When we talk about corporate wellness programs, the first thing that often comes to mind is employee engagement activities and programs that employees are forced to join, often with predictable and uninspiring formats. As a result, participation rates are low, and companies end up wasting valuable time and resources.
To make matters more complex, artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to play a growing role in workplace systems. According to a 2023 survey by the World Economic Forum, around 75% of companies plan to adopt AI within the next five years. This raises a critical question: will human involvement in corporate wellness programs become obsolete?
The answer lies in balance. Human experts and AI can and should work together to create more impactful wellness programs. Each brings unique strengths, and integrating both can lead to greater success. Based on various reviews, participation in corporate wellness programs remains low. For instance, Gallup reported a participation rate of only 24%. That means less than a quarter of employees are fully engaged, leading to wasted resources.
To improve engagement, it's essential that employees feel connected to the program. When participants are genuinely motivated, they are more likely to engage with and complete the wellness challenges.
Gamification in Wellness Programs
The key to elevating engagement is integrating human expertise with AI to deliver innovative and enjoyable wellness strategies. One such approach is gamification by applying game elements to employee wellness programs. Humans naturally respond to challenges and fun. By incorporating games and game principles into wellness activities, participation and motivation levels can rise dramatically, similar to how mobile and online games capture user attention.
What Does Gamification in Corporate Wellness Look Like?
Gamification introduces game-like elements such as competition, leaderboards, teams, quests, rewards, and achievements. These are transformed into wellness challenges that encourage employees to adopt healthier lifestyles. Key features include:
a) Leaderboard
Leaderboards display individual and group progress. This encourages healthy competition as participants strive to climb the ranks by performing well in challenges. Seeing one’s rank provides emotional motivation and can positively influence behavior and commitment to the program.
b) Structured Challenges
One major reason for low participation in past programs has been the complexity of challenge submissions. For instance, requiring edited video submissions can be burdensome for less tech-savvy participants. Gamification addresses this by simplifying tasks challenges can be completed directly in the game with minimal effort.
c) Continuous Reminders
Like popular online games, gamified wellness platforms send regular reminders to participants about their progress and upcoming challenges. Built-in calendars also help participants keep track of deadlines, boosting accountability. This ensures both individuals and teams stay informed about new challenges and events.
d) Badges and Recognition Awards
Badges and rewards are integral to gamification. They serve as tangible recognition of achievements, motivating participants to continue their efforts. Everyone loves showcasing their accomplishments and this cycle of reward and recognition encourages long-term behavior change and healthier habits.
e) Team-Based Support
When employees compete in wellness challenges as a team, they gain a built-in support system. Group collaboration, such as working together on diet-related goals, helps build lasting healthy habits. These small group dynamics often extend beyond the game, encouraging real-life behavior change and healthy eating practices.
Gamification has the power to turn passive participants into active users by making wellness goals more accessible. With small, achievable tasks and continuous peer and facilitator support, forming a healthy lifestyle becomes more manageable. For example, a challenge could be as simple as awarding 1 point for eating a fruit or a serving of vegetables per day. While the action is small, its impact is significant, especially in countries like Malaysia, where fruit and vegetable consumption remains low.
The Future of Corporate Wellness
Technology is transforming how companies approach employee well-being. Gamification is no longer a distant concept, many wellness providers have already adopted it. By combining AI with human insight and adding a layer of game-based motivation, companies can create wellness programs that truly resonate with employees and lead to lasting health improvements.
At the age of 100, Tun Dr. Mahathir is able to maintain his fit, healthy, and energetic body.
Not to mention that most of us in our late 20s or 30s start to experience back pain, heart problems, and many other health issues.
But how is Tun Dr. Mahathir able to live until 100 years old? And what makes it even more significant is that he has been dealing with a highly stressful working environment, solving country-level problems!
The advice given by Tun Dr Mahathir was surprisingly very simple:
Tips Number 1: Eat Moderately
Tun Mahathir mentioned that we must eat moderately and remember that we are eating to live and not the opposite. It’s good to keep your body weight at its ideal. Excessive fat from overeating can put a strain on your heart to keep functioning at its best.
