Reviewing Literature on Employee Wellness Practices

Employee wellness programmes (EWP) can be termed as introduction of healthcare interventions which are targeted towards minimising health risk factors and encourage employees to adopt healthier way of living. The objective of the study was to discern the history of employee wellness practices and review literature pertaining to same. The paper reviews the origin of the concept of wellness and development of this approach at workplace. The study took into account the various models of wellness, types and levels of wellness interventions being undertaken, and the successful elements of certain programmes which have proved to be beneficial to the employee as well as employer. Analysis of literature and available data suggest that with rising lifestyle changes and diseases, the importance of employee wellness practices have grown in scope and coverage over the years. The range of EWP varies from organisation to organisation and yet to become a strategic HR initiative. The paper suggests the theoretical background required for better understanding of these practices. With employers practicing various components of employee wellness programmes, detailed information related to benchmark studies covering its types, strategies and evaluation pattern need to be studied.