By implementing corporate health promotion, you invest directly in your team’s well-being while simultaneously boosting productivity. Up to €600 per employee per year can be spent tax-free on measures like health screenings, fitness programs, nutritional counseling, ergonomic workstations, and mental health initiatives. Healthy employees are more energized, take fewer sick days, and bring added value to your organization.
Benefits for Your Company
Introducing voluntary health promotion yields multiple positive effects. First, absenteeism drops: preventive programs can reduce sick days by up to 25 %. Second, productivity rises—well-rested and fit employees work more efficiently and with greater focus.
Financially, you benefit twice: contributions up to €600 per person per year are subject only to a flat 25 % wage tax and remain exempt from social security contributions. This lowers your ancillary wage costs without sacrificing motivating incentives.
Moreover, a comprehensive BGF program enhances your employer brand: in today’s talent market, 66 % of employees value health and fitness offerings when choosing an employer. A strong health culture also deepens emotional commitment and reduces turnover.
Legal Framework
Under Section 3 No. 34 EStG, employer contributions toward health promotion measures are tax-exempt up to €600 annually per employee, provided they’re granted in addition to regular salary. Eligible activities must serve primary prevention—such as back training, yoga or stress management—and ideally be certified under Section 20 SGB V.
From a social security perspective, these allowances do not count as contribution-based earnings if they’re paid voluntarily on top of wages and do not replace regular pay components. Only amounts exceeding €600 are treated as taxable wages.
What Can Be Funded with BGF?
Corporate health promotion can cover a wide range of options, tailored to your team’s needs:
- Health screenings & check-ups at approved clinics
- Fitness memberships in gyms, sports clubs, or online classes
- Nutritional workshops and counseling for healthy eating
- Ergonomic solutions such as adjustable desks, back-care training, and workspace assessments
- Mental health programs, including mindfulness workshops and stress-management courses
With the HelloBonnie dashboard, you can monitor costs and participation in real time and allocate budgets flexibly.
How to Implement BGF
- Assess Needs: Gather feedback and health-check data to identify key areas for action.
- Design Program: Select certified courses, ergonomic assessments, and mental health workshops, and set your budgets.
- Communicate: Clearly explain offerings, tax implications, and enrollment processes to employees.
- Digitize: Configure BGF as a benefit in the HelloBonnie platform and automate budget allocation and participant management.
- Evaluate: Track metrics like participation rates, reduction in sick days, and employee satisfaction to demonstrate impact and refine the program.
Outlook: Health as a Strategic Success Factor
In an era of talent shortages and rising mental-health challenges, corporate health promotion is no longer a nice-to-have but a must-have. With tax-free BGF, you boost long-term well-being, performance, and loyalty in your team—ensuring sustainable success for your company.
