---
title: Employee Wellness Benefits | Improve Wellbeing & Retention | SideUp
description: Support healthier, happier employees with flexible wellness benefits that improve engagement, productivity, and long-term retention.
---
[Skip to main content](https://sideup.com/wellness-fitness#main-content)
[](https://sideup.com/?hsLang=en)
- Solutions
Pre-tax Benefits
IRS-compliant, pre-tax benefits for core needs.
- [Student Loan & Tuition Smarter education funding](https://sideup.com/student-loan-repayment-benefits?hsLang=en)
- [Commuter Pre-tax transit & parking](https://sideup.com/commuting?hsLang=en)
- [HRA Health Reimbursement Arrangement](https://sideup.com/hra?hsLang=en)
- [Family Care Real support for caregivers](https://sideup.com/family-care?hsLang=en)
Lifestyle Spending Accounts
Flexible, post-tax benefits for modern life.
- [Wellness & Fitness Gym, mental health & wellbeing](https://sideup.com/wellness-fitness)
- [Work From Home Home office & remote setup](https://sideup.com/work-from-home?hsLang=en)
- [Food Meals, groceries & nutrition](https://sideup.com/food?hsLang=en)
- [Utilities & Essential Bills Internet, phone & household bills](https://sideup.com/utilities-essentials-bills?hsLang=en)
- Platform
For Employers
- [Manage Benefits Streamline your benefits administration](https://sideup.com/how-to-manage-benefits?hsLang=en)
- [Integrations Connect with your favourite tools](https://sideup.com/integrations?hsLang=en)
- [Trust Security, Privacy and Compliance](https://sideup.com/trust?hsLang=en)
For Employees
- [How to spend benefits Discover how to use your SideUp card](https://hi.sideup.com/how-to-spend-your-benefits)
- [Stayconomics](https://sideup.com/stayconomics?hsLang=en)
Learn with Stayconomics
Explore the ideas, research, and strategies behind workplaces people choose to stay in.
[Blog Data-backed, no-fluff articles on retention, benefits, and the future of work.](https://hi.sideup.com/stayconomics) [Podcast On Youtube and Spotify with the leaders who are actually figuring it out.](https://hi.sideup.com/stayconomics/podcast) [Newsletter The best of what's happening in HR and employee retention, curated, concise, and worth your Monday morning.](https://hi.sideup.com/stayconomics/tag/newsletter) [Events & Webinars Real experts, real questions, real takeaways you can use before the week is over.](https://hi.sideup.com/stayconomics/events-webinars) [Explore by Topics Retention, benefits, HR tech, financial wellness, and more, organized by what you need.](https://hi.sideup.com/stayconomics/topics-1)
- Company
Know more about us
Who we are, who we work with and how to reach us.
[Partnership Grow with us, as a partner, reseller or local business](https://sideup.com/partnership?hsLang=en) About us The story and the people behind SideUp Brandbook Our logo, colours and voice, ready to use [Contact us Questions, ideas or a demo? Say hello](https://sideup.com/contact-us?hsLang=en)
- Log in
- [Employee](https://app.sideup.com)
- [Business Platform](https://admin.sideup.com)
[Book a demo](https://meetings-eu1.hubspot.com/lana-leles/demo)
- Solutions
- Pre-tax Benefits
- [Student Loan & Tuition](https://sideup.com/student-loan-repayment-benefits?hsLang=en)
- [Commuter](https://sideup.com/commuting?hsLang=en)
- [HRA](https://sideup.com/hra?hsLang=en)
- [Family Care](https://sideup.com/family-care?hsLang=en)
- Lifestyle Spending Accounts
- [Wellness & Fitness](https://sideup.com/wellness-fitness)
- [Work From Home](https://sideup.com/work-from-home?hsLang=en)
- [Food](https://sideup.com/food?hsLang=en)
- [Utilities & Essential Bills](https://sideup.com/utilities-essentials-bills?hsLang=en)
- Platform
- For Employers
- [Manage Benefits](https://sideup.com/how-to-manage-benefits?hsLang=en)
- [Integrations](https://sideup.com/integrations?hsLang=en)
