A 2005 study in the Creativity Research Journal revealed a link between moderate aerobic exercise and increased mental function, primarily an increase in cognitive creativity. Possibly the most fascinating element was not only that exercise increased creativity, but that the effects were both immediate and sustained over time. The report found that two hours after a moderate aerobic exercise, creativity was effectively experiencing the same benefits as immediately following the exercise.

According to the World Health Organization, as many as 450 million people worldwide suffer from a mental or behavioral disorder, and the average costs for employees with depression may be 4.2 times higher than those incurred by a typical employee. Mental health issues such as depression can lead to other health problems and snowball into a hefty chunk of change, both for you and your employee.

As a busy wellness professional, it’s easy to get caught up in daily tasks and lose focus of what is really important. When you lose focus, you may become uninspired and complacent. You are not alone. With many wellness initiatives achieving less than 20% participation, your program may be struggling to engage and inspire employees. But does that mean once something is said to be six feet under, it can't rise again?

When it comes to recruiting top talent, competitive health insurance and gym membership reimbursement may not cut it anymore. Facebook and Apple recently made headlines with the news that they will now offer financial support for female employees who wish to freeze their eggs.

As a corporate wellness program provider, it probably seems slightly counterintuitive for us to suggest that you stop forcing employees to participate in your wellness program. In fact, the idea of "disincentivizing" employees is actually growing in popularity; an Aon Hewitt survey demonstrated that 53% of employers plan to begin implementing disincentives in the next 3-5 years. 

If you're reading this blog, we know that you're ready and willing to devote the time, energy and money that it takes to build a brilliant worksite wellness program. Here's the rub, though: out of all of the companies that have wellness programs, only 24% of employees are participating (according to a Gallup study). Less than a quarter. We know that's not enough; you want your entire workforce to be engaged in their work and enabled to be productive and successful, whether that's physically, financially and/or emotionally. 

When you think of company culture, Clif Bar is one of the first places that comes to mind. The healthy snack and drink company has truly set the 'bar' for America's workplaces, from a robust wellness program to an incredible list of perks and benefits. 

In an organization that cites athletes and health nuts as its demographic, Clif Bar understands the importance and the value of corporate wellness. Clif Bar employs a "Wellness Diva" whose job is purely to find ways to keep Clif Bar's 200+ employees healthy and productive.

Every employee can exercise for two and a half hours each week on company time. They can work out with one of five on-site personal trainers, participate in one of the 32 free fitness classes offered each week at the on-site gym, or take one of the in-house bikes out for a ride. Clif Bar also offers wellness seminars, an annual health fair with biometric screenings, and a reimbursement of up to $350 for participating in athletic competitions like marathons or triathlons.