The Forgotten Majority: The Conveniently Ignored 75% in Corporate Wellness

Corporate wellness programs have largely failed because they focus on incentives rather than true inclusivity and support. The outdated model of financial perks does little to drive lasting engagement. Instead, effective corporate wellness should be built on empathy, education, and personalized assistance. Gym Force is changing the game by creating a scalable, inclusive solution that meets employees where they are and provides real, lasting impact.

Broad adoption of corporate wellness cannot happen unless we stop pretending that somehow there is something wrong with the 75% of employees who do not participate. There needs to be something for everyone, not just in geography, but also in variety and quality of options for all employees. Wellness providers and how they address lack of participation should go much further than simple encouragement or messaging tactics designed for optics. Wellness programs, therefore, should not be measured by what was done to appeal to more people but by actual growth in participation.

Corporate wellness is failing, but not for the reasons most people assume. The outdated model of offering small financial incentives to employees has never worked and never will. People aren’t that simple. They're also not lazy. Building a culture of health in the workplace requires more than just throwing money at the problem. Sure, financial perks might encourage some to take the first step, but that’s not enough. Real corporate wellness should demand empathy, education, inclusivity, and ongoing support. If a wellness program doesn’t have broad appeal, it’s already misaligned, not just with the participating business but with the needs of the people it’s meant to serve.

The workforce of the US is vast and diverse, so it's reasonable to expect corporate wellness offerings to meet a variety of needs. Any serious approach must consider factors like age, experience, physical limitations, and personal circumstances. If employees' needs aren’t being met, steps must be taken to address those concerns. Part of this includes not ignoring the many people who know they need to make a lifestyle change but feel powerless to do anything about it.

Corporate wellness as it stands is NOT built around improving overall employee health. It's built around increasing membership at certain training facilities based on the business model of the provider.

So why is wellness this way? Why do the current players continue to operate as they do? Because doing it the right way takes real work.

It’s one thing to offer access to a gym. For many of these facilities, the goal is to fit as many people inside at the same time with as little individual attention required as possible. But the vast majority of working adults need personalized and focused help, particularly when just starting out. They shouldn't feel like they're wasting someone’s time or taking up space for someone more deserving. Creating a situation where somebody goes from feeling scared and ashamed to supported and encouraged can be life-changing. This doesn't happen by offering a one-size-fits-all solution in the form of membership at some random gym that only appeals to a small demographic. It happens when you expose people in need to an exceptional coach who truly cares.

There are many ways to innovate. Sometimes, it’s as simple as discovering a more efficient or improved method to do something. At Gym Force, our innovation is that we have finally created a way to offer effective, broad, and inclusive corporate wellness.

It's not uncommon for businesses to offer various training and mentorship to their employees. Why should physical fitness be any different? Leadership development has an impact both inside a business and in other areas of life. It’s the same with health. One could argue the benefits of the latter are more immediate, impactful, and measurable.

Our approach will not only stand out due to its effectiveness but also in our ability to scale as we leverage technology and continue to grow our network of coaches and gyms. Traditional corporate wellness has been a broken promise for too long. It's time to put in the work to fix this problem once and for all. For everyone.

Including the roughly 45 million American workers who have been largely ignored just because they may need some extra help. They deserve better, as do the companies they work for.

Gym Force is finally building a scalable corporate wellness solution that works for both.