Considering work is the second most common source of stress (after money), and that 42 percent of respondents in one survey reported a stressful work environment
as the reason they jumped ship, it’s about time more offices promoted a
healthy lifestyle, no? And we're not just talking about standard health
benefits or a bowl of mealy apples in the conference room.
These 44 companies are redefining office culture and proving that working hard and finding balance aren’t mutually exclusive. From alternative health insurance, fully stocked kitchens, free mental health counseling, and domestic partner benefits to on-site fitness centers, unlimited vacation days, Ping-Pong tournaments, and regular happy hours, these workplaces are truly committed to helping their employees stay healthy and happy.
As one of the nation’s largest healthcare companies—operating a health plan, hospitals, and medical practices—Kaiser Permanente is leading the way in promoting healthy options both in and out of the workplace. It’s easy to make healthier food choices with all company cafeterias complying with the Partnership for a Healthier America’s guidelines, vending machines filled with healthy options, and more than 50 company-supported farmer’s markets. The company also encourages its team of nearly 175,000 employees to use public transit to get to work with commuter spending accounts and bike-to-work reimbursements. Plus, to inspire all-day movement, they offer on-site gyms attached to many facilities as well as the Instant Recess campaign, which promotes 10-minute physical fitness breaks in the middle of the day.
GE is known for creating innovative, game-changing products, and the company does the same with its approach to employees’ health (all 131,000 of them). General Electric’s Health Coach program offers all workers access to trained nurses who can answer questions on everything from claim issues to chronic illness. The company also offers NowClinic, a program that allows employees to video-chat with physicians 24/7 to obtain a quick diagnosis. And then there’s GE’s Expert Medical Opinion, which enables employees to get a free second opinion from a Cleveland Clinic Specialist at no cost. The company also takes a proactive approach to health, offering inexpensive gym memberships to employees, their spouses, adult children, and even company retirees.
When it comes to wellness, motivate people with the carrot, not the stick. That’s EMC’s smart approach. Case in point, the company’s Healthy Rewards Program where employees who complete certain activities, like signing up for a gym or getting a flu shot, have lower medical contributions. It’s win-win. Another core value at this digital company of 65,000 workers: Make healthy choices accessible and easy. That includes on-site gyms at several locations (including an indoor pool at HQ), health education classes, and color-coded choices in the cafeteria to encourage more plant-based eating. Bring on the broccoli!
Microsoft offers employees the perks that have become commonplace among tech giants: flexible work hours, free gym memberships, and lots of on-site services (dry cleaning, oil changes, and an organic spa). The company really excels, however, in encouraging its 61,756 employees to work hard at the office and also in their communities. Microsoft matches employee donations to charities up to $15,000, but you don’t have to cough up cash to have an impact: The software biz also donates $17 for every hour an employee volunteers.
At Mayo Clinic, health is a family affair. And Mayo sets itself apart by widening the definition of family for its 61,100 employees: Domestic partners are included in health care coverage, adoption fees are reimbursed, child care and elder care resources are available, and parental leave includes both partners. The company also understands that employees who are busy caring for families aren’t always able to care for themselves, which is why it has on-site fitness centers for fitting in midday workouts and several health resources available by phone. The company’s “Tobacco Quitline” gives individual counseling over the phone, and the “Ask Mayo Clinic” hotline is a 24/7 medical resource staffed by nurses ready to assess and give advice on health matters.
Google
Headquarters: Mountain View, CA
Many of the perks of working at Google—and specifically the company’s headquarters, the Googleplex—are well known: unlimited free meals, four tricked-out gyms, plenty of complimentary services (laundry, car wash, dry cleaning, bike repair, haircuts, massages), and an indoor slide (what?!). The search and Internet giant has put a major focus on employee health in recent years, adding more than a thousand community bikes scattered around the Googleplex, on-site physicians and nurses who are always available, and a company garden for employees to toil in. They’ve also made it easier to make healthier food decisions in the dozens of cafeterias and small cafes with a simple color-coded label (green for healthy, red for unhealthy) on all offerings. Google has even hacked its 48,584 employees’ eating habits—smaller plates encourage portion control, and putting the salad bar at the entrance and the dessert spread in the far corner makes reaching for the greens a no-brainer.
The company known for making some of your favorite breakfast cereals has developed a reputation for its focus on employee health. First there’s the on-site health clinic at the company’s headquarters where doctors and nurses perform personal risk assessments to determine current medical problems and also encourage healthy lifestyle changes. Then there’s Fitness Fridays where employees bond over games like dodgeball. And the Fortune 500 company takes a holistic approach to health, evidenced by the recently added meditation rooms in every building on the company’s Minneapolis campus as well as various work options, including Flexible User Shared Environments where the 43,000 employees can float around to different desks to encourage creativity, open communication, and less stress.
Teamwork makes dream work. That’s true when it comes to office projects, and it’s also true when it comes to health and fitness goals. Cleveland Clinic’s mission: to make the company your running buddy, so to speak. To that end, its 39,000-plus employees can participate in the “Healthy Choice” program to have their health assessed, and receive an individualized wellness plan with goals and strategies. If that goal is to drop a couple lbs, free membership to Weight Watchers and Curves can help workers move the scale’s needle. So can the company’s running and walking groups, and daily yoga. That sense of teamwork creates a ripple effect that extends back to the community, too. During periodic volunteer days, employees work with Rebuilding Together, a leading nonprofit that provides home repairs and improvements to low-income homeowners.
Since many of this consulting firm’s 36,590 employees spend their days traveling to clients, Accenture developed a special program that gives the athletic-minded traveler tips for how to continue making healthy decisions on the road. The company also developed an online program specifically designed to help employees who struggle to find time to exercise and think about nutrition. And Accenture offers a robust employee assistance program to deal with stress, substance abuse, depression, and anxiety. The cherry on top: Employees have access to a concierge service that can help them find personal trainers, pet sitters, or someone to mow their lawn.
At this low-cost airline, the sky is really the limit when it comes to creating a happy, healthy workforce of 14,347. On top of robust medical coverage, each crew member (JetBlue speak for employees) is given $400 to put toward the cost of deductibles, coinsurance, and prescriptions, and coverage includes enhanced career management for specific health topics from pregnancy to cancer. Crew members can also contact LifeSolutions for unlimited free phone counseling when an issue arises in their personal or professional life. Lastly, the airline’s headquarters was designed to give employees plenty of space to relax, whether it’s in one of the galleys (fully stocked kitchens), parks (lounges), or the state-of-the-art fitness center.
Salad bars in the cafeteria are nice, but how many companies host farmers markets where employees can purchase local, organic produce? It’s one way biotech giant Genentech goes above and beyond to bring its 13,000 employees easy access to top-tier health amenities. Other ways include on-site physical therapy, guided meditation, and fitness centers. Even when jet-setting away from the office, employees can keep wellness options close at hand with “business travel health kits.” And that travel doesn’t come at the expense of vacation time. After six years, employees are eligible for paid six-week sabbaticals. We consider it an invitation to reenact favorite portions of Eat, Pray, Love.
