Vitality has announced a record-breaking response to its annual recruitment window for the Vitality Champions programme – an initiative that empowers employees at corporate client organisations to lead on workplace health and wellbeing.
This year, an additional 750 employees signed up to become Vitality Champions, bringing the total to 2,139 across more than 1,200 businesses. Collectively, these Champions support the wellbeing of over 190,000 members.
The Vitality Champions programme enables employees who are passionate about health and wellbeing to volunteer as internal advocates, leading their businesses health and wellbeing strategy and the motivation of their colleagues. They gain access to the exclusive Champions Hub – a dedicated community where they can collaborate, share ideas, and access expert guidance from Vitality coaches.
Through the programme, Vitality Champions receive access to exclusive resources including how-to guides, partner updates, and toolkits which support them to embed a culture of wellbeing within their workplace. The initiative brings together the full breadth of Vitality’s support with the unique needs of each client, offering practical tools such as company workshops, health tips, and direct access to wellbeing experts.
Since its launch, the programme has contributed to measurable improvements in employee engagement, and health outcomes. This is particularly evident with new starters, as vitality revealed companies with a champion already in place saw 15% more active new starters than companies without a champion*. Earlier this year Vitality identified that physically inactive employees lose 28% more productive time than those who regularly exercise**. The results of the champion programme show the potential power it has to support productivity by creating a positive health and wellbeing culture from day one.
Nick Read, Managing Director, Vitality Programme, reflects: “The number of employees we had signing up this year demonstrates just how important health and wellbeing is to businesses and their people. For strategies to be effective, you need buy-in across all levels, not just from the top or bottom, and the Champions programme we offer gives employees greater control and insight into what Vitality can do for their colleagues.”
Vitality Champion Erika Sutherland, from Canadian High Commission, said: “Being a Vitality Champion has been rewarding in so many ways. One moment that stands out was helping a long-time colleague who had never used the app before—we sat down together, set up their profile, and walked through the benefits. A week later, they’d already started earning points and told me they felt more motivated to take walks during their lunch break to get to Platinum status for the 20% Expedia discount for their next holiday. It was a great reminder that sometimes-small nudges can lead to lasting changes.
On a personal level, being a Champion has kept me more accountable in my own wellbeing journey. Following ACL reconstruction surgery, Vitality helped me throughout the whole process and helped me ease back into fitness through walking and reformer Pilates. Having access to health tracking tools and rewards has made staying active feel less like a chore and more like something to look forward to. It’s also helped me in my additional wellbeing support roles at work, knowing I can encourage others while improving my own health too.”
Over the next year, the champions will collaborate with Vitality to help nurture and support the wider health of their colleagues, directing them to resources that help will help them and their colleagues foster long-term healthy habits.