Tips Number 2: Stay Active
Staying active is compulsory to ensure that your body continues to use the energy you consume. It also strengthens your heart and builds stamina even at an older age.Simple exercise such as brisk walking is enough to keep your body active. The main problem is determination to do the exercise. We know everyone is aware of getting exercise, but laziness is the issue. Thus, fight for your inner thoughts and be active if you want to live for 100 years.
Tips Number 3: Be Productive and Use Your Brain
Tun Mahathir mentioned that our brain can deteriorate if it’s not used properly. The brain is one of the main vital organs in the body and without a functioning brain, someone can be considered dead. As for this, Tun Dr. Mahathir said “If you don’t think, write, read, talk and discuss or use your brain, its capacity to think will also deteriorate”. It is sad that the majority of people in Malaysia are not book readers, and mostly spend time on gadgets, especially scrolling social media such as TikTok and Instagram reels.
When talking about how to teach himself to avoid overeating, his mom taught him a simple method:
"If the food tastes nice, stop eating, or it will lead to overeating"
This is a good way to start developing the discipline of not eating too much.
Other than that, he also mentioned that we need to use our brains, or their capacity will deteriorate, in his interview with Medical Channel Asia.
When discussing mental health and work stress, Tun Dr. Mahathir said it's important to stay calm and not get too angry. Problems will eventually resolve, and it’s essential to stay positive.
These three simple secrets could help you live until 100 years old.
How do you feel about your current lifestyle?
Do you think you will be able to live until 100 years old?
Watch the full interview here
We are shocked by the news of an increase in the cost of premium insurance, with rates set to rise by up to 70% next year. This premium insurance hike has become a topic of debate, as the increase is significant and seems unreasonable. Insurance providers have sent notices to policyholders, citing the rising cost of medical care in private hospitals as the primary reason for the hike. As a result, many medical insurance cardholders have expressed dissatisfaction and questioned whether these insurance premium increases are entirely justified.
Many cardholders have expressed dissatisfaction with the news, claiming that this seems to be an annual event. Their queries remain unanswered, especially the main reason why the cost increases each year. Is it due to treatment costs, medication, or other factors? Cardholders argue that they should be informed about the guidelines for each patient. One user, Safie Wahab, stated that his insurance policy increased by RM133, from RM244 to RM377 per month. He is even considering canceling his insurance subscription in the future after hearing about the latest rising insurance premiums in Malaysia.
Is the Cost of Medicine the Main Reason?
The true reason behind the increase in costs is a highly debatable topic. However, it may be due to the rising cost of medication in hospitals and clinics—a key factor in the overall pharmaceutical cost increase. According to numerous studies, there is no price regulation on pharmaceuticals in Malaysia. Therefore, private-sector manufacturers, distributors, and retailers are free to set prices based on market forces. The price of medication is a primary cause of this cost increase.
A study conducted in 2017 involved 50 essential medicines (from the WHO global core and supplementary lists) and examined their usage in both the private and public sectors. To understand this better, we must first understand the difference between generic vs. brand-name drugs.
Generic Medicine
A generic drug is a medication created to be the same as an already marketed brand-name drug in terms of dosage form, safety, strength, route of administration, quality, performance characteristics, and intended use. These similarities help to demonstrate bioequivalence, meaning that a generic medicine works the same way and provides the same clinical benefit as the brand-name medicine. Generic medicines offer the same effect as branded medicines but at a lower cost, making them a popular choice for managing affordable healthcare costs.
Brand-Name Medicine
Branded medicines are the original products developed and marketed by pharmaceutical companies. These drugs undergo extensive clinical trials and require approval from the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). Pharmaceutical companies typically hold a patent for about 20 years to recover their substantial development costs. Brand-name medicine costs are higher due to these rigorous requirements. Generic medicines cost less than brand-name medicines because they do not undergo animal or clinical tests to demonstrate their safety and effectiveness.
The same study found that the average availability of generics (74.8%) was higher than brand-name products (19.4%) in the public sector. However, the private sector had a higher availability of originator brands (52.2%) than generics (49.1%). As we know, we pay less in public hospitals compared to private hospitals, and this disparity could be one of the reasons for the higher insurance premium costs.
