Workplace Wellness that Works by Laura Putnam Summary

Workplace Wellness that Works redefines employee well-being by arguing sustainable health isn’t an individual “me problem” but a cultural “we problem”. Laura Putnam offers a 10-step framework to embed wellness into organizational DNA, emphasizing leadership engagement, curiosity-driven strategies, and grassroots movements over top-down programs. The book combines behavioral science, case studies, and actionable steps to transform workplaces into hubs of vitality.

HR professionals, wellness coordinators, and corporate leaders seeking evidence-based methods to boost employee health and productivity will benefit. Managers aiming to foster resilient teams through mindfulness, movement, and emotional well-being practices will find actionable insights. It’s also valuable for executives rethinking ROI-driven wellness initiatives in favor of culturally rooted solutions.

Key concepts include:

• Culture-first wellness: Sustainable change requires shifting from individual compliance to collective cultural transformation.
• Managerial impact: Managers influence 70% of team engagement with well-being programs, making them critical change agents.
• Vision-driven change: Creating a multidimensional well-being vision (physical, emotional, social) aligns teams toward shared goals.

Putnam advocates visualizing a “desired final outcome” using collages or imagery to inspire teams, as demonstrated by Teresa Snyder’s Get Vitality program. This vision should address physical well-being (e.g., reducing sedentary habits) and emotional resilience (e.g., mindfulness practices) to create holistic cultural change.

The book challenges outdated wellness models that focus narrowly on biometric screenings or gym memberships, which often fail to engage employees. Putnam argues these programs ignore systemic issues like sedentary work environments and stress-inducing cultures, advocating instead for purpose-driven, participatory approaches.

Simple, scalable strategies include:

• Standing or walking meetings to counter sedentary habits.
• Encouraging micro-movement breaks every 30 minutes.
• Integrating fun, team-based physical challenges to foster camaraderie.

Emotional resilience enables employees to adapt to stress and uncertainty, directly impacting productivity and retention. Putnam highlights mindfulness practices, such as focused task transitions and intentional pauses, as tools to build this resilience.

Leaders must model well-being behaviors, allocate resources for wellness initiatives, and empower managers to champion grassroots efforts. However, Putnam stresses that middle managers are the “linchpins” of cultural change, responsible for 70% of team engagement.

Unlike formulaic guides, Putnam rejects one-size-fits-all solutions, emphasizing context-specific strategies tailored to an organization’s unique culture. The book prioritizes curiosity, experimentation, and storytelling over rigid frameworks.

Yes. Putnam’s approach is scalable, advocating low-cost tactics like “sneaking” wellness into existing routines (e.g., lunchtime walks or gratitude practices). Small teams can leverage their agility to test and iterate strategies faster than large corporations.

The phrase underscores Putnam’s thesis that individual health is intertwined with team dynamics and organizational culture. For example, toxic workloads or poor communication erode well-being, requiring systemic fixes—not just personal responsibility.

While not explicitly focused on remote work, Putnam’s emphasis on flexible, self-directed practices (e.g., mindfulness breaks, virtual movement challenges) applies to distributed teams. The book’s culture-first framework helps organizations embed wellness regardless of physical workspace.