9 out of 10 employees opt for wellbeing programs at work, with sports and nutrition as the most accessed programs

Over 80% of employees in Romania feel more productive and motivated to perform when they actively participate in wellbeing activities, and 9 out of 10 employees claim that, were they to change jobs, they would be interested in a job with benefits from wellbeing programs, according to a study carried out by Wellbeing.ro, based on the programs carried out during 2022.

According to the same source, among the industries that most frequently and regularly accessed such programs last year are Pharma, Banking, Retail, IT & Gaming, HoReCa, and Automotive, respectively. Sports and nutrition remain the main points of interest for employees when they choose to participate in wellbeing activities, with mental balance, hobbies, and teamwork among the most accessed programs. Moreover, 68% of employees claim that they have significantly improved their lifestyle after participating in the sports and nutrition programs organized by the company they work for.

“The main necessity of the companies that we identified during the consulting sessions for choosing the right wellbeing program is based on the concern for creating a safe and friendly work environment at the workplace, particularly in the context of employees’ returning to the office following the pandemic period. Reconnecting the team, bonding with colleagues, getting to know new colleagues after the lengthy work from home period, and increasing employee engagement were among the priorities of human resources departments in 2022,” explains Alecsandra Ioniță, wellbeing program specialist and founder of Wellbeing.ro by SmartExperience.

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“On-site” programs, back in power

Although the year 2022 started with programs held mainly online, starting March there was a tendency to resume on-site programs, held at company headquarters, or in third-party event locations.

Thus, if in the period January-April 2022 the share of online activities exceeded 60%, the ratio changed significantly in the months that followed, with the relaxation of restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Wellbeing.ro statistics, as of June 2022, 95% of the wellbeing programs occurred with physical presence, and only 5% remained in a hybrid format.

In total, over 6.000 employees from 55 companies participated in the programs run by Wellbeing.ro in 2022, both online and on-site – an increase of almost 50% compared to the period prior the pandemic (4,100 participants in 2019, from 43 companies).

Regarding the number of programs, 148 wellbeing programs were organized in 2022, compared to 98 in 2019, according to company statistics.

2023 trends – the main pillars in wellbeing programs

Since 76% of employees consider it important for the team’s health to have a wellbeing program in their company, specialists estimate that in 2023 the trend of organizing large and complex wellbeing programs will be maintained and developed on multiple pillars.

“Most companies choose wellbeing activities planned in fields such as physical health, mental health, personal development, hobbies, and passions. They have the greatest impact on teams, as they meet all employee needs and demonstrate long-term results. In 2022, the reconfiguration of the values of the working environment was achieved, and most companies want to continue the programs, maintaining the base built so far”, says Alecsandra Ioniță.

According to the evaluations conducted together with the human resources departments of the most important Wellbeing.ro partner companies in Romania, the most accessed programs in 2023 will be based on themes such as stress management, mindfulness and meditation, healthy lifestyle, sustainability at the workplace work and home, resource management, and financial education.

The Wellbeing.ro internal study is based on the quantitative and qualitative assessment carried out among the participants in the programs conducted by the company between January and December 2022, survey respondents, within the 55 partner companies in Romania.