The benefits at Epic almost seem like an escalating dare. Not only does the company have its own cafeteria, it also has its own chef and its own bakery that makes fresh hearth-baked breads (used in their build-your-own-sandwich bar). And not only do the 7,400 employees get paid sabbaticals every five years, but if you spend it abroad exploring a new country, Epic will cover most of the hotel and flight expenses for you and your companion. That’s some next-level R&R. And yes, when it comes to employee bonding there’s the usual company picnic, but there’s also “Epic Odyssey” trips where workers can travel together and explore new cultures. That team spirit translates to various sporting, gaming, and philanthropic groups. The company’s biking group took second place in a statewide race, which leads us to think they’re ready to do an Epic Odyssey of the Tour de France route next.
This card company has put its stamp on helping its 6,600 employees lead healthier lives. Hallmark offers generous health coverage and up to six months of maternity or paternity leave. The company has also recently focused on helping employees make healthier food choices, placing nutritional information next to all options available in the cafeteria, and employees can participate in monthly lunch and learns on wellness topics. Best of all: Workers can purchase and bring home healthy prepared meals as part of the company’s Let’s Do Dinner program. The focus on health isn’t contained to physical gains, though. Hallmark also hosts a number of support groups for those raising a child with disabilities, grieving a loss, caring for elders, missing a loved one in the military, and more.
SAS is taking the locavore concept and applying it to all aspects of wellness, essentially making the company’s HQ a hub for all things health-related. The free on-site health care center provides a long roster of services including physical exams, nutritional consults, physical therapy, psychological consults, flu shots, and blood work. In terms of nutrition, four cafeterias serve offerings that include healthy, organic, and plant-based options, while weekly fresh fruit deliveries supplement free break-room snacks. The gym is completely gratis to its 5,308 employees and their families, plus workers can take advantage of massages, haircuts, shoe/watch repair, tax preparation, and a retail-level pharmacy all without leaving company grounds. If checking off the to-do list during lunch break doesn’t relieve errand anxiety, the company-provided stress reduction classes can help.
As you’d expect from the company that brought you Mr. Potato Head, Hasbro keeps families front and center in their company culture and benefits. There’s paid leave for both parents, adoption leave, even foster care assistance. And if you’re struggling to conceive, the company generously covers infertility treatments (among many other procedures such as cochlear implants, obesity surgery, and acupuncture). But support creating that family doesn’t mean much if you can’t spend time with your loved ones, and Hasbro has that covered, too. In 2014 the company announced a new flexible hours program, and in addition to vacation time, its 3,500 employees receive an extra week during holidays and year-round half-day Fridays.
Twitter
Headquarters: San Francisco, CA
Tech companies sometimes get a bad rap for having whimsical perks without any concrete benefits. (Everyone gets a scooter! But don’t bother asking about health insurance.) But Twitter offers complete medical and dental coverage and a generous dose of bonuses as well: free catered lunch and breakfast at HQ, gym reimbursements, and yoga and Pilates classes on-site. Post-workout, the company’s laundry service can take care of your stinky gym clothes. Plus, unlimited vacation days means there’s plenty of time for employees (3,300 of them worldwide) to recharge their batteries. Although with perks like these, we’d do a staycation on company grounds.
Zappos has earned a rep for championing a mega-happy company culture. In fact, they wrote the book on it. Culture and brand executive Sunny Grosso maintains that employee happiness isn’t fluff, it’s the backbone of the brand, so they take it very seriously. That means oodles of wonderful benefits: nap rooms, fun team events, monthly coworker bonuses, bike parking, employee shuttle service, and half-day Fridays. But Zappos also understands that healthy equals happy, and with that in mind, they offer their 1,500 employees free training classes and on-site fitness centers, company-sponsored fitness challenges, and endurance event reimbursements. Plus—no surprise—big discounts on footwear. New running shoes, anyone?
The media keeps reminding us that “sitting is the new smoking,” but companies are slow to get us on our feet. Not Life Fitness, who has seen the writing on the cubicle wall. Meeting rooms have standing-height conference tables, medicine balls are commonly tossed around during brainstorming sessions, and treadmill desks are at the ready should any of the 1,182 employees want a break from their usual setup of sitting or standing desks. If that sounds too languid, consider the circuit room where strength-training equipment is laid out to encourage a quickie eight-minute workout in the time it would take to do a Starbucks run. Or the FitBit race where the two Illinois offices pitted against each other to see who could gain the most steps. It’s all impressively innovative, but it’s also exactly what we’d expect from the company that debuted the first piece of electronic fitness equipment, the Lifecycle, 40-plus years ago. Rave on.
The giant twisty slide that greets employees and visitors in the Otter Products lobby is only the first hint that the company embraces active fun. Another big clue: The number of the 890 employees biking to headquarters. Otter supports two-wheel commuters with indoor bicycle storage and workshops on routine maintenance and repairs. That and regular involvement in the city’s biannual Bike to Work Day has earned it a “silver” business status from the League of American Bicyclist. But it’s not all about the bike. An on-site fitness facility caters to other forms of exercise with a trainer holding group classes. And employees host “Endless Summer Clubs,” social get-togethers around different hobbies, from beer and wine tasting to hiking and running. Our suggestion: a beer-and-wine-tasting run-and-hike club, because how could we ever choose?
It’s probably no surprise that a cornerstone of ZocDoc’s benefits includes covering 100 percent of their employees’ (and dependents’) health insurance costs. After all, we are talking about the company that revolutionized the way we make doctor’s appointments. But what’s unexpected is the joyful company culture that encourages meeting, mingling, and munching down on healthy foods. Consider the company’s “Fun Room,” fully outfitted with arcade games, music, bean bags, a hammock, and even a guitar, should you be inspired to strum some hot licks. That company fun translates to fitness and nutrition, too. Ping-Pong tables and a basketball hoop encourages the 600-plus employees to jump into pick-up games, and running and hiking clubs get people moving outside office walls. Unlimited free snacks and beverages and a catered lunch covers the healthy eats, but perhaps the healthiest aspect isn’t what’s on the plate but how it’s eaten: Workers step away from their desks at noon to eat lunch together every day. Sure beats mindlessly eating in front of a spreadsheet.
The movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off makes the perfect case for the restorative power of “mental health days:" taking a day to linger in an art museum, sing along to the Beatles, and smash a racecar through a window. (Or that was Ferris’s approach. You might choose to go another route.) Centro understands this, which is why in addition to paid vacation days, they give employees 10 “Ferris Bueller days,” which are used for sick or personal time. Centro also gives employees in their fifth, ninth, and thirteenth year of employment a three-week paid sabbatical. (That’s a lot of Beatles songs!) And its 498 workers get generous time off if they decide to have kids: Paid paternity leave is three weeks and maternity leave is 12 weeks. But perks aren’t all about time away. Centro covers 100 percent of preventative and vision care, and the company even funds a “health savings account” for its workers. To paraphrase the Beatles, “with benefits like these, you know you should be glad.”
This coupon site’s Silicon Valley headquarters is designed to make its 481 workers’ lives easier and stress-free. The campus sports a gym where employees can take part in fitness classes or intramural sports, while the office includes nursing rooms and provides services for laundry, dry cleaning, alterations, and shoe repair. So instead of spending endless hours doing errands, employees can volunteer with causes that matter to them: Coupons for Change, the company’s philanthropic initiative, picks one organization to partner with every year and provides lots of opportunities for employees to get involved.