The Ministry of Health has taken steps to monitor medicine costs across both sectors by implementing strategies to promote affordable pricing. They launched the Medicine Prices Monitoring initiative, known as "Kajian Pemantauan Harga Ubat" in Malaysia. However, further monitoring is needed as prices continue to fluctuate throughout the year.
How to Reduce Medication Costs
According to the 2021 Expenditure for Function of Healthcare report, Malaysia spent about RM3.911 billion on pharmaceuticals, an increase compared to RM3.392 billion in 2020, showing a significant rise of over RM500 million from the previous year.
What do you think about the increase in premium insurance rates based on all this data? Is it reasonable to increase premiums by up to 70%? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Corporate wellness in companies is not a new concept, and in fact, many companies have already implemented corporate wellness programs for their employees for many years. However, continuing the same practices may become boring to employees, and the effectiveness might not be significant anymore. Implementing new wellness activities and concepts is probably the best way to attract employees' attention to stay active and engaged in wellness activities, paving the way for the future of corporate wellness in Malaysia. But what works best in Malaysia, and what are the current trends worldwide that we can take as examples? Let’s explore 5 wellness trends that are likely to emerge in the corporate setting in 2025—some of the most innovative corporate wellness trends 2025.
It is undeniable that the use of AI is rising dramatically in mid-2024, and this rapid growth can be seen as a medium that companies will use to aid wellness activities. With AI's help, it is believed that it will be easier for healthcare professionals to gather data on employees’ health metrics, stress levels, work habits, and even conduct wellness challenges. Manual data entry can be minimized, leading to higher productivity and fewer human errors in data collection. Examples of incorporating AI in wellness include collecting data and analyzing it—a hallmark of AI-powered wellness programs and data-driven corporate wellness. At some point, AI could help recommend the best wellness solutions, much like humans do, and its recommendations are sometimes tailored well to the wellness issues, making it more efficient in conducting corporate wellness activities. Additionally, the development of wellness apps, mindfulness exercises, and virtual fitness classes makes it possible to conduct wellness activities anytime and anywhere, similar to other wellness apps for corporates.
In the last two years, we implemented work-from-home (WFH) during the Covid-19 pandemic, as the working environment shifted from the office to home. Many people were affected by this change, but it gradually became the norm, and individuals started to enjoy working from home as it provides more focus compared to working in an office. However, some individuals might feel that it also leads to burnout or depression due to the lack of social interaction, as most of the time, we work alone in our room or at a specific working desk at home. It is believed that hybrid work could bring balance in this matter and promote mental well-being among employees, reflecting the growing trend of hybrid work and employee well-being. In certain countries such as the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Germany, a 4-day work week has been implemented to promote work-life balance—a trend that aligns with evolving work-life balance initiatives 2025. Although this concept is still debated in Malaysia, it is possible that some companies will implement this in 2025 to align with global trends.
Technology can be a great tool in our daily lives, making our work easier, but excessive use of technology can be harmful to individuals. It is clear that everyone spends more time on gadgets and technology. We are exposed to a working environment that requires technology, such as laptops and mobile phones—two essential tools that every employee must have. Consequently, this leads to health issues such as eye strain, neck and back pain, and sleep disorders. According to the 2024 Workplace Vision Health Report, a survey conducted on 800 human resource leaders and 800 full-time remote, hybrid, and on-site employees, it was found that employees' screen time averages 96.1 hours per week, which is equivalent to four full days. Over the year, this amounts to about 208 days, accounting for 57% of the entire year. This is alarming, and employers should take action toward employees' wellness. It is predicted that there will be a rise in digital detox wellness as an employee wellness initiative for 2025—evidence of increasing adoption of corporate digital detox programs and digital detox initiatives in the workplace.
A report by the Financial Education and Well-being Research Centre on the correlation between money and mental well-being found that almost 3 out of 10 (26%) Malaysian working adults (MWAs) are suffering from varying degrees of financial stress, which requires psychiatric attention. Additionally, 41% of MWAs said that financial stress affects their mental well-being. More than half of financially stressed MWAs (65%) admitted that financial stress affects their job performance. Clearly, financial stress affects employees' performance in the workplace, indicating a demand for financial wellness programs. In a newly published survey by the same research center, it was found that only 48% of companies have invested in financial education programs, while 78% of MWAs would consider joining such a program if it were conducted in their workplace. This underscores the growing importance of financial wellness for employees and highlights the need for corporate financial wellness initiatives Malaysia.
