Best practices for offering benefits that address the 4 pillars of well-being

Employee well-being extends far beyond traditional health benefits and gym memberships.

When you design benefits programs today, you need to consider the whole person: their career satisfaction, relationships, financial security, physical health, and community connections, which is why modern employers are using Lifestyle Spending Accounts to support well being across multiple areas.

Research shows that these interconnected dimensions determine whether employees thrive or merely survive in your organization.

What are the 4 pillars of well-being?

The 4 pillars of well-being are four interconnected dimensions that create a foundation for employee health, happiness, and productivity. These pillars work together to support the complete employee experience, both inside and outside the workplace.

Gallup's comprehensive global study spanning more than 150 countries uncovered these universal elements through extensive research. Scientists surveyed hundreds of thousands of people about their health, wealth, relationships, jobs, and communities. They compared these results to how people experience their days and evaluate their lives overall.

The research identified five distinct statistical factors that differentiate thriving employees from those who are struggling. These elements transcend cultural boundaries and apply across industries, company sizes, and geographic locations.

1. Physical well-being

Physical well-being means having good health and energy to accomplish daily tasks. This traditional focus area of benefits programs remains fundamental to employee success.‍

Beyond absence of illness, physical well-being includes having energy for work and life activities, making healthy choices, and managing stress effectively. Employees with strong physical well-being sleep better, eat well, exercise regularly, and have the stamina to be productive throughout the day.

2. Mental well-being

Mental health is a priority for everyone, yet most mental well-being benefits are fragmented across multiple tools, apps, and services, each with separate logins and often unclear coverage rules. Employees seeking mental wellness support — whether they're managing daily stress, exploring meditation, or accessing therapy — shouldn't have to navigate multiple platforms or wonder if their company covers what they need. 

Benefits teams often can't see how many employees are actually using mental health resources, which modalities are most effective, or whether the current vendor mix is delivering value.  No wonder well-being benefits have felt so chaotic to manage.

3. Social well-being

Social well-being measures the quality of relationships and connections at work and in life. Humans need meaningful connections to thrive, and the workplace provides a significant source of these relationships.

Strong social well-being means having supportive relationships with colleagues, feeling part of a team, and maintaining healthy connections outside work. Employees with high social well-being have someone who encourages their development, close friends at work, and regular positive interactions throughout their day.

4. Financial well-being

Financial well-being involves managing economic life effectively and feeling secure about the future. This pillar addresses both current financial management and long-term security.

Employees with strong financial well-being can meet their current needs while saving for the future. They feel in control of their finances rather than controlled by them. Financial stress affects sleep, relationships, and physical health, making this pillar foundational to overall well-being.

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Why do the 4 pillars of well-being matter for modern benefits programs?

Traditional benefits programs focus primarily on physical health through medical insurance, dental coverage, and perhaps a gym membership. The other four pillars: career, social, financial, and community well-being receive little to no support in typical benefits packages.

When employees struggle in any single pillar, the effects cascade throughout their entire life. An employee facing financial stress loses sleep, strains relationships, and brings anxiety to work. Someone lacking career fulfillment becomes disengaged, affecting team morale and productivity. Poor social connections at work lead to isolation and reduced collaboration. Each deficiency creates a domino effect that undermines overall performance.

Companies that address all five pillars see measurable improvements across their organization. Engagement scores increase when employees feel supported holistically. 

Retention improves because employees recognize their employer cares about their complete well-being, not just their productivity. Teams collaborate better when social well-being strengthens workplace relationships. Innovation flourishes when employees have the energy and mental clarity that comes from balanced well-being.

The business case extends beyond engagement metrics. Organizations supporting all five pillars report reduced healthcare costs, fewer sick days, and increased productivity. Employees who thrive in multiple dimensions bring more creativity, resilience, and positive energy to their work. They solve problems more effectively and contribute to a culture that attracts top talent.

Types of benefits that support each pillar of well-being

Different benefits address different dimensions of employee well-being. The most effective programs offer variety within each pillar, allowing employees to choose what works best for their individual needs and life circumstances.

Physical well-being benefits

Physical well-being extends beyond traditional medical coverage. Fitness memberships and classes support regular exercise habits, whether through gym access, virtual fitness platforms, or specialized activities like yoga or cycling.

Nutrition counseling helps employees make sustainable dietary changes. Registered dietitians provide personalized meal planning, grocery shopping guidance, and strategies for maintaining healthy eating habits despite busy schedules.

Mental well-being benefits

Mental health support acknowledges the mind-body connection. Therapy sessions, meditation apps, stress management workshops, and employee assistance programs address psychological well-being as part of overall health.

