Workplace wellness activities: 14 ideas, 6 with music, and how to plan them in Colombia

What are workplace wellness activities, and where should you start?

These are activities a company organizes to support its employees' health, morale, and relationship with work beyond their job duties: breaks, workshops, recognition, and time with family or coworkers. They work best when they grow out of an assessment rather than a trend, and when people can choose whether to participate.

If you work in HR or occupational safety and health, you have two starting points: what the regulations say and what your employees say. This guide gives you a list of ideas, a special section on music activities, ways to plan and measure, and ways to make activities inclusive. It is a guide to ideas, not legal advice: confirm each obligation with your employment lawyer or your ARL (occupational risk insurer).

What Colombian regulations should you keep in mind?

These are the regulations whose official texts we opened and reviewed. They do not cover the entire topic, and some obligations depend on the company's size and type.

Resolución 2764 applies to public and private employers and regulates psychosocial assessment. The wellness activities we describe here complement that work; they do not replace it: an afternoon of music is no substitute for an intervention addressing psychosocial risk. For the current text, consult the Gestor Normativo de la Función Pública or your ARL; we reviewed these regulations on November 12, 2026.

What employee wellness activities can you organize?

These 14 ideas, in addition to the music ideas we'll cover later, address the body, mind, relationships, and personal life. Choose a few and do them well instead of filling the calendar:

1. Movement breaks. Five to ten minutes of stretching or movement during the workday, led by someone on your team or from your ARL.
2. Walking meetings. For one-on-one conversations, go for a walk instead of sitting in a room.
3. Breathing or quiet breaks. A brief, voluntary, screen-free break in the middle of the morning.
4. Recognition. A specific, public thank-you for something someone did, rather than a generic award.
5. Learning workshops. Short courses in something unrelated to the job, such as cooking, photography, languages, or music.
6. Corporate volunteering. A team day with a foundation, always voluntary.
7. Family day. The day every six months under Ley 1857: a picnic, a visit to the family compensation fund, or an afternoon of games.
8. Celebrations. Birthdays and team achievements, taking care not to exclude anyone who doesn't celebrate.
9. Talks on mental health and stress. With support from your ARL or a professional, in line with the psychosocial assessment.
10. Flexible schedules. If the role allows it, occasional early departures or flexible start times.
11. Reciprocal mentoring. Someone from one department teaches someone else a skill, and vice versa.
12. Movement challenges. Walks, sports tournaments, or step challenges, with options for people with limitations.
13. Rest areas. A quiet corner of the workplace with comfortable chairs that people can use without asking permission.
14. Putting the right-to-disconnect policy into practice. It's not an event, but it is the wellness activity with the greatest potential impact: actually complying with Ley 2191.

What music-based team building activities can you do at work?

Activities that get your team making or listening to music together, without requiring anyone to know how. Making music as a group requires listening to others and coordinating with them, which is exactly what workplace team building or musical team building aims to achieve.

At Gissi, corporate music workshops include drum circles with simple instruments, writing a song as a group, rhythm games, and music for your corporate event. A facilitator from our network leads them at your venue or over a video call. If some employees want to learn in depth, we also offer music lessons for adults.

What does research say about music and workplace well-being?

Studies suggest that music interventions in the workplace could help with mood and stress, but the evidence is limited and varied. A 2025 scoping review identified 25 studies with potential effects on well-being, stress, or productivity, and 5 with no effect. The authors note that most interventions are not described in detail and that more studies in workplace settings are needed.

We don't clearly know which type of activity works best, how often to do it, or how long the effects last. You also shouldn't promise people that a music session will take away their stress. Present it as an enjoyable time together, and measure whether your team experienced it that way.

How do you plan a workplace wellness program step by step?

1. Assess needs. Start with the health conditions assessment, the results of the psychosocial assessment battery, and a short, anonymous survey: what people need, which times work for them, and what doesn't interest them.
2. Set a few goals. For example, more breaks, a better atmosphere in one department, or more participation from a particular shift. A measurable goal is better than “improving the atmosphere.”
3. Build the year's calendar. Include the family day every six months, existing dates (year-end, anniversary), and open slots. Avoid accounting close periods or times with heavy workloads.
4. Set a budget. Break down the cost of each activity (facilitator, materials, logistics, food) and leave room for unexpected expenses. Request written, fixed-price proposals before committing funds.
5. Communicate in advance. Share dates, duration, whether participation is voluntary, and whether the activity takes place during or outside work hours. Respect the right-to-disconnect policy.
6. Measure. Record attendance by department and shift, give a two- or three-question survey at the end, and check after three months whether what people said is reflected in what was done.

Measure participation and satisfaction before measuring broader outcomes such as absenteeism or turnover, which depend on many factors. If you notice certain departments never attend, ask them why before pushing for participation.

How can you make wellness activities inclusive?

By making them voluntary, accessible, and free of pressure to impress. An activity that excludes someone or puts them on the spot takes away from well-being instead of adding to it. These guidelines help:

• Voluntary. No one should feel that their performance review depends on participating.
• During work hours, whenever possible. If it's outside work hours, ask yourself who gets left out: someone who cares for family, or someone with a long commute.
• Accessible. Consider mobility, hearing, vision, and space. Offer seated versions and different roles (playing, keeping the beat, writing down lyrics).
• No pressure to perform. Many people feel self-conscious about singing or playing in front of others; make performing optional.
• Respect for beliefs and preferences. Food, alcohol, and repertoire can also include or exclude people.
• Distributed teams. For people in other cities or working remotely, choose video call formats, such as rhythm activities, that work at a distance.

If you haven't had time for yourself in a long while, one option is to start with music lessons for adults, and for stress in general, you can read learning music to manage stress.

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