10 Data-Backed Mental Wellness Activities for Employees (That Truly Work)

More and more companies are investing in mental wellness activities for employees, but with limited time, budgets, and resources, how can you know which initiatives are truly effective? The answer lies in the data. 

At WellSteps, we focus on initiatives that are proven to not only improve employee mental wellness but also deliver measurable benefits to the companies that implement them. Evidence-based wellness is crucial to program success and employee satisfaction, especially when you consider that an American Psychological Association survey found that 92% of workers say it’s important to work for an organization that supports their emotional and psychological well-being. 

With that in mind, here are ten data-driven mental wellness activities for employees, each proven to make a meaningful impact.

10 Data-Backed Mental Wellness Activities for Employees

1. On-Site or Virtual Meditation

Meditation is a well-established strategy for enhancing mental wellness. In one example, more than 13,000 Aetna employees participated in yoga and meditation classes (Fierce Healthcare). The results were impressive, with employees reporting an average:

• 28% reduction in stress
• 20% improvement in sleep quality
• 19% decrease in pain

These benefits translated to an average productivity gain of 62 minutes per week, worth about $3,000 per employee, per year. 

At WellSteps, our platform includes a library of guided meditation videos, and we offer evidence-based behavior change campaigns such as “Mindfulness for You” and “Happiness Matters” that focus on meditation. 

Activity Idea: Hold “mindfulness minutes” throughout the day. When a timer goes off, everyone pauses what they’re doing, sits quietly, and meditates for five minutes to decompress before returning to work. 

RELATED: 10 Tips to Implement Mindfulness in the Workplace

2. Digital Detox

“Digital detox” might sound like a buzzword, but it delivers real benefits. In fact, Vorecol reports that: 

• University of Penn researchers found that limiting social media to 30 minutes per day reduces feelings of depression and loneliness, increasing overall wellbeing by 21%
• The American Psychological Association says 60% of employees feel overwhelmed by digital devices, and 50% say they negatively affect mental health
• Buffer “Digital Detox Days” have resulted in an 82% increase in productivity and 70% increase in job satisfaction

One of our most popular WellSteps challenges is “Tech Time Out,” which encourages participants to replace screen time with physical activity, learning, or enhancing relationships. 

Activity Idea: Encourage employees to take 5 to 10 minutes of non-screen time each hour during the workday.

3. Mental Health-Themed Book Club

Social connection and peer support are essential to overall well-being, and creating opportunities for employees with shared interests to connect can pay dividends. Book clubs, for example, combine social connection with education, which can have a powerful impact on mental health while fostering friendships between peers who engage in shared learning activities. 

Strong work friendships have a big impact on mental wellness. According to KPMG: 

• 4 out of 5 employees say work friends are highly important, and 78% say they get mental health benefits from having work friends
• 84% of employees say it’s important for companies to facilitate interactions that foster work friendships
• More than 80% say these factors are important when deciding whether to take a new job or stay at their current job

Activity Idea: Start a mental health-themed book club that fosters friendships, peer support, and meaningful conversations around mental wellness.

RELATED: 28 Corporate Wellness Ideas and Activities

4. Resilience Workshops

Many employees struggle with soft skills like managing and regulating emotions, which can lead to conflict, burnout, and poor mental well-being at work. Providing tools and strategies to build resilience and effectively manage their feelings can make a meaningful difference. For example:

• Resilient employees report 60% less burnout and 50% less work-related stress (meQuilibrium)
• They’re also four times more likely to be happy with their jobs and 31% more engaged (meQuilibrium)
• Studies have shown that emotion regulation training effectively reduces occupational stress for high-demand occupations such as critical care nurses (National Institute of Health)

These mental health activities for the workplace not only bolster individual confidence and collaboration, but they can also improve overall efficiency and productivity. 

Activity Idea: Offer resilience workshops that teach employees how to manage emotions, navigate conflict, collaborate on resolutions, and build healthier work relationships.

5. No Meeting Days

Constant meetings can kill productivity and introduce unnecessary stress. MIT Sloan Management Review makes a compelling case for planning “no meeting days.”

• MIT conducted a study on the effects of having one “no meeting day” and three “no meeting days” per week
• When companies held one “no meeting day”, productivity increased by 35% and stress decreased by 26%
• When companies held three “no- meeting days” each week, productivity soared by 73% and stress decreased by 57%

Activity Idea: Designate “no meeting days” each week to allow employees time for focused, meaningful work without distractions. Stick to them!