Research has shown that the presence of plants in residential environments is associated with human health and well-being, both physically and mentally. This also applies to the workplace—the presence of plants and a green environment boosts productivity and enhances employees' motivation to work. It’s an amazing fact that not many people are aware of. By contrast, employers spend less on green and plant decoration in the workplace, though some companies invest thousands to fill their workspaces with plants. Why are green plants good for employee well-being? It has been found that indoor plants in office settings directly or indirectly contribute to employees' well-being. The indirect effect is that plants reduce excessive carbon dioxide in the office atmosphere. Additionally, they can reduce noise, though their capacity to do so is limited. The prominent effect is that the presence of healthy plants can make office spaces more attractive, which also helps boost work motivation. Decorating offices with more healthy plants is gaining popularity as one of the initiatives to support the health and mental well-being of employees—key components of ergonomic workplace wellness and green office wellness solutions.
What do you think of these 5 wellness trends that are predicted to gain popularity in 2025?
Today, more people are trying to live healthier lives, and sugar substitutes have become popular especially among diabetic patients. Many people know that eating too much sugar can lead to problems like weight gain, diabetes, and heart disease. So, they look for alternatives to sweeten their food and drinks. But are these sugar substitutes really helpful, or are they just tricks? Let’s explore what sugar substitutes are, clear up some myths, and look at their pros and cons.
Sugar substitutes can be natural or artificial. Natural ones include stevia, monk fruit, and erythritol. Artificial ones include aspartame, sucralose, and saccharin. They are made to taste sweet like sugar but with fewer calories or effects on blood sugar.
Sugar substitutes can be helpful for people who want to eat fewer calories or manage diabetes. But healthy people should only use them sometimes, not all the time. Experts like the WHO and FDA say it’s important to stay within safe limits and it is recommended to consume sugar substitutes such as stevia with amount of 4mg/kg body weight per day or equivalent to about 1/4 teaspoon per day. Malaysia’s Ministry of Health (KKM) also suggests eating a balanced diet with natural, whole foods instead of too many processed alternatives.
In the end, sugar substitutes are not a perfect solution. They can help in some situations, but it’s better to eat a balanced diet and enjoy sweets in moderation.
Remember, the key to a healthy life is balance and smart choices.
In Malaysia, it’s not compulsory for corporate companies to provide corporate health screening to employees, however it’s encouraged for employers to provide medical benefits or insurances to employees. Providing well-being aid in a corporate setting is an option for employers. Companies are required to allocate a budget for employees’ annual medical check-up aside from pre-employment medical check-up which is mandatory for certain industries. Before deciding on any medical benefits to employees, let’s explore more on the type of corporate health screenings in Malaysia that your company could provide to employees and good news, there is corporate screening that is free for each company. Prioritising employees' health is a part of a company's task and as we know that employee’s well-being is a company's asset, we are here to help you learn more about corporate health screening available in the market.
There are few types of corporate health screening in Malaysia that every company should know if your company really wishes to provide medical benefits to employees. For example:
This HSP was introduced by PERKESO in 2013, offering free health screenings to workers. From this program, companies are able to do early detection of Non-Communicable Diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and the risk of heart disease. However, this program is only eligible for Malaysian workers who are aged 40 to 59 years old. It can only be done once in a lifetime. This health screening arrangement is conducted by the appointed clinics or hospitals. For more information do visit PERKESO website and probably to book your company health screening now!
Click here : https://sehati.perkeso.gov.my/
On-site health screening is made easy to all corporate companies now as they can engage with many corporate medical providers available in the market. Deciding a suitable provider might be a tough decision because it will take a few procedures to complete the medical check-up especially if the company really wants to do it on-site at their office. Few things to be considered before choosing a nearly perfect screening and provider to serve your employees for example, type of health test available, payment method and walk-in accessibility for employees who’s not make it on the health screening day.