This healthy snacks company lives and breathes by its three KIND pillars: being kind to our bodies, taste buds, and world. And it’s easy for employees to practice these mantras at KIND’s headquarters. The office comes equipped with a wellness room where employees can go if they’re not feeling well or if they just need a quiet space to rest. There’s even a kid-friendly office outfitted with bean bag chairs, toys, and a TV so parents can bring their children to work for the day. The 436 employees also have access to a virtually unlimited supply of the company’s healthy snacks, from a monthly shipment of KIND bars to their homes to The Bar Bar at company headquarters, plus the culture team offers product samplings to introduce employees to other healthy options that they can find at their local grocery store. Aside from healthy snacks, there are KIND Causes, a monthly initiative through which the brand gives a $10,000 jumpstart to a person or organization trying to make the world a little kinder. Employees are also encouraged to volunteer with the many diverse causes that apply.
It’s the healthy lunch conundrum: We want to eat well, but it can be expensive to make that happen—and that’s when fast-food “dollar menus” start to look so appealing. Sparks gets it, which is why their cafeteria doesn’t just serve specialty salads and fruit bowls, the company also subsidizes lunch so it only costs employees a flat five dollars every day. Hello, happy meal! But healthy living isn’t just about eating, it’s also about moving. So its 406 employees head to the walking trail around Sparks’ HQ for departmental meetings or as part of the company walking club that logs two miles around the path every day. There’s time for play, too, including the company’s Wellness BBQ: a day of holistic health where relay races, push-up contests, limbo dancing, and other friendly competition takes place while people chow down on healthy barbecue fixings. Sounds like our kind of shindig.
Earth Friendly’s HQ sounds like a modern-day Eden: Each facility has an organic garden where employees are encouraged to take fruits and veggies home. (Spring breeze and chirping bluebirds not included.) You can also put that produce to use at one of the company’s juicing machines. And should you need to build up your juicing or smoothie intel, you can ask one of the nutritionists who attend the company’s “Health Friendly Days,” a program designed to give workers the information needed to sustain a healthy lifestyle. But as you’d expect from a company that produces eco-friendly products, the focus isn’t just on individual wellness, it’s also about global well-being. To that end, Earth Friendly organizes jumbo employee swap meets called “RE-Parties.” Clothes, household goods, and plenty of stories are all exchanged. Larger eco swaps, like switching a conventional car for a hybrid or other green vehicle, or installing solar panels at home, are also met with substantial financial assistance from the company. Plus any of its 300 employees who move closer to the office, cutting back on their commute and carbon footprint, receive a one thousand dollar bonus. Less time in traffic and more Benjamins in the bank? That’s motivation to pack your bags.
New hires, take note: Before you start working for the CFR, you might want to brush up on your Ping-Pong skills. Not only do the 295 employees here play a wicked game of table tennis, they also hold a yearly tournament. Over the course of about three weeks, all workers are encouraged to step away from their desks and pick up a paddle to go head-to-head on the company’s table. And the friendly competition doesn’t end there. The “Take the Stairs Challenge” in one of the buildings is a stairwell scavenger-hunt taking employees through 182 steps. All that just goes to show that fitness comes in all forms, not just the typical circuit training, bootcamp, and yoga classes—although CFR offers those on-site as well. And however you work up a sweat, you can shower at the office with towel service provided.
Forget Christmas. If we worked at SolidFire, we'd count down to Wellness Day. This healthful jamboree for its 250 employees and their families includes fitness passes to a local gym, biometric screenings, and flu shots all completely gratis. Oh, and a free catered breakfast from Lyfe Kitchen, the restaurant applauded by Eater and Bon Appetit as bringing delicious healthy food to the masses. Still, wellness doesn’t come but once a year at SolidFire. Several initiatives affect every day, like the Alternative Transportation Program that provides employees with a $75 monthly kickback if they trade in their parking pass and use other modes of transport. Should employees opt to bike in, there’s a safe place to stash their wheels. Should they opt for public transit, it’s at no cost with the company’s Eco Pass. Clearly SolidFire knows this simple equation: Happy commuters equals happy workers.
Biometric screenings, cooking demonstrations, speed dating—sounds like the lineup on a morning talk show, but it’s just another workday at Chandler Chicco. A conga-line of healthy perks are part of the package for the 233 employees here: healthy catered lunches, yoga and spin classes, on-site chair massages, nutritionist cooking demonstrations, and health screenings are all provided free. But one thing is clear, this company believes having fun is a key part of wellness. Numerous in-office happy hours kick off at 5 p.m. so you can power down your computer and power up your community. On “Speed Dating” nights, employees at the same peer level are encouraged to circulate the room, meet and greet, and get to know each other and their projects. Workers with children are encouraged to bring little ones to themed kid parties where arts and crafts are on the scene, and even pets get in on the good times: Dogs are welcome at work in the belief they “increased morale and productivity.” We’d wager they increase puppy snorglefests, too.
As one of the country’s leading digital marketing and technology resourcing firms, Mondo’s executives know that qualified candidates can have the pick of the litter when it comes to finding a new job. It’s no wonder then that the business is hyper-focused on doing company culture differently. Mondo reimburses its 150 employees for the cost of a number of fitness activities, whether it be endurance events (everything from a 5K to a Tough Mudder) or lifestyle certifications (cycling, yoga, and Zumba, for example). The firm also stresses the importance of giving back to the community, granting employees five paid days of vacation for philanthropic efforts each year.
Obviously working at Tough Mudder means you can add a few (mud-splattered) race bibs to your collection completely gratis (and friends and family can, too). But healthy perks go beyond the company’s namesake obstacle course. A flex work-from-home policy gives the 143 employees the opportunity to be productive on their own turf. If they do come to the office, bike racks and showers support an active commute. Or workers can get their blood flowing inside HQ with on-site walking desks and then refuel as needed with free granola bars, fruit, nuts, and other healthy snacks. Even fitness gear comes in to play; employees get discounts from Tough Mudder sponsors, including Under Armour, so they can sweat in style.
We consider CamelBak the capital of Hydration Nation—thanks to their water bottles, filters, and hydration packs—so it’s no surprise that they encourage their 138 employees to keep the H2O coming. Just one part of their “Bak to Health” program, a yearly challenge where employees earn points for exercise, hydration, and healthy nutrition. It’s a company-wide game, and everyone’s a winner: All participants earn rewards, and CamelBak donates money to charities selected by the players as a result. Apart from this friendly competition, day-to-day culture encourages the healthy outdoor living that CamelBak’s products champion. Employees can work out with provided fitness equipment, take to the on-site basketball court, pedal around on one of the four company bikes, or meet with CamelBak’s personal trainer for a more structured workout. And all workers receive discounts to various outdoor and adventure companies. We imagine the CamelBak-supported paid sabbatical of four to six weeks gives employees even more opportunity to test out that new camping gear.
As the saying goes, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” but at Seventh Generation it could be, “Let them have apples—and doctors, too!” First, the apples: We’re talking the Rolls-Royce of produce, brought in from a local orchard. In addition to noshing on some of Vermont’s finest, the 135 employees enjoy having their preventative care fully covered without having to meet a deductible. Translation: free regular checkups. Alternative healthcare is also part of this equation, such as the resident masseuse who provides weekly on-site chair massages. Should all the apples, checkups, and shoulder rubs fail to keep employees well, the company provides unlimited sick days so workers can rest and recover without keeping a running tally of time away from their desks. And we imagine they can comfort their sniffles with plenty of Seventh Generation tissues, too.
