
Setting aside half a day for health once a year sounds like a lot – and is in fact an effective investment in the workforce. Not because of the individual activities on that day, but because of the signal it sends.
What does an action day trigger that no newsletter can?
A health day creates experiences that employees talk about afterward. The blood pressure check that unexpectedly revealed high readings and made someone more attentive ever since. The back screening that showed the chair was set up wrong. The shoulder massage during lunch break. These moments aren't wellness cosmetics – they're genuine points of contact with one's own body, something that rarely happens in everyday work life.
What makes a health day successful?
The program needs a mix of active and informative, of mandatory and voluntary elements. Anyone forced to sit through lectures every three hours won't come back next year. Anyone who gets to try something themselves – an exercise, a check, a new offering – talks about it. The closing ritual, whether a shared lunch or a small prize for the most engaged team, determines whether the day is remembered as an event or as an obligation to get through. A good complement is the best practice The Health Day That Actually Works. In Germany, statutory health insurers can fund events like this as a project under Section 20b SGB V; there is no entitlement to it. How insurer funding differs from the tax allowance is explained in the guide Insurer funding and the tax allowance.
How do you put the measure in place?
- 1Set the 3 to 4 stations (e.g. back check, smoothie bar, stress test, movement course) and name one responsible person per station.
- 2Reserve a suitable room or outdoor area for half a day and get the material for each station (mats, blender and fruit, questionnaires, course elements).
- 3Draw up a rough schedule with rotation windows so that the teams are spread evenly across the stations.
- 4Send the invitation with date, time, place and a short description of the stations.
- 5Open a simple sign-up or time-slot selection so that you can estimate the load at the stations.
- 6Ask people to bring comfortable clothing and remind them of the date one to two days beforehand.
- 7Set up the stations in good time and brief the responsible people.
- 8Welcome everyone briefly and explain the schedule and the rotation between stations.
- 9Keep an eye on the flow, balance out queues and make sure the smoothie bar is restocked.
- 10Collect feedback in a short survey on which station went down best and what was missing.
- 11Record how many people took part and how much effort each station took.
- 12Use the feedback to decide which stations stay for a repeat and which you replace.
What do you need for it?
- Effort
- half a day
- Cost
- under €100
- Duration
- 1 day
- Setup
- 480 min
- ✓ High visibility
- ✓ Experience character
- ✓ Great photo material
Tax and health insurance: what is possible
Employer health benefits can be tax-free under § 3 no. 34 of the German Income Tax Act (EStG) up to €600 per employee per year — if they are provided in addition to the salary already owed and are either certified (§ 20 SGB V) or implemented within the company's health promotion process. Gym memberships and corporate fitness are not covered. For ZPP-certified courses (e.g. from Upfit), German statutory health insurers can reimburse all or part of the course fee to their insured members — then only the amount exceeding that reimbursement is tax-free. Projects within the company can be funded under § 20b SGB V, with no entitlement. Only your tax adviser can confirm the tax exemption.
How it works in EasyWHP
This Best Practice in EasyWHP: adopt it, adapt it, measure the effect
Once adopted, the measure is ready in EasyWHP — with instructions, an invitation and surveys before and after. You adapt what fits your company and see at the end what it achieved.
Screenshots with demo data, no real people.
Adopt it for your company
Register for free — and the measure is ready to go in your cockpit: invitation, feedback survey and appointment are already set up. First cycle, first numbers for the boss.
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Contributes to
Measure the impact with
Action field
Physical Activity →A fitting occasion
- Mini Health Day (self-organized)
Related Best Practices
Not sure where to start? Self-check in approx. 7 minutes →