RELATED: Healthy Work Environment Examples for Your Employees

6. Gamify EAP Participation

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) provide financial support for employees to complete mental health and wellness activities on their own. However, employees don’t always take advantage of EAPs, even though Gallup found that:

• 32% of employees say EAPs are extremely helpful
• 47% say they are somewhat helpful

Activity Idea: Use gamification to encourage EAP participation. For example, you can create a “mental health bingo” card where each square represents a self-care activity supported by your EAP. Offer rewards for completing rows or entire cards. 

7. Employee Recognition

It’s no secret that employees don’t always receive the recognition they deserve, and feeling underappreciated can take a real toll on mental health. Conversely, celebrating employee achievements and milestones – big and small – can have a powerful impact on mental wellness. 

According to Mental Health First Aid, expressing thoughtful gratitude:

• Immediately increases happiness by 10%
• Reduces depressive symptoms by 35%

Activity Idea: Implement an employee recognition program that celebrates and thanks each employee individually for their achievements and contributions. At WellSteps, we encourage our employees to give “shout-outs” to their peers for outstanding work and achievements. This program grants employees ownership in their own recognition of peers, and has proven to be very successful and impactful for our organization. 

RELATED: Ways to Boost Employee Morale

8. Nature Exposure

Studies have shown that spending time in nature reduces anxiety, and even an outdoor view from the office can significantly boost employee mental wellness.

According to NMSFA, employees with a view of nature:

• Have greater enthusiasm
• Experience less frustration
• Report higher life satisfaction
• Enjoy better overall health

Interestingly, NMSFA also reports that those who do not have a view of nature experience greater anxiety and 23% more illnesses. Providing a view is one of the easiest mental health wellness activities organizations can offer.

Activity Idea: Create opportunities for employees to work outside or near windows with a view of the great outdoors. 

9. Walking Meetings

Walking meetings are a popular way to introduce variety, movement, and even nature into the workday, but did you know that regular walking meetings can improve employee mood and overall productivity? 

Moreover, two 30-minute walking meetings per week accounts for 40% of the Dept. of Health and Human Services’ recommended 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity, adding a physical benefit to the mental health benefits of walking meetings. That makes walking meetings one of the best mental health ideas for the workplace.

Activity Idea: Schedule two walking meetings per week, a minimum of 30 minutes each. Bonus if you can walk outdoors!

RELATED: 50 Employee Wellness Program Examples for Any Budget

10. Volunteerism

Many companies offer volunteer days where employees can take time off to support causes they believe in, either individually or as part of an organized group effort.

These efforts don’t just help the community – studies show that 75% of adults feel physically better after volunteering (United Health Group). Volunteering also offers significant mental and emotional benefits: 

• 93% improved mood
• 79% lower stress
• 88% increased self-esteem

Activity Idea: Organize group volunteer opportunities for employees to give back together and strengthen team bonds in the process.

Prioritize Employee Mental Wellness Activities

If you want real results, mental wellness can’t be an afterthought – it must be a priority. Some of the most effective WellSteps offerings include: 

• Challenges: Friendly competitions that fuel motivation and camaraderie
• Habit builders: Bite-sized tasks that lead to big, long-term change
• Quizzeos: Wellness-themed videos with interactive quizzes that reinforce learning
• Lunch and Learns: Fun and engaging education sessions held over lunch hour

Keep in mind that flexibility is key to long-term success. Employees are more likely to engage when they can choose activities they prefer (within a framework that aligns with your corporate wellness goals). 

RELATED: Company vs. Individual Wellness: The Great Debate

Rewards and incentives can also be powerful motivators. RAND found that wellness program participation hovers around 20% without incentives, but doubles to 40% when rewards are offered.

RELATED: Increasing Wellness Program Participation: 5 Key Elements for Motivating Participation

That said, extrinsic motivators can often be enough to encourage participation. One Aetna challenge that had no rewards still earned participation from 8,000 employees. The participants reported an 18% reduction in stress, and 97% of them recommended the program.

RELATED: Incentivize Employees Without Money to Better Their Health

Whether you offer incentives or not, understand that mental wellness activities for employees shouldn’t be one-off tasks. Instead, they should be part of a comprehensive program that consistently prioritizes mental wellness. Kickstart your program by finding inspiration in the ten mental wellness activities for employees listed here.

Mental Wellness Activities That Work When employees are mentally well, everything improves – engagement, retention, productivity, and company culture. At WellSteps, we deliver a data-backed platform with mental wellness activities that are proven to reduce stress, increase resilience, and build healthy habits that last.  Schedule a demo today to see how our evidence-based platform can improve employee wellbeing and drive measurable results for your organization.