Payment method is the crucial variable before choosing your health provider. As we know, different companies have different budgets allocated for medical benefits and some even subscribe to insurance or panel clinics to conduct corporate health screenings. You will have to discuss with your preferred medical provider on what type of screening that your company needs and the suitable corporate health screening arrangements. If you are searching for corporate health screening providers, here is the list:
C) Comprehensive Corporate Health Screening in Hospital
If a company is looking for a more comprehensive health screening package which involves machine test, x-ray and many more. It’s advisable for these companies to opt for hospitals rather than clinics or medical corporate providers. Hospital is more convenient as it has a complete range of machines and numerous tests can be conducted according to your company's needs. For example, a stress test for checking your heart function can only be done in a hospital because it needs treadmills and heart counter machines. Moreover, this test can only be conducted under doctor’s supervision. However, if an employer chooses to perform employees’ health screening in hospital, bear in mind that they might need to schedule an appointment and employees might have to apply for at least half day off to go to hospital. This is one of the disadvantages of conducting corporate health screening in hospitals as it’s different from on-site health screening where the medical provider comes to the office and employees’ is served on the spot. Nevertheless, it all depends on the management and arrangement of companies itself. If you are looking for hospitals that provide corporate health screenings, here is the list:
D) Corporate Vaccination
Corporate vaccination programs might not be popular yet in Malaysia as compared to other countries. However, we believe that this will be a need in the future as there are a significant number of industries that need employees to be vaccinated. For example, in the food and beverages industry, all employees are required to undergo Typhoid Vaccination before they can handle food. Although there is no general law on the mandatory vaccination, employers must play their role to ensure that the safety, health and welfare of all employees are protected as far as reasonably practicable under the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (OSHA). As for vaccination, it’s available in all general clinics or hospitals but it’s advisable that companies contact them first to book slots or enquire about the vaccine availability.
Providing corporate health screenings to employees is now easier if employers have the right sources. We believe that employees are the company’s greatest asset. It’s found out that healthier employees are more likely to strive in the workplace. As we know, in Malaysia corporate health screenings are not compulsory for every employee but as an employer, taking care of our employees is one step to create a better workplace!
As Malaysians, one thing we are all proud of is our food and beverages! It’s undeniable—Malaysian cuisine was ranked the 39th best in the world according to the 2022 TasteAtlas Awards!
Amazing, right?
The most iconic spot for foodies in Malaysia is our kopitiam. But what exactly is a kopitiam? The word “kopitiam” combines the Malay word kopi, meaning coffee, with the Hokkien word tiam, meaning shop. A direct translation would be "coffee shop".
And let’s not forget—the best part of a kopitiam is the drinks served there. Forget about Americanos or lattes; we have our own unique coffee styles, with slight differences that only Malaysians truly understand. But wait—does everyone know these differences?
Let’s take a quick refresher on the different types of coffee you’ll find in a Malaysian kopitiam!
Kopi, Kopi O, Kopi C: What's the difference?
Kopi is the classic coffee drink most people order at a kopitiam. It’s made with coffee and condensed milk, sometimes with added sugar. Another popular term is kaw- as in Kopi Kaw - which refers to a strong, concentrated coffee. In Hokkien, kaw means “thick” or “strong”.
Kopi C is made with coffee, evaporated milk, and sugar. The key difference between Kopi and Kopi C lies in the type of milk used.
This is similar to kopi C, but kosong (meaning "zero" in Malay) indicates no added sugar. Kopi C Kosong is made with coffee and evaporated milk only.
Kopi O is made with coffee and sugar—no condensed or evaporated milk.
Kopi O Kosong is simply black coffee with no sugar, making it the healthiest option among kopitiam coffee variations.
Picture credit to Malay Mail
Enough about coffee, now let’s discover about Tea choices in Malaysia’s Kopitiam.
Teh Peng, Cham Peng, Kopi Peng: Which is Healthier?
We can say that Malaysians are quite creative with drink combinations. Who would have thought that we could actually combine both coffee and tea together? Not only that, but it has also become one of the most iconic drinks in kopitiams.
Let’s explore the differences between these combinations. Wondering why there’s the word “peng”? The word “peng” means “ice” in Hokkien.
Teh Peng is made with black tea, condensed milk, and sugar. With the word peng, it means "Teh Ice" or "Iced Tea".
