Employee engagement has become a defining factor in organizational success. When people feel connected to their work and supported by their employers, they bring more energy, creativity, and commitment to their roles. Yet engagement is fragile — many companies are still grappling with rising burnout, retention challenges, and the demands of a hybrid workforce.
HR managers are under pressure to create environments where employees feel valued and motivated. The most effective way to do this is by using tools designed to strengthen communication, encourage recognition, promote well-being, and give employees opportunities to grow. Let’s explore ten tools that stand out in 2025 as essential resources for building an engaged and resilient workforce.
Top 10 Employee Engagement Tools
While this list is not exhaustive, these ten tools represent some of the most effective solutions HR managers can use to enhance engagement across different areas of the employee experience.
1. Health Risk Assessments (HRAs)
Health Risk Assessments are an essential tool in evaluating and understanding the overall well-being of your workforce. With U.S. employee engagement at its lowest level in a decade (only 31% of employees report feeling engaged at work in 2024), HRAs provide a crucial baseline to identify risks and guide interventions. By collecting data on employees’ physical, mental, and lifestyle factors, HR managers can gain insight into potential health risks and identify areas where interventions are needed. These assessments can serve as a basis for developing targeted wellness programs that not only improve individual health but also reduce healthcare costs for the company.
The data from HRAs can also be used to personalize wellness recommendations, allowing employees to make more informed decisions about their health. Additionally, providing HRAs regularly helps track progress over time, showing employees that the company is invested in their long-term well-being.
2. Engaging Health and Wellness Challenges
Challenges are a great way to motivate employees to take action in their health journey. Whether it’s a step challenge, a hydration challenge, or a company sports team, engaging challenges encourage friendly competition and create a sense of camaraderie within work teams. By incorporating health-related challenges into employee wellness programs, HR managers can boost morale, improve productivity, and help employees develop healthy habits that last.
A well-structured challenge not only drives participation but can also be tied to incentives, further motivating employees to stay engaged and committed to their health goals.
3. Science-Backed Content for Employee Education
Providing employees with credible, science-backed resources is key to promoting lasting behavioral changes. Access to high-quality educational materials, such as articles, videos, webinars, and infographics, can equip employees with the knowledge they need to make healthier choices.
Content that’s based on the latest scientific research in areas like stress management, nutrition, exercise, and mental health helps employees feel informed and confident about the steps they’re taking to improve their well-being. In addition, offering content on diverse topics allows employees to engage at their own pace, reinforcing learning and encouraging self-care.
4. Personalized Wellness Plans
A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work when it comes to employee engagement. Each employee has unique health needs, preferences, and goals. Offering personalized wellness plans allows HR managers to tailor initiatives to suit individual employees, whether they need assistance with stress reduction, nutrition, fitness, or sleep. Because they address specific needs, personalized plans increase the likelihood of sustained engagement and show employees that their company truly cares about their personal well-being.
5. Virtual Health Coaching
Virtual health coaching brings personalized support directly to employees, no matter where they are. Health coaches can provide guidance on fitness routines, nutrition, mental well-being, and overall lifestyle changes, helping employees stay motivated and focused on their goals. Offering virtual coaching makes wellness support more accessible and flexible, enabling employees to access assistance when it’s most convenient for them.
By offering both group and one-on-one sessions, HR managers can cater to different learning styles and provide support at every level of engagement, helping employees to be their healthiest selves.
6. Mental Health Resources
In the workplace, mental health is just as important as physical health. Providing employees with easy access to mental health resources such as therapy sessions, stress management workshops, and mindfulness training can significantly reduce burnout and improve overall engagement.
Promoting mental wellness is essential for creating a resilient workforce that is both productive and emotionally supported. Offering tools for self-assessment and mood tracking can also empower employees to take control of their mental health and seek help when needed.
7. Gamification of Wellness Programs
Gamification takes the ordinary and turns it into something exciting and motivating. By incorporating elements of gaming like points, badges, and leaderboards, HR managers can make wellness programs more fun and engaging. Employees are more likely to participate in activities when there’s a sense of challenge, accomplishment, and recognition attached to their efforts.
This interactive approach taps into intrinsic motivation, and in turn, drives employees to stay consistent with their health goals.
8. On-Demand Wellness Resources
Not every employee has the same schedule or availability. Offering on-demand wellness resources allows employees to access helpful tools whenever it fits their lifestyle. This could include access to online fitness classes, guided meditations, nutritional advice, or educational materials on various wellness topics. With 24/7 availability, employees can engage in wellness activities on their terms, leading to greater satisfaction and overall well-being.
9. Employee Feedback Tools
Engagement is a two-way street. HR managers can better understand the effectiveness of wellness initiatives by soliciting regular feedback from employees. Tools that allow employees to anonymously share their opinions and experiences give HR teams valuable insights into what’s working and where improvements can be made. Using employee feedback ensures that wellness programs stay relevant, tailored, and aligned with employee needs, thus keeping engagement levels high.
10. Incentive and Rewards Programs
Incentives and rewards play a crucial role in maintaining momentum and boosting engagement. Offering tangible rewards such as gift cards, extra time off, or health-related perks can serve as a powerful motivator for employees to stay committed to their wellness journeys. Recognition of achievements, whether large or small, may encourage others to join in while simultaneously creating a positive work environment. This matters especially when 79% of employees report having experienced burnout within the past year — and 53% say that burnout has directly reduced their engagement.
Turning Engagement Into Action With CoreHealth
At the heart of every engagement initiative is a simple truth: employees do their best work when they feel well, valued, and connected. Surveys, recognition, and analytics matter but without a strong foundation of well-being, engagement efforts fall flat.
That’s where CoreHealth stands out. Unlike siloed tools, CoreHealth provides a unified platform for wellness challenges, coaching, rewards, and analytics to help HR managers connect health with engagement in a measurable way. The result? Stronger culture, lower turnover, and higher productivity.
If you’re ready to transform engagement from a series of disconnected tools into a cohesive strategy, book a demo with CoreHealth to see how integrated wellness powers lasting engagement.
Learn more about wellness programs with these articles from the Corehealth blog:
Stress Awareness Day: How Companies Can Prioritize Employee Mental Health
Are Corporate Wellness Programs Worth It? Cost vs. Benefit Analysis