BGF vs. BGM
What is the difference between BGF and BGM?
Note: based on German law. BGF (workplace health promotion) is the voluntary pillar under the BGM umbrella: measures for healthy behavior and healthy working conditions — from a single course to the structured health promotion process under Section 20b SGB V. workplace health promotion (WHP) is the systematic umbrella of analysis, planning, implementation, and evaluation, which covers the mandatory pillars of occupational safety and BEM in addition to BGF.
What is BGF — and when does it become a process?
Workplace health promotion (BGF) covers offerings for healthy behavior and healthy working conditions: physical activity, nutrition, stress management, and addiction prevention, but also health-promoting leadership and work design. BGF is legally voluntary, but hard to do without from a business point of view. A company run, a yoga class, or a back-care course is often the first step — but without a systematic framework, it stays a set of isolated actions with no measurable impact and no connection. That is why the GKV Prevention Guideline describes BGF as a process: analyze needs, plan measures, implement them, check the impact.
What is BGM?
Workplace health management (BGM) is the overarching, systematic process: analyzing the current state (e.g., sick-leave rate, risk assessment), planning suitable measures, implementing them, and then evaluating their impact. BGM answers not just “What are we doing?” but also “Why are we doing it — and does it work?”
BGM consists of three pillars: occupational health and safety (mandatory), workplace reintegration management/BEM (mandatory), and workplace health promotion/BGF (voluntary). BGF is therefore part of BGM — not a substitute for it. Internationally, both are usually referred to as WHP (workplace health promotion); BGF and BGM are the German terms.
Why does the distinction matter in practice?
A company can run plenty of BGF (fruit basket, sports offerings) and still violate its legal obligations if the two mandatory pillars — risk assessment and BEM — are missing. Conversely, a company that covers only the mandatory pillars formally meets all legal requirements, but forgoes the gains in employee retention and reduced sick leave that BGF would deliver.
Key takeaways
- Note: based on German law. BGF = the voluntary pillar of health promotion, from a single offering to a structured process. BGM = a systematic umbrella with BGF as one of three pillars
- BGM pillars: occupational safety (mandatory), BEM (mandatory), BGF (voluntary)
- Extensive BGF does not replace the legally mandatory pillars
- BGF is a good, commonly used entry point into systematic BGM
Frequently asked questions
Is a fruit basket enough to call it BGM?+
No. A fruit basket is a single measure — not yet structured BGF, let alone BGM. BGM requires a systematic process with analysis, planning, and results tracking — plus the two legally mandatory pillars, occupational safety and BEM.
Is BGF legally required?+
No, BGF is legally voluntary — but hard to do without from a business point of view. Occupational health and safety (including risk assessment) and BEM are mandatory. Under German law (Section 20b SGB V), statutory health insurers have the statutory mandate to support workplace health promotion; companies have no legal entitlement to funding.
Can we start with BGF alone and expand into BGM later?+
Yes, that's the common and sensible path. It's important not to neglect the two mandatory pillars (risk assessment, BEM) along the way — under German law, they are mandatory from the very first employee, independent of any BGF expansion.
From fruit basket to systematic BGM
EasyWHP structures analysis, measures, and results tracking — all three BGM pillars in one place.
Sources
Last updated: 2026-07-06. Not legal or tax advice — have your specific case reviewed by a professional.