5 Health and Fitness Benefits Trends on the Rise

August 7, 2025August 7, 2025 alopez Employee Benefits employeebenefits

5 Health and Fitness Benefits Trends on the Rise

Health and fitness offerings are critical to employee attraction, retention and engagement. They also rank among employees’ most preferred benefits.

But fitness is never static. As employees change their ideas around health and well-being, wellness initiatives must keep pace.

Industry experts say the following trends can expand the reach and efficacy of fitness benefits:

• Inclusive fitness
• Team-building offerings
• Holistic weight management
• Assisted stretching programs
• Recovery and relaxation

Inclusive fitness

The nonprofit American Council on Exercise (ACE) reports that inclusive fitness is growing. Inclusive fitness supports individuals with different abilities, interests and fitness levels. It creates welcoming spaces that focus on overall well-being more than physical appearances.

Inclusive fitness reduces the stigma associated with exercise by promoting body neutrality. This concept encourages employees to accept their bodies in their current forms and view health as a lifelong journey with ups and downs.

Inclusive fitness can increase participation in wellness initiatives by focusing on what bodies can do instead of what they can’t. It can also reach employees often excluded from traditional physical health initiatives.

Specialty options like walking clubs and over-40 fitness groups can expand your reach to different employee populations.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) notes that fitness programs for older adults rank among the top trends in 2025. The ACSM cites many benefits to movement for older employees, including enhanced cognitive abilities and reduced risk of chronic illness.

Physical movement benefits employees of all ages and abilities. It can reduce injury risks and improve everyday activities through better balance and coordination. Inclusive fitness can also increase employee participation in your wellness offerings by appealing to different interests and expanding available options.

Team-building offerings

Team-building fitness incorporates collaboration and social engagement. The corporate fitness solutions company HealthFitness notes that classes, clubs and groups of any size add a fun, supportive element to exercise.

According to BenefitsPRO, group fitness offerings build camaraderie and encouragement. Examples include:

• Yoga
• Dance cardio
• Kettlebell workouts
• Circuit training
• Tabata (high-intensity interval training)
• Pilates
• Strength training

In addition to group classes, recreational sports teams are on the rise. Standard offerings include soccer, softball, basketball, volleyball and pickleball. Teams bring employees together from across the organization for fun, healthy activities.

Organizations are increasingly enabling employees to develop clubs around interests like cycling or 5K training. BenefitsPRO notes employees are pairing up to create and work toward individual and joint goals.

The benefits are more than just physical. Team-building options help employees meet new colleagues, build rapport and share interests outside of work.

Holistic weight management

The rapid rise of GLP-1 medications to treat obesity and Type 2 diabetes has many employers weighing their costs and benefits. This issue will continue to grow. Weight management drugs already account for nearly 7% of total drug spending, notes the human resources association SHRM. And according to HealthFitness, 30 million Americans are expected to use weight-loss medications by 2030.

GLP-1s have been shown to support weight loss, lower cardiovascular risk, and improve blood pressure and kidney function. They have also helped many employees shed the stigma attached to obesity.

But these medications are just one aspect of weight management. Not all employees have access to GLP-1 medications. Some don’t want to take medication for weight loss. And others can’t tolerate the side effects.

But there is a universal need to build sustainable, healthy habits. Supporting your employees beyond GLP-1s through holistic weight management will be a rising trend in the years ahead.

ACE recommends focusing on functional strength training to improve balance, posture and performance in everyday activities. Resistance training classes can help individuals build and retain lean muscle mass, which is often lost during weight loss. 

BenefitsPRO highlights education as a tool to support employees in building healthier habits. Popular topics include:

• Nutrition, hydration and healthy recipes
• Stress management
• Sustainable goals for weight loss and strength gains
• Incorporating movement into everyday life
• Managing side effects of GLP-1s

HealthFitness notes that in-person and online workouts should account for potential GLP-1 side effects and include options for all levels of fitness. Another growing offering is providing access to coaches to discuss lifestyle changes, set and support employees’ goals, and enhance accountability.

Assisted stretching programs

Stretching programs are gaining prominence to counteract the effects of sedentary work and repetitive motions. With time, stretching can reduce injuries and make jobs safer.

BenefitsPRO notes that assisted stretching programs guide employees through deep stretches to improve flexibility and range of motion. These programs can also improve posture and enhance physical comfort.

HealthFitness notes that improvements from stretching can help employees overcome soreness, stiffness, joint pain and other musculoskeletal challenges. Regular stretching can reduce neck, shoulder, knee and back pain.

Movement assessments can customize stretching programs based on individual needs and job responsibilities. Guided stretches make this activity more accessible and inclusive.

Recovery and relaxation

ACE notes that physical health recovery is gaining steam as a way to improve employee well-being. Recovery reduces the likelihood of injury and burnout.

HealthFitness says proper recovery after exercise helps reduce inflammation, improve circulation and speed up muscle repair.

Recovery tools include:

• Foam rollers
• Massages
• Compression sleeves
• Cold and heat therapy

In addition to physical recovery, employers are focusing more on mental relaxation. Meditation and mindfulness practices continue to grow through health apps and in-person classes.

Employers are increasingly creating office quiet zones to help employees restore energy and focus. HealthFitness notes that sound baths and movements like tai chi can relieve stress in a gentle, accessible format.

Find the latest information

Keeping up with fitness trends can boost individual and organizational health. For more information on wellness offerings, talk to your insurance broker or benefits adviser. They can help you identify emerging health and fitness offerings that meet your benefits and business goals.