At NutraClick, your time is really your own. The company runs a results-only work environment, which means that its 125 employees can set their own schedules. They’re expected to meet deadlines and complete high-quality work rather than spend a specific number of hours at company headquarters. While they’re at the office, workers can take advantage of kitchen stocked with healthy options for breakfast, lunch, and snack time, as well as a fitness area where employees can lift weights, take a yoga or meditation class, or compete in one of the office’s push-up challenges. Everyone also has access to NutraClick’s wellness coach and certified personal trainer, who can advise and track goal setting for everything from losing weight to improving nutrition.
We don’t believe in a Snuggie approach to health (i.e. one-size-fits-all). There are many paths to wellness, and obviously IIN agrees, which is why apart from general insurance, the company also offers acupuncture coverage and on-site chiropractic care, massages, and yoga to its employees. The full-spectrum approach applies to meals, too, with breakfast, lunch, and snacks provided completely gratis. The company’s kitchen is filled with enough healthy foods (nuts, fruit, granola, cereal, yogurt, etc.) to stock a small Whole Foods. And should employees want to top off their healthy diet with supplements, each floor has a vitamin station. If the day-to-day sounds indulgent, consider the little treats—artisanal dark chocolates, locally made soaps, or candles—that make monthly appearances. Given all this goodness, it’s fair to assume employees never want to leave the office, but even the happiest worker bees need time away from the hive. That’s why its 120 employees get a generous vacation package, additional half-day summer Fridays, plus the week between Christmas and New Year’s off.
As a tech biz whose product provides companies with an easy way to measure and improve employees’ health, well-being, and performance, it makes sense that Limeade would want to do the same with its team. This starts with weekly surveys that measure if individual teams are stressed or relaxed, disconnected or engaged. The team averages are made public in an effort to drive accountability and spark improvement. Limeade also builds on that company culture with office challenges called LimeMates Be It. Past examples include “Pound the Pavement” (increase daily steps) and “Flash Fitness” (one-minute exercise challenges). Limeade also works to make the office environment as comfortable as possible by offering standing desks, exercise balls, and razor scooters (to get around the office or the neighborhood) for any of its 100-plus workers interested.
This tech start-up believes that happy employees start with a great workplace, and more specifically an amazing personal workspace. That’s why Asana gives workers $10,000 (no, this is not a typo) to put together their dream work station, whether that means a standing desk, additional monitors, or both! The company also understands how important it is to recharge, so its 92 employees enjoy an unlimited vacation policy, three months of paid maternity and paternity leave, and the opportunity to take a six-week sabbatical after working at the company for three years. Back at the office, it’s easy to keep health in mind with meals made by the company chefs from locally sourced, in-season food; in-office yoga classes four times a week; and free gym memberships.
This government agency in suburban Los Angeles county really practices what it preaches. Founded nearly half a century ago to improve the health of local residents, the health district has lots of measures in place to do the same for its employees. For starters, its 85 employees get free memberships to the 17,000-square-foot gym run by the agency, and they also can take advantage of discounted personal training sessions, nutrition consultations, and restorative massages at the facility. Employees can take a break from the daily grind in the garden outside of the health district’s headquarters, where the staff toils year-round and then shares the bounty of herbs with coworkers to spice up their meals.
Tradeshift’s office is a playground for adults. First there are the game rooms where you can try your hand at foosball, Ping-Pong, and an assortment of video games. Then the company encourages its 70 team members to bike to work with free memberships to Bay Area Bike Share and a bike room at HQ. The cloud-based invoice company isn’t just a utopia for 20-somethings, though. Tradeshift also attracts lots of parents (and parents to be) with its generous six-month paid maternity leave and two-month paid paternity or partner leave policies as well as a nursing and relaxation room at the office.
This online retailer of baseball and softball equipment built an office with the athlete inside all of us in mind. The headquarters houses a tricked-out fitness center complete with a cardio room, pool, sauna, hot tub, racquet ball court, basketball court, volleyball court, and locker room. Oh yeah, and the 70 employees have access to free personal training sessions. There’s free laundry and haircuts, too. Once employees have worked up an appetite on the court, they can enjoy complimentary breakfast or lunch. But it’s not just fun and games at Pro Athlete Inc. Employees also meet quarterly with a wellness coordinator to set and keep track of their health goals.
Employees at this San Francisco start-up embrace the work hard, play hard mentality. The company hosts dozens of events for its 48 employees from whiskey tastings at a local distillery to sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge. Every employee also gets a $400 quarterly “Fun Fund” to put toward activities and getaways—whether that be whitewater rafting or a food tour—which is the company’s bread and butter. While at HQ, workers are encouraged to make healthy decisions with a kitchen full of fresh fruit and veggies, granola bars, and healthy beverages, as well as rooftop yoga and a running club. And no worries about sitting in a meeting all sweaty after that midday workout, thanks to a shower room on-site.
This veteran-focused nonprofit makes sure its 38 employees are in top shape to perform their best. Every team member is assigned a life and health coach from Engaged Health Solutions. Employees are encouraged to be in contact with their coach at least once a week to talk about goal planning, whether it be in their personal or professional life. Going along with this holistic approach to taking care of one’s life outside of work, the Mission Continues offers employees two months of paid maternity or paternity leave and unlimited time off to deal with health and family issues. Back at the office, a central part of the workday is afternoon “Tea Time,” where all employees stop working for 15 minutes at 3 p.m. to chat casually with coworkers.
Naturally employees here have access to an unlimited supply of the company’s tea, but that’s not the only organic thing within arm’s reach. The Bay Area start-up gets a weekly shipment from Good Eggs that includes fresh fruit, whole-grain snacks, and organic dairy. Taking a holistic view of health, Numi gives its 30 employees a monthly health and wellness stipend, which can cover massage therapy, relaxation retreats, and gym memberships—all of that on top of a comprehensive benefits package. And workers don’t have to go to the gym to burn off some energy. The company recently purchased 20 bikes that employees can check out and pedal around Oakland, immersing themselves in the community. That kind of community involvement is encouraged from the top: Everyone gets four hours of paid time off each month to volunteer in the Bay Area.
It makes sense that a company built on helping others stay healthy at work would do the same with its employees. And Voom Wellness more than delivers. On the days employees are in the office, they get their blood pumping with deskercises (or just dancing) for two minutes every hour. The exercising doesn’t stop there: The five employees get free gym memberships and have the chance to bond at weekly off-site exercise classes. But the best part about Voom is its truly flexible work options. Employees are expected to work two days from home and then spend a third day in meetings outside of the typical office environment—grab a coffee, get massages, or bring a picnic to the park.
These 44 companies are redefining office culture and proving that working hard and finding balance aren’t mutually exclusive. From alternative health insurance, fully stocked kitchens, free mental health counseling, and domestic partner benefits to on-site fitness centers, unlimited vacation days, Ping-Pong tournaments, and regular happy hours, these workplaces are truly committed to helping their employees stay healthy and happy.
Huge Companies (20,000+ Employees)
Kaiser Permanente
Headquarters: Oakland, CAAs one of the nation’s largest healthcare companies—operating a health plan, hospitals, and medical practices—Kaiser Permanente is leading the way in promoting healthy options both in and out of the workplace. It’s easy to make healthier food choices with all company cafeterias complying with the Partnership for a Healthier America’s guidelines, vending machines filled with healthy options, and more than 50 company-supported farmer’s markets. The company also encourages its team of nearly 175,000 employees to use public transit to get to work with commuter spending accounts and bike-to-work reimbursements. Plus, to inspire all-day movement, they offer on-site gyms attached to many facilities as well as the Instant Recess campaign, which promotes 10-minute physical fitness breaks in the middle of the day.
