With all the progress being made in corporate wellness programs, human resources departments are increasingly partnering with wellness companies to further their benefits packages. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Human resource departments are crucial when it comes to promoting healthier work cultures and providing programs that encourage a friendlier work-life balance for employees. Today, many companies are dramatically expanding their vision of wellness when it comes to physical and mental health in the workplace. Fifty-one percent of employers with 50 with more employees offer a wellness program.

With all the progress being made in corporate wellness programs, human resources departments are increasingly partnering with wellness companies to further their benefits packages. The increased stress on fitness, wellness and activity has moved health to the forefront of workplace culture.

Here are three shifts driving the collaboration between fitness companies and employee wellness programs.

1. The talent gap

One of the most important issues facing employers is the talent gap. As the talent gap widens, many employers are offering flexible and remote working options in order to onboard and retain true talent.

Some of the world's largest HR departments have started to realize that a bare minimum, or one size-fits-all, corporate wellness package is no longer an option if they want to appeal to their entire workforce and keep their employees happy.

To help in revamping their wellness packages, employers are partnering with companies that offer more attractive packages to employees. These services offer more flexible, accessible and a variety of options for their employees. As the workforce is shifting away from traditional benefits packages, HR departments are being forced to evolve in order to retain and attract employees. It's important for HR departments to adapt their programs and structures to meet the talent demand. Benefits packages help bring employees through the door and have become even more important than negotiations with salary in some cases.

2. Importance of work/life balance

Randstad's Benefits and Perks in the Workplace report confirms what most employers are starting to figure out: that a vast majority of employees want more benefits that will improve their work-life balance. Of those surveyed, 66 percent said that a strong benefits and perks package is the largest determining factor when considering job offers, and 61 percent would be willing to accept a lower salary if a company offered a great benefits package.

Fitness companies are recognizing their newly solidified role in the corporate world and are finding new ways to appeal to employers. For example, AAPTIV, an on-demand fitness app, introduced their employee wellness program, which is specifically designed for an employee's lifestyle. Leading by example, companies are striving to be creative when it comes to their fitness packages, and wellness companies will surely follow in their pursuit to win over HR representatives.

3. The evolving fitness landscape

With the emergence of boutique fitness studios, which don't require cumbersome memberships, long-term commitments or administrative fees, traditional gyms and fitness facilities are recognizing the need to adapt to this landscape. Sometimes traditional gyms lose their allure because of the current aversion to contractual agreements and initiation fees, and member retention remains one of the primary goals for most gym owners.

This is where a partnership with an employer can be extremely beneficial. Traditional gyms are finding an ally in employers because in the gig economy, many employees would rather make decisions on the fly instead of plunging into long-term contracts. Health clubs are welcoming relationships with HR departments because it increases their membership numbers and revenue – welcoming a win-win situation for both parties.

The corporate wellness solution

As the corporate benefits model changes, the trifecta of fitness companies, corporations and consumers are all beginning to align on the importance of wellness. Catering to today's professionals is all about flexibility and freedom. As more gyms and fitness centers agree to work with more employers, this gives employees the flexibility that they need and demand. As the industry evolves, fitness facilities and human resource departments will continue building stronger corporate wellness packages together.

Read more:

• Fitbit setting its focus on employer health and wellness plans
• How to design an engaging employee wellness program
• 6 statistics highlighting the trends in employee health and wellness today

Paul O'Reilly-Hyland is founder and CEO of Zeamo, a platform that partners with corporate HR/benefit departments to allow employees explore to over 25,000 gyms around the world.