Employee Wellness Programs: What We Can Learn from America's Top Universities

Employee wellness programs have come a long way since the days of offering free fruit in the breakroom. Today, they’re a strategic priority—not just for corporate America, but for leading academic institutions like Stanford, Cornell, Oklahoma State, and the University of Alabama.

These universities, surveyed in the NIRSA Report: Employee Wellness Programs – Collegiate Recreation Trends Research, built their programs to address growing concerns about health insurance costs, employee productivity, organizational change, and overall workforce well-being.

And the results? They're not just positive—they’re transformational.

Why Universities Invest in Wellness

The motivation behind these programs is more relevant than ever in 2025. As healthcare premiums rise and mental health challenges mount, employers across industries are recognizing the link between employee wellness and business performance.

In fact:

• Employers of all size businesses agree wellness programs are crucial to workforce strategy.
• Companies with effective wellness programs report an average of 11% higher revenue per employee and 28% reduction in sick days.

Core Components of Top-Tier Programs

Despite differences in campus cultures and budgets, the universities studied shared common program elements:

• Health risk assessments and biometric screenings
• Wellness workshops and online resources
• Paid release time for wellness activities
• Smoking cessation programs
• Physical activity challenges
• Behavior change incentives

Engagement varied by population. Some campuses targeted hard-to-reach staff like facilities workers; others focused on department heads to model participation. In nearly every case, incentive structures—especially gift cards—played a central role in driving engagement.

Incentives That Work: From Cash Prizes to Gift Cards

At the heart of these programs? Participation. And to drive it, institutions relied heavily on strategic rewards:

• Gift cards for completing health screenings
• Raffles for wellness challenge participants
• Annual rewards for long-term behavior change

That’s where the Engage2Reward™ Gift Card Ordering Platform comes in. Whether you're launching a new wellness program or expanding an existing one, our platform helps organizations:

• Offer health-focused gift cards from top brands like CVS Pharmacy® and Walmart Healthy Living
• Deliver digital rewards instantly or in bulk
• Personalize messaging and track orders in real time

Results You Can Measure

All universities surveyed cited measurable outcomes: improved health indicators, greater productivity, and stronger workplace culture. Both Stanford and Cornell went so far as to describe their wellness programs as “a way of life,” an ethos that many private-sector employers are now working to adopt.

Wellness programs aren’t one-size-fits-all. But the success seen across these institutions proves that with the right structure, inclusive access, and meaningful incentives, organizations of any size or sector can drive measurable improvement in employee well-being.

Ready to Elevate Your Program?
Start integrating rewards into your employee wellness initiatives today with the Engage2Reward Platform. Flexible. Fast. Easy. Contact us to get started.