Kopi Peng is similar to kopi, made with black coffee, condensed milk, sugar, and additional ice.
This unique flavor combines black tea and coffee with condensed milk and sugar.
We all love to hang out or “lepak” at kopitiams, and there’s no excuse not to enjoy drinks in a healthier way there.
Now that you know the differences between each type of coffee and tea, the deciding factors for how healthy these drinks are lie in the quantity of condensed milk and sugar used. The best option is to replace condensed milk with evaporated milk or reduce the amount of sugar—simply request less sweetness when ordering your drinks.
Last but not least, for those sensitive to caffeine or struggling with poor sleep quality, teh peng is a better option for you! The key is moderation and making mindful choices. Tweak your order a little to make healthier beverage choices.
If you’re interested in more topics like this, don’t forget to reach out to our Vealth.me app assistant. Share your feedback or request more topics—we look forward to hearing from you!
Chinese New Year is just around the corner! It’s a festive season, and soon after CNY, we have Ramadan, followed by Hari Raya Aidilfitri! These two big celebrations in Malaysia are quite close together. Malaysians love expressing their affection for family and friends through food. However, overeating during or after festive seasons can lead to health issues.
Since Chinese New Year falls in January, many are still holding on to their New Year’s resolutions, such as losing weight or eating healthily—it’s too early to give up, right?
Don’t worry; Vealthme is here to help! We’ve got some healthy eating tips to keep you on track with your resolutions and avoid overindulging this Chinese New Year. The key is moderation, but how do you achieve it?
Here are CONFIRMED-WORK tips to enjoy the festivities while maintaining a balanced approach to eating.
Have a light, balanced snack beforehand
Avoid overeating by having a small, healthy snack before visiting family or friends. For example, enjoy a mandarin orange or a handful of nuts to curb hunger.
Survey the food options
Open houses often feature an array of tempting dishes. Prioritize your favorites and skip sampling everything. If you want to try a variety, take small bites.
Focus on quality over quantity
Savor a few bites of indulgent dishes instead of piling your plate high. Avoid being “greedy” to prevent overeating.
Don’t forget your veggies
Vegetables are high in fiber and low in calories, making them a great option to fill your plate first. Add creative options like stir-fried broccoli, mushrooms, or a veggie platter yee sang.
Track your sugary desserts
Desserts like nian gao and kuih kapit are festive staples. Limit yourself to 1-2 pieces to save room for other treats.
Portion out popular snacks
Snacks like pineapple tarts or bak kwa can be easy to overeat while chatting. Portion out 2-3 pieces at a time to avoid mindless munching.
Eat slowly to savor each bite
Eating slowly improves digestion and nutrient absorption while helping regulate appetite. It also gives your body time to signal when you’re full.
Incorporate more fruits and whole grains
After the festivities, balance out the sweets with a variety of fruits and whole grains.
Plan ahead for exercise
Light activities like walking or yoga can help you rebalance your routine and burn off those extra calories.
Stay Smart, Eat Mindfully This Snake Year and lither into Healthier Choices this CNY 2025!
OH Cards can be a great addition to a corporate wellness program. The cards are a versatile tool that can be used in a variety of ways to promote mental health and well-being among employees.
Here are a few reasons why OH Cards can be beneficial in a corporate wellness program:
OH Cards are designed to stimulate creativity and intuition, which can help employees to think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions to problems. This can be particularly valuable in the workplace, where employees may be faced with complex challenges that require creative thinking.
OH Cards can be used to promote relaxation and mindfulness, which can help employees to reduce stress levels. By encouraging employees to take a break from their work and engage in a calming activity, OH Cards can help to promote a more positive and productive work environment.
OH Cards can be used to help employees reflect on their personal goals, values, and strengths. This can help employees gain insight into themselves and their aspirations, which can in turn help them to make more informed decisions about their career and personal life.
OH Cards can be used in group activities, which can help to promote connection and collaboration among employees. By working together on a creative project, employees can build relationships and develop a sense of community.
Overall, OH Cards can be a valuable tool in a corporate wellness program. They are a flexible and engaging way to promote mental health and well-being among employees, and they can help to create a more positive and productive work environment.
