3 corporate wellness trends to watch in 2023

It’s that time of year again — yes, it’s trends season! Over the last month, we’ve all seen the requisite trends posts in our industry. However, we don’t typically see a lot of trends posts around my favorite topic: corporate wellness.

So today I’d like to talk a little about three big trends I’m seeing in the corporate wellness space and how I think they might impact you heading into the New Year.

Trend #1: More employers will start offering “hybrid memberships” for their fitness programs

What’s a “hybrid membership” you ask/? It’s a good question — and don’t feel badly if you haven’t heard the term before! It’s a relatively new concept. A hybrid membership is a combination of corporate fitness center access, virtual fitness classes and partnerships with local yoga, boxing and Pilates studios.

In essence, hybrid memberships make it convenient for employees to get in a workout at their gym — and at home or on the road when they’re traveling — all with the convenience of one membership rather than having to cobble it all together themselves. It’s the best of all worlds and reminds employees that they are joining a program, not just a brick-and-mortar fitness center!

And it’s a need more companies are starting to fill. Because, let’s be honest, today’s employee wants and expects a seamless connected fitness experience that fits their lifestyle. Isn’t this what you’re hearing from your employees?

Here’s what this looks like in action. An employee comes into the office three days a week and during those visits, they hit the on-site fitness center. They have a positive experience and talks to a few fellow employees while they work out. But the other two days they work from home. So, they take one virtual fitness class through their app, that’s connected to the fitness center and the same staff they know and trust. And over the weekend, they take a yoga class at a local studio that your company has contracted with via the hybrid health program.

These more inclusive memberships are providing variety and convenience for employees at a time when they are almost demanding it. All while keeping connected to each other and providing that engagement that is so hard to get.

Trend #2: Outdoor programming becomes more mainstream

As we all know, the pandemic definitely had an impact on corporate wellness programs. One of those impacts is it forced many of us outside! As a result, some companies started to adopt outdoor fitness options. And after two years of experimenting, it seems like it’s a trend that’s here to stay.

Again, we’re hearing this directly from employees and in survey results. In fact, one survey conducted by the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry and McKinsey & Company, asked: In which sports/physical activity categories do you expect to see a lasting increase in participation vs. pre-COVID-19? Of the 12 categories listed as options, 84% of survey participants selected “outdoor activity” as their number one choice.

One of our clients, a leading insurance company, is putting this trend into motion with good success. Over the last year, they’ve invested in a mobile open-air fitness trailer from BeaverFit that gets their employees outside on a daily basis. Paired with programming delivered by on-site fitness professionals, this outdoor fitness trailer provides both physical and mental health benefits.

Trend #3: Demand for personal training and small group training will spike

Since the pandemic started to wane this year, I started to hear that a lot of employees were looking for more guidance and support to help them get back on track with their fitness and wellness goals. Unfortunately, over the last two years, people have developed some unhealthy habits living a more sedentary lifestyle. What’s more, the isolation of working and living at home full-time has left people wanting a stronger sense of community for support. I’m also hearing that employees are looking for more than a physical workout. Whether it’s focused on sleep, nutrition or stress management, employees are seeking a more holistic approach to their health through personalized coaching.

As a result, I think we’ll see a big surge in services that are personalized, like personal training and small group training.

Related: Helping employees with changing fitness routines (again)

These more intimate training environments give employees guidance, support and a sense of community — all things we know they are craving. Employees are also accessing personalized data from wearables — and we know that more than 20% of Americans are using wearables. So, people are now looking for more tailored, personalized workouts to help increase efficiency and results. That’s driving this trend, too.

Those are just a few of the trends I’m tracking heading into 2023. As the corporate wellness space continues to shift and change, I look forward to seeing what’s next.

Ann Wyatt is Chief Client Success Leader at HealthFitness, a Trustmark company.