At my previous job, I was a member of a very esteemed group called the Funtastics.

We were a random assortment of colleagues who were responsible—for you guessed it!—fun at the office.

We arranged cultural excursions, pizza parties, happy hours, community service and charity projects.

But my favorite events were usually the most ridiculous—ones we'd giggle about through the planning stages. Those included costumes, field days and events that involved eating contests and doughnuts on a string (I am a gifted, gifted event planner).

In these events, even the office bigwigs partook in the fun (and yes, we have photographic evidence). And as corny as it sounds, those events really did put fun back into the office. Coworkers became friends, they enjoyed their job more, and they relaxed and had a good time, even if just for a couple of hours.

I'm pretty sure I was ahead of my time in all this.

New research about company wellness from the International Foundation of Employee Benefits Plans recently caught my eye. In a nutshell, it said that traditional methods of wellness—such as flu shots, fitness challenges and health risk assessments—while still popular, are being supplemented by more unusual offerings.

The new nontraditional wellness offerings cited by the organization range from mental health coverage, tuition reimbursement and community charity drives to onsite celebrations, themed-dress up days at the office and more vacation time.

These nontraditional offerings are cool because they focus on an aspect of workplace wellness we all too little think about. Sure, I'm a big fan of fitness trackers and flu shots and all the other things that are important to physical health. They're a big and important part of workplace wellness, and without a doubt, they should be implemented. But at the same time, I've long asserted that workplace wellness often misses the mark in terms of promoting a different side of wellness—one that includes mental, financial and social well-being.

For workplace wellness to really work, all parts of the trifecta—financial, mental and physical well-being—must be addressed and implemented.

Sometimes it doesn't take all that much. After all, how easy is it to offer up an extra day of vacation or to sing “Happy Birthday” and blow up a few balloons?

The stats speak for the benefits: Among organizations analyzing and aware of their wellness ROI, 93 percent are achieving positive ROI—the average ROI per $1 spent is $3, according to the foundation. Among organizations tracking more specific wellness efforts, 54 percent said wellness efforts have improved engagement, 45 percent said wellness efforts reduced absenteeism, and 38 percent said wellness efforts have positively affected their organization's overall bottom line.

And if that doesn't convince you, I offer you this to consider: When would you not want to see your CEO chase after a doughnut on a string?

Instant Insights /

Consumer Driven: Seeking nontraditional workplace wellness

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