Building a Better Workplace: Key Processes for Employee Wellbeing

Workplace wellbeing is often treated as an optional extra—a nice-to-have layered on after benefits are finalized and budgets are set. Sometimes it’s a monthly meditation class, a one-time guest speaker, or a discount for a mindfulness app. These efforts, while well-intentioned, lack a true framework, culture, or strategy for employee wellbeing. The result is piecemeal and half-hearted.

Employees notice when wellbeing feels like an afterthought—and so do business results. Research consistently shows that when people don’t feel well or supported at work, engagement drops, turnover increases, and teams fall short of their goals. Simply put: When wellbeing suffers, so does performance. Wellbeing shouldn’t be treated as a perk. It’s the foundation of how people show up and how businesses achieve lasting success.

At Plant Candy, we’ve spent over a decade partnering with organizations to design systems where people genuinely feel and function better at work. Not because of fleeting trends or surface-level programs, but because wellbeing is thoughtfully woven into the culture, structure, and daily experience of work.

From this experience, we’ve developed a 5-Step Process that the most successful wellbeing programs share. Here’s how to create employee wellbeing that truly delivers results:

1. Reducing Stress and Boosting Mood

Regular engagement with plants and plant-based experiences has been shown to notably reduce stress and anxiety, lower cortisol levels, and improve overall mood. Activities like cooking with whole foods or caring for desk plants promote calm and mindfulness, steering participants away from daily pressure toward relaxation and present-moment awareness.

2. Enhancing Physical Health

Preparing and consuming plant-based meals increases intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, leading to benefits such as improved energy, better digestion, cardiovascular support, and healthier weight management. Additionally, hands-on activities like gardening or cooking help improve fine motor skills and encourage physical activity.

3. Increasing Focus, Productivity, and Creativity

Plant-based diets can boost cognitive function, enhance creativity, and improve concentration, leading to higher productivity at work. Employees participating in plant-based workshops or surrounded by nature report feeling more energized and perform better on attention-related tasks.

4. Building Social Connection and Emotional Literacy

Shared plant-based activities—such as group cooking classes or community gardening—foster team bonding, cooperation, and authentic relationships. These experiences allow participants to develop emotional literacy, express themselves, and support one another, which is crucial for long-term workplace wellbeing.

5. Cultivating a Supportive, Purpose-Driven Culture

Initiatives centered on plants-based and mindful nutrition reinforce workplace wellbeing as a shared value. They transform wellness from a perk to a cultural pillar, offering ongoing opportunities for growth, self-care, and community—a key factor in reduced burnout and improved morale.

By weaving these elements into daily routines, a Plant Candy framework creates an environment where employees feel healthier, happier, more connected, and more engaged—supporting both individual and organizational wellbeing.