General Electric
Headquarters: Fairfield, CTGE is known for creating innovative, game-changing products, and the company does the same with its approach to employees’ health (all 131,000 of them). General Electric’s Health Coach program offers all workers access to trained nurses who can answer questions on everything from claim issues to chronic illness. The company also offers NowClinic, a program that allows employees to video-chat with physicians 24/7 to obtain a quick diagnosis. And then there’s GE’s Expert Medical Opinion, which enables employees to get a free second opinion from a Cleveland Clinic Specialist at no cost. The company also takes a proactive approach to health, offering inexpensive gym memberships to employees, their spouses, adult children, and even company retirees.
EMC
Headquarters: Hopkinton, MAWhen it comes to wellness, motivate people with the carrot, not the stick. That’s EMC’s smart approach. Case in point, the company’s Healthy Rewards Program where employees who complete certain activities, like signing up for a gym or getting a flu shot, have lower medical contributions. It’s win-win. Another core value at this digital company of 65,000 workers: Make healthy choices accessible and easy. That includes on-site gyms at several locations (including an indoor pool at HQ), health education classes, and color-coded choices in the cafeteria to encourage more plant-based eating. Bring on the broccoli!
Microsoft
Headquarters: Redmond, WAMicrosoft offers employees the perks that have become commonplace among tech giants: flexible work hours, free gym memberships, and lots of on-site services (dry cleaning, oil changes, and an organic spa). The company really excels, however, in encouraging its 61,756 employees to work hard at the office and also in their communities. Microsoft matches employee donations to charities up to $15,000, but you don’t have to cough up cash to have an impact: The software biz also donates $17 for every hour an employee volunteers.
Mayo Clinic
Headquarters: Rochester, MNAt Mayo Clinic, health is a family affair. And Mayo sets itself apart by widening the definition of family for its 61,100 employees: Domestic partners are included in health care coverage, adoption fees are reimbursed, child care and elder care resources are available, and parental leave includes both partners. The company also understands that employees who are busy caring for families aren’t always able to care for themselves, which is why it has on-site fitness centers for fitting in midday workouts and several health resources available by phone. The company’s “Tobacco Quitline” gives individual counseling over the phone, and the “Ask Mayo Clinic” hotline is a 24/7 medical resource staffed by nurses ready to assess and give advice on health matters.
Many of the perks of working at Google—and specifically the company’s headquarters, the Googleplex—are well known: unlimited free meals, four tricked-out gyms, plenty of complimentary services (laundry, car wash, dry cleaning, bike repair, haircuts, massages), and an indoor slide (what?!). The search and Internet giant has put a major focus on employee health in recent years, adding more than a thousand community bikes scattered around the Googleplex, on-site physicians and nurses who are always available, and a company garden for employees to toil in. They’ve also made it easier to make healthier food decisions in the dozens of cafeterias and small cafes with a simple color-coded label (green for healthy, red for unhealthy) on all offerings. Google has even hacked its 48,584 employees’ eating habits—smaller plates encourage portion control, and putting the salad bar at the entrance and the dessert spread in the far corner makes reaching for the greens a no-brainer.
General Mills
Headquarters: Minneapolis, MNThe company known for making some of your favorite breakfast cereals has developed a reputation for its focus on employee health. First there’s the on-site health clinic at the company’s headquarters where doctors and nurses perform personal risk assessments to determine current medical problems and also encourage healthy lifestyle changes. Then there’s Fitness Fridays where employees bond over games like dodgeball. And the Fortune 500 company takes a holistic approach to health, evidenced by the recently added meditation rooms in every building on the company’s Minneapolis campus as well as various work options, including Flexible User Shared Environments where the 43,000 employees can float around to different desks to encourage creativity, open communication, and less stress.
Cleveland Clinic
Headquarters: Cleveland, OHTeamwork makes dream work. That’s true when it comes to office projects, and it’s also true when it comes to health and fitness goals. Cleveland Clinic’s mission: to make the company your running buddy, so to speak. To that end, its 39,000-plus employees can participate in the “Healthy Choice” program to have their health assessed, and receive an individualized wellness plan with goals and strategies. If that goal is to drop a couple lbs, free membership to Weight Watchers and Curves can help workers move the scale’s needle. So can the company’s running and walking groups, and daily yoga. That sense of teamwork creates a ripple effect that extends back to the community, too. During periodic volunteer days, employees work with Rebuilding Together, a leading nonprofit that provides home repairs and improvements to low-income homeowners.
Accenture
Headquarters: New York, NYSince many of this consulting firm’s 36,590 employees spend their days traveling to clients, Accenture developed a special program that gives the athletic-minded traveler tips for how to continue making healthy decisions on the road. The company also developed an online program specifically designed to help employees who struggle to find time to exercise and think about nutrition. And Accenture offers a robust employee assistance program to deal with stress, substance abuse, depression, and anxiety. The cherry on top: Employees have access to a concierge service that can help them find personal trainers, pet sitters, or someone to mow their lawn.
Big Companies (5,000-19,999 Employees)
JetBlue
Headquarters: Long Island City, NYAt this low-cost airline, the sky is really the limit when it comes to creating a happy, healthy workforce of 14,347. On top of robust medical coverage, each crew member (JetBlue speak for employees) is given $400 to put toward the cost of deductibles, coinsurance, and prescriptions, and coverage includes enhanced career management for specific health topics from pregnancy to cancer. Crew members can also contact LifeSolutions for unlimited free phone counseling when an issue arises in their personal or professional life. Lastly, the airline’s headquarters was designed to give employees plenty of space to relax, whether it’s in one of the galleys (fully stocked kitchens), parks (lounges), or the state-of-the-art fitness center.
Genentech
Headquarters: South San Francisco, CASalad bars in the cafeteria are nice, but how many companies host farmers markets where employees can purchase local, organic produce? It’s one way biotech giant Genentech goes above and beyond to bring its 13,000 employees easy access to top-tier health amenities. Other ways include on-site physical therapy, guided meditation, and fitness centers. Even when jet-setting away from the office, employees can keep wellness options close at hand with “business travel health kits.” And that travel doesn’t come at the expense of vacation time. After six years, employees are eligible for paid six-week sabbaticals. We consider it an invitation to reenact favorite portions of Eat, Pray, Love.
Epic Systems
Headquarters: Verona, WIThe benefits at Epic almost seem like an escalating dare. Not only does the company have its own cafeteria, it also has its own chef and its own bakery that makes fresh hearth-baked breads (used in their build-your-own-sandwich bar). And not only do the 7,400 employees get paid sabbaticals every five years, but if you spend it abroad exploring a new country, Epic will cover most of the hotel and flight expenses for you and your companion. That’s some next-level R&R. And yes, when it comes to employee bonding there’s the usual company picnic, but there’s also “Epic Odyssey” trips where workers can travel together and explore new cultures. That team spirit translates to various sporting, gaming, and philanthropic groups. The company’s biking group took second place in a statewide race, which leads us to think they’re ready to do an Epic Odyssey of the Tour de France route next.
Hallmark
Headquarters: Kansas City, MOThis card company has put its stamp on helping its 6,600 employees lead healthier lives. Hallmark offers generous health coverage and up to six months of maternity or paternity leave. The company has also recently focused on helping employees make healthier food choices, placing nutritional information next to all options available in the cafeteria, and employees can participate in monthly lunch and learns on wellness topics. Best of all: Workers can purchase and bring home healthy prepared meals as part of the company’s Let’s Do Dinner program. The focus on health isn’t contained to physical gains, though. Hallmark also hosts a number of support groups for those raising a child with disabilities, grieving a loss, caring for elders, missing a loved one in the military, and more.
