Global Wellness Day June 14th: Why Workplace Wellbeing Isn’t Just a Perk

Each year, on the second Saturday of June, Global Wellness Day invites us to reflect on how we live and how we work. Since its founding in 2012 by Turkish wellness advocate Belgin Aksoy, the day has grown into a worldwide movement spanning over 170 countries. It encourages individuals and organisations alike to recognise that good health and mental balance are not luxuries but essentials.

But as wellness has gained traction in mainstream culture, from yoga studios to corporate handbooks, it has also faced scrutiny. The rise of wellness influencers and brands like Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop has helped to popularise holistic living while also contributing to its image as something aspirational or exclusive. The conversation is evolving. Wellness is no longer just about personal optimisation. It is about collective responsibility.

From Individual Effort to Collective Care

In Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, Emily Nagoski writes:

“Wellness is not a state of being, it’s a state of action.”

Wellness isn’t something we achieve in isolation, especially in environments where stress, long hours and lack of boundaries are the norm. It’s not enough to offer a lunchtime yoga class if people are returning to overflowing inboxes and unrealistic expectations. The deeper structures need attention too.

As Gabor Maté puts it in The Myth of Normal:

“We live in a society that largely denies or ignores the impact of social conditions on individual health.”

We see this truth daily at Pamper Puff. Corporate wellness programmes aren’t about ticking boxes. They are about reshaping workplace culture to value people as whole human beings.

Why Employers Can’t Opt Out of Wellness

Workplace wellbeing is more than a perk. It is a responsibility. According to Gallup, employees who believe their employer cares about their wellbeing are significantly less likely to burn out or look for other jobs. The message is clear. Wellness builds loyalty, trust and resilience. Not just in individuals, but across teams.

In Lost Connections, Johann Hari writes:

“The more I investigated, the clearer it became that our culture is giving us what we need less and less.”

Wellness, then, is not just about food, fitness or mindfulness apps. It is about connection. To self. To others. To something bigger than the daily grind.

What Global Wellness Day Should Remind Us

Rather than turning wellbeing into a performance, Global Wellness Day should prompt honest reflection:

• Are our workplace policies truly sustainable?

• Are we encouraging rest, not just resilience?

• Is our approach to wellness integrated or incidental?

At Pamper Puff, we work with organisations to design wellness experiences that are grounded, inclusive and intentional. From chair massage and guided meditation to art therapy and breathwork, our programmes support employees not as problems to be solved, but as people to be supported.

Because wellness isn’t just a personal journey. It is a shared responsibility. And it starts where we spend most of our waking hours — at work.