Why We Need “Wellness Champions” More Than Ever
When I first started in corporate fitness back in the early 1990s, the workplace wellness landscape looked radically different.
Programs were largely employee-led. Committees were formed on lunch breaks, running clubs were organized by the person two desks over, and wellness challenges were driven by pure grassroots enthusiasm. Was it always polished? No. Did we have state-of-the-art apps or specialized boutique classes? Not even close.
But it had something powerful: peer-to-peer connection.
Over the last few decades, as employee expectations evolved and corporate health matured, the industry underwent a massive shift. Organizations naturally began relying more on external professional trainers, certified instructors, and third-party wellness providers. On paper, this was a huge upgrade. The quality of instruction skyrocketed, safety standards improved, and programs became slick and professional.
Yet, along the way, we accidentally created an unintended side effect.
The Unintended Side Effect of the “Pro-Only” Approach
As programs transitioned to being entirely expert-led, internal employee ownership began to fade. Employees started viewing corporate wellness as a service being served to them rather than a community culture built by them.
When wellness relies exclusively on external pros, a crucial element disappears: grassroots promotion.
An external trainer or instructor can deliver an incredible class, but they cannot walk through your department, sit in your team meetings, or invite a hesitant coworker to grab their sneakers for a lunchtime walk.
This shift led to a noticeable decline in peer-to-peer encouragement, resulting in:
- Lower overall engagement: Especially among employees who weren’t already active.
- The “Preaching to the Choir” dynamic: Highly active employees continued to show up, while inactive or intimidated employees felt disconnected from the program.
- A passive culture: Wellness became an item on a calendar rather than a movement within the company culture.
The Power of the Wellness Champion
At Curtis Health, we’ve learned that the most successful corporate wellness programs don’t choose between professional expertise and employee leadership—they combine them.
This is where Wellness Champions come in.
A Wellness Champion isn’t necessarily the person running marathons or lifting the heaviest weights. They are employees across various departments who possess enthusiasm, empathy, and a passion for well-being. They serve as the bridge between professional wellness initiatives and the everyday employee experience.
Here is why Wellness Champions are essential for building a truly inclusive wellness culture:
1. Relatability Beats Perfection
An inactive employee who feels intimidated by a fitness environment is rarely inspired by a professional trainer telling them to join a class. But when a peer—someone who shares their workload, stress, and daily routine—says, “Hey, I’m trying out this gentle stretch session today, want to walk over together?” the barrier drops significantly.
2. Micro-Communities Drive Macro Engagement
Wellness Champions create organic sub-communities within departments, shifts, or satellite offices. They customize the message so it resonates locally, ensuring remote, hybrid, or non-desk workers don’t feel left out.
3. Sustainable Cultural Momentum
External instructors come and go based on class schedules, but Champions are present every day. They reinforce healthy habits, advocate for wellness-friendly workplace practices, and keep health at the top of mind during team meetings.
Combining Professional Quality with Grassroots Passion
The goal isn’t to return to the 1990s model of asking employees to design and deliver complex health programs on top of their full-time jobs. Today’s wellness landscape requires professional guidance, structured programming, and expert delivery to ensure safety, variety, and results.
The key is a hybrid approach:
- External Professionals bring the expertise, high-quality delivery, safety, program design, and logistical execution.
- Internal Wellness Champions bring advocacy, trust, peer encouragement, and cultural activation.
When Curtis Health partners with an organization, we don’t just deliver classes—we help recruit, train, and empower internal Wellness Champions. We provide them with toolkits, turn-key promotional ideas, and continuous support so they can spark enthusiasm across their teams without feeling overwhelmed.
Reigniting Your Wellness Culture
Looking back on 30+ years in corporate health, one truth remains constant: people follow people, not program announcements.
If your corporate wellness engagement has plateaued—or if you’re struggling to reach the employees who need support the most—it might be time to look inward. Empowering a network of internal Wellness Champions could be the single most impactful move you make this year.
Interested in building or revitalizing a Wellness Champion network in your organization? Reach out to the team at Curtis Health to learn how we integrate professional wellness services with grassroots advocate networks to drive meaningful engagement.
Tim Hawke
Director of Operations- Curtis Health, Pro Trainer, Group Fitness, Yoga & Pilates Instructor
*This article/blog has been written with the assistance of AI
