programs foster intrinsic motivation through community, purpose, and personal growth. Incentives are still useful, but they work best when tied to long-term engagement or self-defined goals.

3. Weight-Centric Health Messaging

Outdated Approach: Wellness used to focus heavily on weight loss and BMI as the primary indicators of health. This often excluded or stigmatized employees and didn’t capture full wellbeing.

What’s In: Holistic, health-at-every-size approaches. Physical health is just one piece of the puzzle. Now, emotional, mental, and social wellbeing are integrated into the definition of health—and programs celebrate diverse bodies and capabilities.

4. Overreliance on Health Risk Assessments (HRAs)

Outdated Approach: For years, HRAs were the cornerstone of many wellness strategies, but often lacked actionable follow-up or personalized insight.

What’s In: Real-time data and continuous support. Instead of static assessments, employers are leveraging digital health tools, coaching apps, and mental health platforms that offer dynamic, ongoing feedback and support.

5. Ignoring Mental Health or Treating It Separately

Outdated Approach: Mental health was once treated as an EAP referral issue—only for crisis situations.

What’s In: Integrated mental wellbeing. Mental health is now a central pillar of wellness strategy, supported by workshops, therapy benefits, manager training, and culture-wide openness. Preventative care and emotional resilience are just as important as physical health.

6. Top-Down Wellness Mandates

Outdated Approach: Leadership used to design programs with minimal employee input, often based on outdated benchmarks or assumptions.

What’s In: Employee voice and co-creation. Today’s employees want to be heard. Successful wellness strategies are informed by listening sessions, wellness committees, and inclusive planning that reflects a range of needs and cultures.

The Bottom Line

Employee wellness is evolving fast. What worked a decade ago might now feel irrelevant or even counterproductive. As expectations rise and work-life boundaries blur, employers need to meet their workforce where they are: with empathy, flexibility, and innovation. The most effective wellness programs today are human-centered, data-informed, and designed for the whole person, not just their steps, weight, or lab results.

Schedule a free consultation with Kristine Keykal, CEO and Co-Owner to review your employee wellness program:

Email Kristine at kkeykal@advantagehealth.com to get started or call 612.823.4470 (select option “1”).

Let Kristine Keykal, M.P.H, co-founder of AdvantageHealth with over 25 years of experience, consult with you on your employee wellness program.

Since 2001, Minnesota-based AdvantageHealth has been delivering award-winning employee wellbeing programs and fitness center design & management throughout the U.S.