SAS
Headquarters: Cary, NCSAS is taking the locavore concept and applying it to all aspects of wellness, essentially making the company’s HQ a hub for all things health-related. The free on-site health care center provides a long roster of services including physical exams, nutritional consults, physical therapy, psychological consults, flu shots, and blood work. In terms of nutrition, four cafeterias serve offerings that include healthy, organic, and plant-based options, while weekly fresh fruit deliveries supplement free break-room snacks. The gym is completely gratis to its 5,308 employees and their families, plus workers can take advantage of massages, haircuts, shoe/watch repair, tax preparation, and a retail-level pharmacy all without leaving company grounds. If checking off the to-do list during lunch break doesn’t relieve errand anxiety, the company-provided stress reduction classes can help.
Medium Companies (500-4,999 Employees)
Hasbro, Inc.
Headquarters: Pawtucket, RIAs you’d expect from the company that brought you Mr. Potato Head, Hasbro keeps families front and center in their company culture and benefits. There’s paid leave for both parents, adoption leave, even foster care assistance. And if you’re struggling to conceive, the company generously covers infertility treatments (among many other procedures such as cochlear implants, obesity surgery, and acupuncture). But support creating that family doesn’t mean much if you can’t spend time with your loved ones, and Hasbro has that covered, too. In 2014 the company announced a new flexible hours program, and in addition to vacation time, its 3,500 employees receive an extra week during holidays and year-round half-day Fridays.
Tech companies sometimes get a bad rap for having whimsical perks without any concrete benefits. (Everyone gets a scooter! But don’t bother asking about health insurance.) But Twitter offers complete medical and dental coverage and a generous dose of bonuses as well: free catered lunch and breakfast at HQ, gym reimbursements, and yoga and Pilates classes on-site. Post-workout, the company’s laundry service can take care of your stinky gym clothes. Plus, unlimited vacation days means there’s plenty of time for employees (3,300 of them worldwide) to recharge their batteries. Although with perks like these, we’d do a staycation on company grounds.
Zappos
Headquarters: Henderson, NVZappos has earned a rep for championing a mega-happy company culture. In fact, they wrote the book on it. Culture and brand executive Sunny Grosso maintains that employee happiness isn’t fluff, it’s the backbone of the brand, so they take it very seriously. That means oodles of wonderful benefits: nap rooms, fun team events, monthly coworker bonuses, bike parking, employee shuttle service, and half-day Fridays. But Zappos also understands that healthy equals happy, and with that in mind, they offer their 1,500 employees free training classes and on-site fitness centers, company-sponsored fitness challenges, and endurance event reimbursements. Plus—no surprise—big discounts on footwear. New running shoes, anyone?
Life Fitness
Headquarters: Rosemont, ILThe media keeps reminding us that “sitting is the new smoking,” but companies are slow to get us on our feet. Not Life Fitness, who has seen the writing on the cubicle wall. Meeting rooms have standing-height conference tables, medicine balls are commonly tossed around during brainstorming sessions, and treadmill desks are at the ready should any of the 1,182 employees want a break from their usual setup of sitting or standing desks. If that sounds too languid, consider the circuit room where strength-training equipment is laid out to encourage a quickie eight-minute workout in the time it would take to do a Starbucks run. Or the FitBit race where the two Illinois offices pitted against each other to see who could gain the most steps. It’s all impressively innovative, but it’s also exactly what we’d expect from the company that debuted the first piece of electronic fitness equipment, the Lifecycle, 40-plus years ago. Rave on.
Otter Products LLC
Headquarters: Fort Collins, COThe giant twisty slide that greets employees and visitors in the Otter Products lobby is only the first hint that the company embraces active fun. Another big clue: The number of the 890 employees biking to headquarters. Otter supports two-wheel commuters with indoor bicycle storage and workshops on routine maintenance and repairs. That and regular involvement in the city’s biannual Bike to Work Day has earned it a “silver” business status from the League of American Bicyclist. But it’s not all about the bike. An on-site fitness facility caters to other forms of exercise with a trainer holding group classes. And employees host “Endless Summer Clubs,” social get-togethers around different hobbies, from beer and wine tasting to hiking and running. Our suggestion: a beer-and-wine-tasting run-and-hike club, because how could we ever choose?
ZocDoc
Headquarters: New York, NYIt’s probably no surprise that a cornerstone of ZocDoc’s benefits includes covering 100 percent of their employees’ (and dependents’) health insurance costs. After all, we are talking about the company that revolutionized the way we make doctor’s appointments. But what’s unexpected is the joyful company culture that encourages meeting, mingling, and munching down on healthy foods. Consider the company’s “Fun Room,” fully outfitted with arcade games, music, bean bags, a hammock, and even a guitar, should you be inspired to strum some hot licks. That company fun translates to fitness and nutrition, too. Ping-Pong tables and a basketball hoop encourages the 600-plus employees to jump into pick-up games, and running and hiking clubs get people moving outside office walls. Unlimited free snacks and beverages and a catered lunch covers the healthy eats, but perhaps the healthiest aspect isn’t what’s on the plate but how it’s eaten: Workers step away from their desks at noon to eat lunch together every day. Sure beats mindlessly eating in front of a spreadsheet.
Small Companies (100-499 Employees)
Centro
Headquarters: Chicago, ILThe movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off makes the perfect case for the restorative power of “mental health days:" taking a day to linger in an art museum, sing along to the Beatles, and smash a racecar through a window. (Or that was Ferris’s approach. You might choose to go another route.) Centro understands this, which is why in addition to paid vacation days, they give employees 10 “Ferris Bueller days,” which are used for sick or personal time. Centro also gives employees in their fifth, ninth, and thirteenth year of employment a three-week paid sabbatical. (That’s a lot of Beatles songs!) And its 498 workers get generous time off if they decide to have kids: Paid paternity leave is three weeks and maternity leave is 12 weeks. But perks aren’t all about time away. Centro covers 100 percent of preventative and vision care, and the company even funds a “health savings account” for its workers. To paraphrase the Beatles, “with benefits like these, you know you should be glad.”
Coupons.com
Headquarters: Mountain View, CAThis coupon site’s Silicon Valley headquarters is designed to make its 481 workers’ lives easier and stress-free. The campus sports a gym where employees can take part in fitness classes or intramural sports, while the office includes nursing rooms and provides services for laundry, dry cleaning, alterations, and shoe repair. So instead of spending endless hours doing errands, employees can volunteer with causes that matter to them: Coupons for Change, the company’s philanthropic initiative, picks one organization to partner with every year and provides lots of opportunities for employees to get involved.
KIND Healthy Snacks
Headquarters: New York, NYThis healthy snacks company lives and breathes by its three KIND pillars: being kind to our bodies, taste buds, and world. And it’s easy for employees to practice these mantras at KIND’s headquarters. The office comes equipped with a wellness room where employees can go if they’re not feeling well or if they just need a quiet space to rest. There’s even a kid-friendly office outfitted with bean bag chairs, toys, and a TV so parents can bring their children to work for the day. The 436 employees also have access to a virtually unlimited supply of the company’s healthy snacks, from a monthly shipment of KIND bars to their homes to The Bar Bar at company headquarters, plus the culture team offers product samplings to introduce employees to other healthy options that they can find at their local grocery store. Aside from healthy snacks, there are KIND Causes, a monthly initiative through which the brand gives a $10,000 jumpstart to a person or organization trying to make the world a little kinder. Employees are also encouraged to volunteer with the many diverse causes that apply.