Preventive care incentives encourage employees to prioritize health maintenance. Rewards for annual checkups, health screenings, and vaccinations catch problems early while reinforcing healthy behaviors.

Social connection benefits

Social well-being requires intentional opportunities for meaningful interaction. Team building budgets empower managers to bring their groups together for shared experiences, whether virtual escape rooms, cooking classes, or local outings.

Community volunteering opportunities combine social connection with purpose. Teams that volunteer together build stronger bonds while making a positive impact in their communities.

Financial wellness benefits

Financial well-being improves when employees have both resources and knowledge. Financial planning services provide personalized guidance on budgeting, investing, and major financial decisions tailored to individual circumstances and goals.

Emergency savings programs help employees build financial cushions through automatic deductions, employer matches, or high-yield savings accounts. Having emergency funds reduces stress and prevents employees from making desperate financial decisions.

Retirement planning workshops educate employees about long-term financial security. Interactive sessions cover investment strategies, tax implications, and retirement lifestyle planning beyond basic 401(k) enrollment.

How to design a benefits program that addresses all 4 pillars of well-being

Creating a comprehensive well-being program starts with understanding where your organization currently stands. 

Most companies discover significant gaps between what they offer and what employees actually need across the five dimensions of well-being.

Assess current gaps in your benefits offering

Start with a thorough evaluation of your existing benefits landscape. Survey employees about their well-being needs across all five dimensions: career, social, financial, physical, and community. Ask specific questions about each area rather than general satisfaction queries. For career well-being, explore whether employees feel they have growth opportunities and use their strengths daily. For social well-being, investigate workplace relationships and support systems.

Analyze your benefits utilization data to identify programs employees ignore. Low participation often signals misalignment between offerings and actual needs. A gym membership with 15% usage might indicate employees need different physical wellness support, like home fitness equipment or stress management resources.

Compare your offerings to industry benchmarks while remembering that matching competitors isn't the goal. Focus on understanding which well-being dimensions your industry typically neglects. Technology companies often excel at career development but overlook community engagement. Healthcare organizations might prioritize physical wellness while missing financial well-being support.

Create flexible benefit categories aligned to each well-being pillar

Design benefit buckets that directly map to the four well-being dimensions. Each category should contain diverse options addressing different employee preferences and life situations within that pillar.

For example, social well-being could encompass team events, employee resource groups, communication tools, and relationship-building workshops. Financial wellness might offer planning services, debt assistance, savings programs, and investment education.

Set appropriate funding levels for each category based on employee needs and organizational resources. Consider an LSA model and starting with equal allocations across pillars, then adjusting based on utilization and feedback. Some organizations find success with baseline funding for all pillars plus additional amounts for high-priority areas.

Build choice and personalization into the program

Consider a Lifestyle Spending Account (LSA) model to offer multiple options within each pillar to accommodate diverse employee populations. A 25-year-old software engineer and a 45-year-old operations manager have different well-being priorities. The younger employee might prioritize student loan assistance and career development, while the experienced manager focuses on retirement planning and community engagement.

Let employees allocate funds based on their individual priorities rather than forcing predetermined packages. Someone thriving in physical health but struggling financially should be able to direct more resources toward financial planning and debt management.

Enable different life stages and circumstances through your benefit design. New parents need different support than empty nesters. Remote employees require different social connection opportunities than office-based teams. Single employees have different financial planning needs than those supporting families.

Implement technology that simplifies administration

Use a platform like Forma that consolidate multiple benefit types into one employee experience. Employees shouldn't need five different logins to access their well-being benefits. A unified platform reduces confusion and increases engagement across all four pillars of well-being.

Automate reimbursements and approvals to remove administrative friction. Manual processes discourage participation, especially for smaller-dollar benefits that significantly impact daily well-being. Automated systems let employees focus on using benefits rather than navigating bureaucracy.

Provide real-time tracking and reporting for both employees and administrators. Employees should see their benefit balances and usage across all pillars at a glance. Administrators need dashboards showing utilization patterns, popular benefits, and emerging needs across the organization. This data drives continuous improvement and ensures programs evolve with employee needs.

How to get started addressing the four pillars of well-being

Forma helps you deliver flexible, personalized benefits that support all four pillars of well-being without adding administrative burden to your team. With one platform, you can give employees real choice in how they use their benefits while maintaining full visibility and control as an employer. Instead of managing multiple vendors and policies you can centralize your benefits strategy into a single system that adapts as your workforce changes. 

This allows you to move beyond surface level wellness programs and create a benefits experience that truly supports how employees live, work and grow, while also improving engagement retention and return on your benefits investment.

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Ready to see what’s possible? Learn how Forma helps with well-being benefits →

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