- [Trust](https://sideup.com/trust?hsLang=en)
- For Employees
- [How to spend benefits](https://hi.sideup.com/how-to-spend-your-benefits)
- [Stayconomics](https://sideup.com/stayconomics?hsLang=en)
- Learn with Stayconomics
- [Blog](https://hi.sideup.com/stayconomics)
- [Podcast](https://hi.sideup.com/stayconomics/podcast)
- [Newsletter](https://hi.sideup.com/stayconomics/tag/newsletter)
- [Events & Webinars](https://hi.sideup.com/stayconomics/events-webinars)
- [Explore by Topics](https://hi.sideup.com/stayconomics/topics-1)
- Company
- Know more about us
- [Partnership](https://sideup.com/partnership?hsLang=en)
- About us
- Brandbook
- [Contact us](https://sideup.com/contact-us?hsLang=en)
- Log in
- [Employee](https://app.sideup.com)
- [Business Platform](https://admin.sideup.com)
- [Book a demo](https://meetings-eu1.hubspot.com/lana-leles/demo)
Wellness & Fitness
# Healthy teams don't happen by accident.
Go beyond generic perks and empower your team to thrive. With a flexible Lifestyle Spending Account (LSA), you can give them the freedom to invest in their complete mental and physical wellness, their way.
[Talk to a Benefits Expert](https://meetings-eu1.hubspot.com/lana-leles/demo)
.png?width=936&height=936&name=FSA%20936x936%20(18).png)
HOW CAN I USE THIS BENEFIT?
## Alex
Sales Development Rep - Phoenix, AZ
Training for a marathon while working full-time felt impossible for Alex. But with the SideUp card, she could cover registration fees and sessions with a running coach giving him the motivation he’d need to cross the finish line.
.png?width=936&height=936&name=FSA%20936x936%20(19).png)
HOW CAN I USE THIS BENEFIT?
## Priya
HR Manager - Austin, TX
Priya’s role comes with real pressure. Through SideUp, she could use her stipend for mental wellness tools like Calm and out-of-pocket therapy giving her the support to manage stress before it turns into burnout.
.png?width=936&height=936&name=FSA%20936x936%20(20).png)
HOW CAN I USE THIS BENEFIT?
## David
Software Engineer - Austin, TX
Long hours at his desk were taking a toll on David’s back. With his SideUp card, he could cover a monthly massage giving him the relief he needs. Not a luxury, but essential maintenance for his wellbeing.
## Support the Whole Person, Not Just the Employee.
When your team has the power to choose the care they truly need, they don’t just feel better they bring their best, most energized selves to work. That's the power of flexible wellness.
### Fitness & Movement
Gyms, ClassPass, Personal Training.
### Mental Wellness
Therapy Apps, Counseling, Meditation.
### Custom Wellness Plan
Design the perfect mix for your team.
Build Bundle
## See How SideUp Works in 4 Easy Steps
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01\.
### Choose your benefits
Decide which benefits you want to offer and who they apply to.
02\.
### Implement your policy
Set your budget, eligibility rules, and spending limits. Our platform handles the compliance and guardrails automatically.
03\.
### Connect to payroll
Seamlessly integrate with your existing payroll provider. We handle the tax implications and reporting for you.
04\.
### Join the SideUp platform
Invite your team. They get their cards, you get the credit for being an amazing employer. Everyone wins.
REAL IMPACT, MEASURED IN RESULTS
## The numbers don't lie
Based on SideUp’s internal research comparing clients **with** vs. **without** flexible stipends. When you give employees choice, the numbers speak for themselves.
+35
eNPS Points
Clients using SideUp consistently score +35 points higher than those relying on standard perks.
Is your culture healthy or at risk?
Get your free Diagnostic →
\+ 23%
Profit
Employees who are happy with their benefits are more productive and can increase a company’s revenue by up to 23%.
