When you think of employee safety, you may envision hard hats and safety goggles, but modern safety goes well beyond PPE. Today’s most effective safety programs also include wellness components: walk breaks, mental health resources, and a culture of care. The link between wellness and safety isn’t just anecdotal—it’s backed by data.
According to Liberty Mutual's 2024 Workplace Safety Index, U.S. businesses lose over $58 billion annually due to serious, nonfatal workplace injuries. Many of these injuries are preventable, and experts agree that a proactive investment in employee well-being helps mitigate risks.
How Employers Are Integrating Wellness into Safety
Modern organizations are rethinking what “safety” means and expanding their definitions to include mental, emotional, and physical wellness. Here are three ways employers are tying wellness into safety strategies:
1. Provide Onsite or Virtual Fitness Access
Traditional on-site gyms are evolving to include virtual fitness memberships and flexible activity options. Whether your employees are in the office, on-site, or remote, offering fitness stipends or gift cards to wellness platforms can reduce sedentary behavior and boost mood and focus—both key contributors to fewer workplace incidents.
Tip: Incentivize participation in wellness activities with small-denomination gift cards. Powered by GiftCard Partners, the Engage2Reward™ Gift Card Ordering Platform makes it easy to automate delivery of rewards employees can actually use.
2. Support Accessible Healthcare Options
Whether through on-site medical staff, partnerships with mobile health clinics, or telehealth coverage, giving employees easy access to healthcare leads to quicker diagnoses, better injury prevention, and reduced absenteeism. A report by the National Safety Council confirms that organizations embracing holistic safety—including health promotion—are more likely to see improvements in productivity, morale, and retention.
Bonus: For dispersed workforces, gift cards for pharmacies (like CVS® and CVS Select® gift cards) can help bridge the healthcare access gap.
3. Sponsor Wellness-Driven Activities and Challenges
From step competitions to mental health awareness weeks, wellness-driven programs not only build morale but also reduce risky behavior. Employees who feel supported and energized are more alert, communicative, and engaged: critical traits for safety-conscious teams.
Gift cards are a powerful tool for participation and motivation. Whether you're rewarding healthy eating habits, participation in safety drills, or smoking cessation milestones, the Engage2Reward Platform makes it simple to send personalized, meaningful rewards at scale.
Make Safety and Wellness Part of a Unified Strategy
More organizations are combining safety and wellness into a unified Total Worker Health® strategy, supported by the CDC’s NIOSH initiative. This approach reduces injuries and strengthens workplace culture.
By integrating gift card incentives through the Engage2Reward Platform, organizations can:
- Promote continuous engagement in safety and wellness programs
- Reward participation in screenings, trainings, or healthy habits
- Streamline reward delivery across departments or worksites
Whether you're running a formal safety incentive program or starting small with wellness perks, gift cards offer flexibility, personalization, and proven impact.
Ready to align your wellness and safety efforts?
Register for the Engage2Reward Platform and start building a safer, healthier workplace, or contact our team today to learn more.
