How HR leaders can turn unused wellness dollars into a practical year of employee wellness programming

“I didn’t know we had a wellness fund.”

I’ve heard some version of that sentence more times than I can count.

Sometimes an HR director doesn’t know the fund exists. Sometimes they know it’s there but aren’t sure what they can use it for. Sometimes they understand the benefit but simply don’t have the time to figure out how to make the most of it.

And sometimes, the money just expires.

It doesn’t have to be that complicated.

If your company’s health insurance plan includes a wellness fund, the first step isn’t figuring out what to buy. It’s figuring out what you have, what the rules are and when you need to use it.

Then you can build a wellness program around your employees instead of scrambling to spend the money at the end of the year.

First: Find Your Wellness Fund

Wellness funds provided through insurance carriers aren’t all the same. The amount available can depend on the number of employees enrolled, the health plan and other plan details.

So if you’re not sure whether your company has one—or how much is available—ask your broker or insurance carrier.

And don’t assume the answer will be the same as another company.

I’ve worked with organizations where the HR team knew exactly what the fund was. I’ve also worked with organizations that had no idea it existed.

One company originally came to me looking for a relatively low-cost wellness class because they told me they didn’t have a wellness budget.

I mentioned that they might want to ask their broker about a wellness fund.

They did.

They had $40,000 a year available.

They had been letting it expire.

It sounds surprising, but variations of this situation happen more often than you might think.

Your Wellness Year May Not End in December

This is another important one.

Your wellness-fund year may not follow the calendar year.

Depending on your company’s health plan, the fund could expire in August, October, December or another month entirely.

And some plans may allow current-year funds to be used for an activity scheduled for the following year.

But don’t assume. Ask.

Your broker or carrier can tell you exactly when your fund expires and what the rules are.

That information alone can take a lot of pressure off HR.

Don’t Wait Until the Money Is Almost Gone

I once had a client come to me in November with $5,000 remaining in their wellness fund and a December expiration date.

Now we’re playing catch-up.

There are ways to create useful programming quickly, but I would much rather help an HR director in January, February or March than in November when everyone is already trying to figure out how to use the remaining money.

Instead of:

“We have money left. What can we spend it on?”

I’d rather see HR ask:

“What can we accomplish with this money over the next year?”

That’s a completely different way to look at a wellness fund.

You Don’t Need a Huge Fund to Create a Big Wellness Experience

One of the things I love about wellness programming is that it doesn’t have to be expensive to feel substantial.

A smaller fund can go much further when you think about the year as a whole.

For example, instead of using the entire budget on a few large events, you might combine:

• 15-minute movement or wellness sessions
• 30-minute Lunch & Learns
• Nutrition education
• Stress-management sessions
• Healthy aging topics
• Health coaching
• Seasonal wellness programs
• A health fair or special event
• Interactive challenges or experiences

Shorter sessions can also make participation easier for employees who simply don’t have an hour to step away from work.

That matters because time is consistently identified as one of the biggest barriers to participation in workplace wellness programs. The International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans’ 2025 survey found that 33% of U.S. respondents identified employees’ difficulty finding enough time to participate as a barrier.

Sometimes 15 minutes is enough to get someone moving, thinking differently or trying something new.

Don’t Forget Your Other Locations

Here’s another thing I see.

One of my clients has offices throughout Florida, but the wellness program is primarily promoted at the main office.

If employees in another location don’t hear about the program, they can’t participate in it.

It’s worth asking:

Are we reaching all of our employees—or just the people who happen to work in the main building?

The same applies to remote and hybrid employees.

A wellness benefit isn’t very helpful if employees don’t know it exists or don’t know how to access it.

SHRM has identified lack of awareness as a recurring challenge with employee wellness participation.

You May Already Have Wellness Resources You’re Not Using

One client has a beautiful gym facility right inside the workplace.

But very few employees use it.

Why?

Some employees don’t know how to use the machines. Others don’t feel confident walking into a room full of equipment and figuring it out on their own.

The company already invested in the resource.

The missing piece wasn’t another piece of equipment.

It was guidance.

That’s an important distinction when you’re looking at your wellness budget.

Before asking, “What else should we buy?” ask:

“What do we already have that employees aren’t using?”

Sometimes a little education, coaching or support can make an existing benefit much more valuable.

What If HR Didn’t Have to Manage the Whole Year?

This is where I think wellness programming can become much easier for HR.

One of my clients took a different approach last year.

She gave me the total amount available in the wellness fund. We set aside part of it for a health fair, and I used the remaining $12,000 to map out the rest of the year.

Instead of calling me every month to ask, “What should we do next?” we had a plan.

She loves it.

It’s practically hands-free.

And honestly, that’s what I’d like to see more of.

HR shouldn’t have to become a wellness-program expert just to use a wellness fund wisely.

You have enough on your plate.

A Wellness Fund Should Become a Plan—Not a Scramble

If you have a wellness fund, here’s where I’d start:

1. Find out how much you have.
Ask your broker or insurance carrier.

2. Find out what it covers.
Don’t assume another company’s rules apply to yours.

3. Find your actual expiration date.
It may not be December 31.

4. Ask whether there are options for using current-year funds for future programming.
Again, verify the rules with your carrier or broker.

5. Look at your employees.
What do they need? What are they asking for? What fits their schedules?

6. Look at your existing resources.
Are there programs, gyms or benefits that aren’t being used?

7. Build the calendar before the money becomes urgent.

8. Find a wellness provider who can help you put it all together.

Make the Most of the Money You Already Have

The goal isn’t simply to spend your wellness fund.

It’s to use it well.

Maybe your fund is $40,000.

Maybe it’s $12,000.

Maybe it’s much smaller.

The number doesn’t determine whether you can create a meaningful wellness program. A thoughtful plan can make a smaller budget feel much bigger by combining different types of programming throughout the year.

And you don’t have to figure it out by yourself.

I work with organizations to create practical wellness programming that fits their employees, their schedules and their available resources—whether that means one program, a series of sessions or mapping out an entire year.

Because your wellness fund shouldn’t be another thing sitting on your HR to-do list.

It should be a resource that makes your job easier—and gives your employees something they can actually use.

Planning Your Next Year of Employee Wellness?

If you know your company has a wellness fund but aren’t sure how to make the most of it, let’s start with what you have.

Together, we can look at the available budget, your employees’ needs and the time you have available—and create a practical year of wellness programming around it.

About Adita Lang

Adita Lang is a wellness keynote speaker, corporate wellness expert, health and longevity coach, and author with more than 40 years of experience in health, fitness and workplace wellness. She helps organizations make healthy habits practical, engaging and sustainable through wellness education, interactive experiences, keynote presentations and health coaching.