10x
ROI
For every $1 spent on SideUp stipends, companies save $10 in retention costs and productivity gains.
ROI Calculator
## Calculate your True ROI
See exactly how much time and money you'll save by switching from manual reimbursements to SideUp's automated platform.
Number of Employees
50
10 1,000+
Admin Hours / Month
10 hrs
1 hr 100 hrs
#### Did you know?
Manual expense reports cost companies an average of **$58 per report** to process. SideUp automates this completely.
Admin Savings
$5,400
saved annually in admin costs
Time Reclaimed
96 Hours
saved annually for strategic work
### Unlock Your Full ROI Report
Reveal your potential **Turnover Savings** & **Total Business Impact**.
[Reveal My Savings](https://sideup.com?hsLang=en)
The SideUp Marketplace
## Every dollar goes further. And stays local.
Our marketplace brings your team closer to the independent cafés, gyms, shops and services in their own neighborhood. When they spend their SideUp budget there, they unlock exclusive discounts and freebies, so the same benefit buys more.
✓
Exclusive discounts for SideUp members
✓
Freebies and extras from local partners
✓
Your benefits budget, backing local businesses
[List your business](https://hi.sideup.com/partnership)[Nominate a local favorite](https://hi.sideup.com/partnership)
A Saturday on Main Street
The Corner Café
$10.95
Marketplace discount
−$1.65
Northside Yoga Studio
$15.00
Free mat rental
Freebie
Saved this month
$11.60
Illustrative example
FAQ
## Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about wellness and fitness benefits.
What counts as a wellness and fitness benefit?
Gym memberships, fitness classes, therapy and mental health apps, meditation subscriptions, and other spending that supports physical and mental wellbeing.
Is a wellness stipend taxable?
Generally yes, wellness and fitness stipends are typically treated as taxable income in the US unless structured under a specific qualifying program.
Can employees choose how to spend their wellness allowance?
Yes, employees choose from eligible categories and vendors rather than being limited to a single company-selected gym or app.
How much should a wellness benefit budget be?
It varies by company, but many employers offer between $50 and $150 per employee per month for wellness and fitness spending.
Does offering wellness benefits actually improve retention?
Yes, employees who feel supported in their wellbeing report higher engagement and are less likely to leave, especially when paired with other flexible benefits.
How does SideUp manage wellness benefit spending?
Employees spend directly through their SideUp card at eligible vendors, with eligibility rules and budgets set by the employer and tracked automatically.
## Build a Healthier Team
### Ready to modernize your benefits?
Join hundreds of forward-thinking companies using SideUp to attract and retain top talent.
[](https://sideup.com?hsLang=en)
Benefits that work for everyone.
### Products
- [Student Loan & Tuition](https://sideup.com/student-loan-repayment-benefits?hsLang=en)
- [Wellness & Fitness](https://sideup.com/wellness-fitness)
- [Work from Home](https://sideup.com/work-from-home?hsLang=en)
- [Family Care](https://sideup.com/family-care?hsLang=en)
- [Food](https://sideup.com/food?hsLang=en)
- [Utilities & Essential Bills](https://sideup.com/utilities-essentials-bills?hsLang=en)
- [HRA](https://sideup.com/hra?hsLang=en)
- [Recognition](https://sideup.com/recognition?hsLang=en)
### Platform
- [Manage Benefits](https://sideup.com/how-to-manage-benefits?hsLang=en)
- [Integrations](https://sideup.com/integrations?hsLang=en)
- [Trust](https://sideup.com/trust?hsLang=en)
- [Ways to spend benefits](https://sideup.com/how-to-spend-your-benefits?hsLang=en)
### Privacy
- [Privacy Policy](https://sideup.com/privacy-policy?hsLang=en)
- [Terms & Conditions](https://sideup.com/terms-conditions?hsLang=en)
### Log in
- [Business Platform](https://admin.sideup.com)
- [Employee Portal](https://app.sideup.com)
[Contact us](https://sideup.com/contact-us?hsLang=en)
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© 2026 SideUp. All rights reserved.
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