How HR leaders can leverage wellness rewards to drive engagement, culture & ROI
VIWELL team
Last updated August 27, 2025
In the evolving world of work, HR leaders are being asked to solve for everything from retention to performance — all while boosting culture and employee well-being. The solution? Stop thinking of rewards as a perk. Start using them to shape behavior and business outcomes. Wellness rewards, when designed intentionally, don’t just recognize healthy behaviors — they drive them. And when done right, they can turn wellness into a culture-defining force that supports engagement, belonging, and productivity.
Here’s how forward-thinking HR leaders can leverage wellness rewards to move the needle on what matters.
Make well-being measurable - and motivating
It’s no longer enough to offer a yoga session or host a wellness week. Today’s HR leaders need to influence behavior at scale — and measure the impact.
That’s where rewards come in.
Wellness rewards create tangible motivation for employees to consistently engage with health-focused actions, whether it’s completing a mental wellness module, tracking physical activity, or attending a resilience workshop.
Pro Tip: Align rewards with desired outcomes — not just participation. Want to build a culture of learning? Reward completed wellness learning paths. Want to improve social well-being? Offer peer-to-peer recognition points.
Drive peer recognition, not just top-down rewards
Modern employees crave appreciation from their peers as much as from their leaders. Wellness rewards can be tied to peer shoutouts, team goals, or even shared healthy habits.
According to McKinsey, up to 55% of employee engagement is driven by non-financial recognition - meaning that a team member saying, “Thanks for helping me de-stress today” can be just as powerful as a gift card.
Pro tip: Build systems where employees can earn points for encouraging others, joining group wellness challenges, or simply supporting someone’s journey. This creates a culture of shared accountability and care.
Boost engagement & retention with smart incentives
HR’s biggest challenge today? Keeping employees engaged, especially in hybrid or high-stress environments.
That’s where a data-backed wellness rewards strategy pays off.
According to Gallup, meeting just one pillar of strategic recognition can result in a 2.9x engagement multiplier compared to doing nothing. Incentivizing healthy habits with timely, personalized rewards helps employees feel seen - and that drives loyalty.
Pro tip: Use rewards to nudge participation in well-being programs, drive usage of mental health tools, and re-engage quiet employees who may be struggling silently.
Make it meaningful — and aligned with company values
Not all rewards are created equal. A generic voucher won’t resonate the same way as something that reflects your culture and people.
Offer rewards that align with your values: Think fitness classes, learning stipends, charity donations, extra time off, or access to financial coaching.
Pro tip: Recognition tied to wellness pillars — physical, mental, emotional, financial, and social — shows employees that you care about the whole person, not just the performer.
This also reinforces your EVP and employer brand — especially to new hires and remote workers.
Use analytics to prove ROI and optimize programs
Wellness rewards shouldn’t just feel good — they should deliver value. With the right tools, HR leaders can:
Track which types of rewards drive the most engagement
Identify wellness gaps and underused resources
Spot champions, recognize leaders, and scale success stories
Report wellness ROI to the C-suite in clear business terms
At VIWELL, we provide real-time analytics and behavioral insights so HR teams can turn recognition into a performance driver, not just a nice gesture.
Conclusion
Wellness rewards aren’t a perk — they’re a proven driver of engagement, motivation, and behavioral change. For HR leaders, they represent a strategic lever to reinforce company values, support holistic employee well-being, and strengthen culture from the inside out. When thoughtfully designed and aligned with your people strategy, wellness rewards can turn everyday recognition into a long-term investment in performance and retention.