Sparks
Headquarters: Philadelphia, PAIt’s the healthy lunch conundrum: We want to eat well, but it can be expensive to make that happen—and that’s when fast-food “dollar menus” start to look so appealing. Sparks gets it, which is why their cafeteria doesn’t just serve specialty salads and fruit bowls, the company also subsidizes lunch so it only costs employees a flat five dollars every day. Hello, happy meal! But healthy living isn’t just about eating, it’s also about moving. So its 406 employees head to the walking trail around Sparks’ HQ for departmental meetings or as part of the company walking club that logs two miles around the path every day. There’s time for play, too, including the company’s Wellness BBQ: a day of holistic health where relay races, push-up contests, limbo dancing, and other friendly competition takes place while people chow down on healthy barbecue fixings. Sounds like our kind of shindig.
Earth Friendly Products
Headquarters: Garden Grove, CAEarth Friendly’s HQ sounds like a modern-day Eden: Each facility has an organic garden where employees are encouraged to take fruits and veggies home. (Spring breeze and chirping bluebirds not included.) You can also put that produce to use at one of the company’s juicing machines. And should you need to build up your juicing or smoothie intel, you can ask one of the nutritionists who attend the company’s “Health Friendly Days,” a program designed to give workers the information needed to sustain a healthy lifestyle. But as you’d expect from a company that produces eco-friendly products, the focus isn’t just on individual wellness, it’s also about global well-being. To that end, Earth Friendly organizes jumbo employee swap meets called “RE-Parties.” Clothes, household goods, and plenty of stories are all exchanged. Larger eco swaps, like switching a conventional car for a hybrid or other green vehicle, or installing solar panels at home, are also met with substantial financial assistance from the company. Plus any of its 300 employees who move closer to the office, cutting back on their commute and carbon footprint, receive a one thousand dollar bonus. Less time in traffic and more Benjamins in the bank? That’s motivation to pack your bags.
Council on Foreign Relations
Headquarters: New York, NYNew hires, take note: Before you start working for the CFR, you might want to brush up on your Ping-Pong skills. Not only do the 295 employees here play a wicked game of table tennis, they also hold a yearly tournament. Over the course of about three weeks, all workers are encouraged to step away from their desks and pick up a paddle to go head-to-head on the company’s table. And the friendly competition doesn’t end there. The “Take the Stairs Challenge” in one of the buildings is a stairwell scavenger-hunt taking employees through 182 steps. All that just goes to show that fitness comes in all forms, not just the typical circuit training, bootcamp, and yoga classes—although CFR offers those on-site as well. And however you work up a sweat, you can shower at the office with towel service provided.
SolidFire
Headquarters: Boulder, COForget Christmas. If we worked at SolidFire, we'd count down to Wellness Day. This healthful jamboree for its 250 employees and their families includes fitness passes to a local gym, biometric screenings, and flu shots all completely gratis. Oh, and a free catered breakfast from Lyfe Kitchen, the restaurant applauded by Eater and Bon Appetit as bringing delicious healthy food to the masses. Still, wellness doesn’t come but once a year at SolidFire. Several initiatives affect every day, like the Alternative Transportation Program that provides employees with a $75 monthly kickback if they trade in their parking pass and use other modes of transport. Should employees opt to bike in, there’s a safe place to stash their wheels. Should they opt for public transit, it’s at no cost with the company’s Eco Pass. Clearly SolidFire knows this simple equation: Happy commuters equals happy workers.
Chandler Chicco Companies
Headquarters: New York, NYBiometric screenings, cooking demonstrations, speed dating—sounds like the lineup on a morning talk show, but it’s just another workday at Chandler Chicco. A conga-line of healthy perks are part of the package for the 233 employees here: healthy catered lunches, yoga and spin classes, on-site chair massages, nutritionist cooking demonstrations, and health screenings are all provided free. But one thing is clear, this company believes having fun is a key part of wellness. Numerous in-office happy hours kick off at 5 p.m. so you can power down your computer and power up your community. On “Speed Dating” nights, employees at the same peer level are encouraged to circulate the room, meet and greet, and get to know each other and their projects. Workers with children are encouraged to bring little ones to themed kid parties where arts and crafts are on the scene, and even pets get in on the good times: Dogs are welcome at work in the belief they “increased morale and productivity.” We’d wager they increase puppy snorglefests, too.
Mondo
Headquarters: New York, NYAs one of the country’s leading digital marketing and technology resourcing firms, Mondo’s executives know that qualified candidates can have the pick of the litter when it comes to finding a new job. It’s no wonder then that the business is hyper-focused on doing company culture differently. Mondo reimburses its 150 employees for the cost of a number of fitness activities, whether it be endurance events (everything from a 5K to a Tough Mudder) or lifestyle certifications (cycling, yoga, and Zumba, for example). The firm also stresses the importance of giving back to the community, granting employees five paid days of vacation for philanthropic efforts each year.
Tough Mudder
Headquarters: Brooklyn, NYObviously working at Tough Mudder means you can add a few (mud-splattered) race bibs to your collection completely gratis (and friends and family can, too). But healthy perks go beyond the company’s namesake obstacle course. A flex work-from-home policy gives the 143 employees the opportunity to be productive on their own turf. If they do come to the office, bike racks and showers support an active commute. Or workers can get their blood flowing inside HQ with on-site walking desks and then refuel as needed with free granola bars, fruit, nuts, and other healthy snacks. Even fitness gear comes in to play; employees get discounts from Tough Mudder sponsors, including Under Armour, so they can sweat in style.
CamelBak Products, LLC
Headquarters: Petaluma, CAWe consider CamelBak the capital of Hydration Nation—thanks to their water bottles, filters, and hydration packs—so it’s no surprise that they encourage their 138 employees to keep the H2O coming. Just one part of their “Bak to Health” program, a yearly challenge where employees earn points for exercise, hydration, and healthy nutrition. It’s a company-wide game, and everyone’s a winner: All participants earn rewards, and CamelBak donates money to charities selected by the players as a result. Apart from this friendly competition, day-to-day culture encourages the healthy outdoor living that CamelBak’s products champion. Employees can work out with provided fitness equipment, take to the on-site basketball court, pedal around on one of the four company bikes, or meet with CamelBak’s personal trainer for a more structured workout. And all workers receive discounts to various outdoor and adventure companies. We imagine the CamelBak-supported paid sabbatical of four to six weeks gives employees even more opportunity to test out that new camping gear.
Seventh Generation, Inc.
Headquarters: Burlington, VTAs the saying goes, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” but at Seventh Generation it could be, “Let them have apples—and doctors, too!” First, the apples: We’re talking the Rolls-Royce of produce, brought in from a local orchard. In addition to noshing on some of Vermont’s finest, the 135 employees enjoy having their preventative care fully covered without having to meet a deductible. Translation: free regular checkups. Alternative healthcare is also part of this equation, such as the resident masseuse who provides weekly on-site chair massages. Should all the apples, checkups, and shoulder rubs fail to keep employees well, the company provides unlimited sick days so workers can rest and recover without keeping a running tally of time away from their desks. And we imagine they can comfort their sniffles with plenty of Seventh Generation tissues, too.
