What did your office look like 20 years ago? What about 50 years ago? Among the many hairstyle changes, wallpaper updates, and computer upgrades, workplace policies and programs have also changed and evolved with time, and corporate wellness programs have undergone one of the biggest transformations.
Workplace wellness has come a long way from its roots, which stretch back more than a century. As major corporations popped up in the late 1800s, so did workplace wellness programs. But what began as employee exercise programs has since evolved into the holistic initiatives we know today.
To show this transformation, Limeade, a corporate wellness technology company that measurably improves employee health, compiled this infographic. It serves as a timeline for major innovations in workplace wellness and shows how we arrived at the programs we have today.
Some major breakthroughs include:
- Henry Ford introduces the 40 hour work week in 1926
- Employee fitness centers become popular in the 1950s and 60s
- Employers launch smoking-cessation programs in the 1970s and Boeing is the first company to ban smoking in 1984
- Fitness trackers and wearable devices make tracking goals easier for employees in the 21st century
Check out the full infographic below to see how corporate wellness programs have evolved to better meet employees needs over the years.
How has your wellness program changed over the years? Share your throwbacks in the comments below!