NutraClick
Headquarters: Boston, MAAt NutraClick, your time is really your own. The company runs a results-only work environment, which means that its 125 employees can set their own schedules. They’re expected to meet deadlines and complete high-quality work rather than spend a specific number of hours at company headquarters. While they’re at the office, workers can take advantage of kitchen stocked with healthy options for breakfast, lunch, and snack time, as well as a fitness area where employees can lift weights, take a yoga or meditation class, or compete in one of the office’s push-up challenges. Everyone also has access to NutraClick’s wellness coach and certified personal trainer, who can advise and track goal setting for everything from losing weight to improving nutrition.
The Institute for Integrative Nutrition
Headquarters: New York, NYWe don’t believe in a Snuggie approach to health (i.e. one-size-fits-all). There are many paths to wellness, and obviously IIN agrees, which is why apart from general insurance, the company also offers acupuncture coverage and on-site chiropractic care, massages, and yoga to its employees. The full-spectrum approach applies to meals, too, with breakfast, lunch, and snacks provided completely gratis. The company’s kitchen is filled with enough healthy foods (nuts, fruit, granola, cereal, yogurt, etc.) to stock a small Whole Foods. And should employees want to top off their healthy diet with supplements, each floor has a vitamin station. If the day-to-day sounds indulgent, consider the little treats—artisanal dark chocolates, locally made soaps, or candles—that make monthly appearances. Given all this goodness, it’s fair to assume employees never want to leave the office, but even the happiest worker bees need time away from the hive. That’s why its 120 employees get a generous vacation package, additional half-day summer Fridays, plus the week between Christmas and New Year’s off.
Limeade
Headquarters: Bellevue, WAAs a tech biz whose product provides companies with an easy way to measure and improve employees’ health, well-being, and performance, it makes sense that Limeade would want to do the same with its team. This starts with weekly surveys that measure if individual teams are stressed or relaxed, disconnected or engaged. The team averages are made public in an effort to drive accountability and spark improvement. Limeade also builds on that company culture with office challenges called LimeMates Be It. Past examples include “Pound the Pavement” (increase daily steps) and “Flash Fitness” (one-minute exercise challenges). Limeade also works to make the office environment as comfortable as possible by offering standing desks, exercise balls, and razor scooters (to get around the office or the neighborhood) for any of its 100-plus workers interested.
Tiny Companies (<100 Employees)
Asana
Headquarters: San Francisco, CAThis tech start-up believes that happy employees start with a great workplace, and more specifically an amazing personal workspace. That’s why Asana gives workers $10,000 (no, this is not a typo) to put together their dream work station, whether that means a standing desk, additional monitors, or both! The company also understands how important it is to recharge, so its 92 employees enjoy an unlimited vacation policy, three months of paid maternity and paternity leave, and the opportunity to take a six-week sabbatical after working at the company for three years. Back at the office, it’s easy to keep health in mind with meals made by the company chefs from locally sourced, in-season food; in-office yoga classes four times a week; and free gym memberships.
Beach Cities Health District
Headquarters: Redondo Beach, CAThis government agency in suburban Los Angeles county really practices what it preaches. Founded nearly half a century ago to improve the health of local residents, the health district has lots of measures in place to do the same for its employees. For starters, its 85 employees get free memberships to the 17,000-square-foot gym run by the agency, and they also can take advantage of discounted personal training sessions, nutrition consultations, and restorative massages at the facility. Employees can take a break from the daily grind in the garden outside of the health district’s headquarters, where the staff toils year-round and then shares the bounty of herbs with coworkers to spice up their meals.
Tradeshift, Inc.
Headquarters: San Francisco, CATradeshift’s office is a playground for adults. First there are the game rooms where you can try your hand at foosball, Ping-Pong, and an assortment of video games. Then the company encourages its 70 team members to bike to work with free memberships to Bay Area Bike Share and a bike room at HQ. The cloud-based invoice company isn’t just a utopia for 20-somethings, though. Tradeshift also attracts lots of parents (and parents to be) with its generous six-month paid maternity leave and two-month paid paternity or partner leave policies as well as a nursing and relaxation room at the office.
Pro Athlete Inc.
Headquarters: Kansas City, MOThis online retailer of baseball and softball equipment built an office with the athlete inside all of us in mind. The headquarters houses a tricked-out fitness center complete with a cardio room, pool, sauna, hot tub, racquet ball court, basketball court, volleyball court, and locker room. Oh yeah, and the 70 employees have access to free personal training sessions. There’s free laundry and haircuts, too. Once employees have worked up an appetite on the court, they can enjoy complimentary breakfast or lunch. But it’s not just fun and games at Pro Athlete Inc. Employees also meet quarterly with a wellness coordinator to set and keep track of their health goals.
ZOZI
Headquarters: San Francisco, CAEmployees at this San Francisco start-up embrace the work hard, play hard mentality. The company hosts dozens of events for its 48 employees from whiskey tastings at a local distillery to sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge. Every employee also gets a $400 quarterly “Fun Fund” to put toward activities and getaways—whether that be whitewater rafting or a food tour—which is the company’s bread and butter. While at HQ, workers are encouraged to make healthy decisions with a kitchen full of fresh fruit and veggies, granola bars, and healthy beverages, as well as rooftop yoga and a running club. And no worries about sitting in a meeting all sweaty after that midday workout, thanks to a shower room on-site.
The Mission Continues
Headquarters: New York, NYThis veteran-focused nonprofit makes sure its 38 employees are in top shape to perform their best. Every team member is assigned a life and health coach from Engaged Health Solutions. Employees are encouraged to be in contact with their coach at least once a week to talk about goal planning, whether it be in their personal or professional life. Going along with this holistic approach to taking care of one’s life outside of work, the Mission Continues offers employees two months of paid maternity or paternity leave and unlimited time off to deal with health and family issues. Back at the office, a central part of the workday is afternoon “Tea Time,” where all employees stop working for 15 minutes at 3 p.m. to chat casually with coworkers.
Numi Organic Tea
Headquarters: Oakland, CANaturally employees here have access to an unlimited supply of the company’s tea, but that’s not the only organic thing within arm’s reach. The Bay Area start-up gets a weekly shipment from Good Eggs that includes fresh fruit, whole-grain snacks, and organic dairy. Taking a holistic view of health, Numi gives its 30 employees a monthly health and wellness stipend, which can cover massage therapy, relaxation retreats, and gym memberships—all of that on top of a comprehensive benefits package. And workers don’t have to go to the gym to burn off some energy. The company recently purchased 20 bikes that employees can check out and pedal around Oakland, immersing themselves in the community. That kind of community involvement is encouraged from the top: Everyone gets four hours of paid time off each month to volunteer in the Bay Area.
Voom Wellness
Headquarters: Kingston, NYIt makes sense that a company built on helping others stay healthy at work would do the same with its employees. And Voom Wellness more than delivers. On the days employees are in the office, they get their blood pumping with deskercises (or just dancing) for two minutes every hour. The exercising doesn’t stop there: The five employees get free gym memberships and have the chance to bond at weekly off-site exercise classes. But the best part about Voom is its truly flexible work options. Employees are expected to work two days from home and then spend a third day in meetings outside of the typical office environment—grab a coffee, get massages, or bring a picnic to the park.
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