Workplace Wellbeing Plans in 2026

If you’re responsible for wellbeing, culture, people management or employee engagement in your organisation, now is the time to start shaping what a strong, practical workplace wellbeing plan looks like for 2026.

Over the past number of years, I’ve worked with organisations across Ireland — from SMEs to large multinationals — supporting them to move beyond isolated wellbeing initiatives and towards more strategic, embedded approaches.

Below are a number of ways you can strengthen your wellbeing planning for 2026, whether you’re looking for structure, inspiration, training or practical support.


Workplace Wellbeing Ireland: 2026 Calendar & Planner (Free Download)

Planning your activity across the year is one of the simplest ways to move from good intentions to real action.

I’ve created a free Workplace Wellbeing Ireland 2026 Calendar & Planner for people managers, wellbeing leads and HR teams. It includes:

  • ✅ Key Irish health awareness dates and national campaigns

  • ✅ National Workplace Wellbeing Day

  • ✅ Public holidays and seasonal wellbeing moments

  • ✅ Practical prompts for planning initiatives across the year

  • ✅ Space for local actions, campaigns and internal priorities

It’s designed to be printable (A4) and also usable digitally with clickable links for quick reference.

👉 Download the free 2026 Workplace Wellbeing Calendar & Planner

If you’re serious about embedding wellbeing into business-as-usual in 2026, this planner gives you a starting point.


Advanced Education for Leaders

  • Postgraduate Certificate in Workplace Wellness: In September 2026, a new cohort will commence this Level 9 programme at Trinity College Dublin. Applications are anticipated to open in spring 2026. I will provide programme and application updates through the Work Well Weekly newsletter.

  • 8 Steps to Embed a Culture of Health: For a flexible, online alternative, this programme offers an evidence-based framework for developing sustainable workplace wellbeing initiatives. It's the same framework that underpins the postgraduate certificate at Trinity, providing comprehensive insights at your own pace.

  • People Manager Wellbeing Training Programme: One of the strongest drivers of wellbeing impact is how capable and confident your people managers are.The People Manager Wellbeing Training Programme gives managers practical skills and structure — without unnecessary theory.

The programme covers:

  • Psychological safety and trust

  • Effective wellbeing conversations

  • Sustainable workload, boundaries and energy

  • Early intervention and signposting

  • Everyday wellbeing leadership

Ideal for organisations that want wellbeing embedded in daily management practice — not just policies or campaigns.

28 people are enrolled and progressing through the the first open cohort. Run 2 will take place in April-May 2026. Email here for early access and updates on Run 2 of the People Manager Wellbeing Training.


Empowering Champion Networks

  • Wellbeing Champion Training: Wellbeing should be a shared value across the organisation, not something that is owned by one person or team. A team of wellbeing champions can support wellbeing leader(s) embed a culture of health through programme development, communication, organisation and feedback. The training is customisable to suit organisations at various stages of their wellbeing journey, whether you're initiating a programme or revitalising an existing team.

  • Mental Health Champions: Equip your team to support colleagues facing mental health challenges. Mental Health First Aid Ireland offers a comprehensive two-day training program designed to build confidence and skills in this critical area.

  • Menopause Champions: Ensure ongoing relevance of menopause initiatives by empowering colleagues through specialised training. Catherine O’Keeffe, known as the Wellness Warrior, provides expertise in this domain.


Engaging Workshops and Resources for All Employees


Financial Wellbeing Initiatives

Comprehensive Resources: You’ll find details of all the financial wellbeing options available to you and your colleagues in this Work Well Webinar. This includes organisations I have worked with and highly recommend including Employee Financial Wellness, Jim and the team at Eolas Money and Anne-Marie at Money Coaching Ireland.


Live Events & Networking Opportunities

Workplace Wellbeing Ireland Events: Workplace Wellbeing Ireland will host a series of live and in-person events across 2026 at leading Dublin and regional workplaces. At previous events we discussed Domestic Abuse Policies in Irish Workplaces at Grant Thornton and we spoke about What Judgment Feels Like at the NTMA. Could your workplace host a Work Well Live event in 2026?


Sponsorship Opportunities

Would you like to position your brand at the heart of Ireland's largest and most engaged workplace wellbeing community?

  • Work Well Live Events & Webinars
    As you saw above, we’re bringing you a series of impactful in-person events at top workplaces in Dublin and across the regions as well as a series of live webinars.

    - Webinars: One-hour sessions packed with insights.

    - In-Person Events: Two-hour themed gatherings featuring expert panelists, Q&A sessions, networking opportunities, and exhibitor spaces.

  • Work Well Weekly Newsletter
    Stay ahead of the curve with Work Well Weekly, Ireland’s go-to digest for workplace wellbeing news and trends. Delivered to over 4,250 engaged HR leaders and wellbeing champions, our newsletter consistently achieves a 50%+ open rate.

Download the 2026 Partnership Prospectus.


Organisational Wellbeing Strategy & Consultancy

Many organisations reach a point where they want to move from ad-hoc wellbeing activity to a more structured, sustainable operating model.

I work with organisations in a consultancy capacity to support:

  • Wellbeing strategy development and alignment

  • Operating plans and governance structures

  • Measurement and evaluation frameworks

  • Leadership engagement and capability building

  • Wellbeing champion network design and support

This work is grounded in evidence-based frameworks and practical implementation — not wellbeing theatre.

If you’re exploring how to mature your organisation’s wellbeing approach in 2026, get in touch for an initial conversation.


Physical Wellbeing

parkHIIT @ Work
parkHIIT is a social enterprise with a vision to advance physical, mental and social wellbeing for people of all ages and backgrounds by promoting the importance of resistance exercise in community based public spaces. We also offer midweek workouts for organisations that want to support the physical wellbeing of their colleagues. If you'd like to support a social enterprise while at the same time supporting the physical wellbeing of your colleagues then check out parkHIIT @ Work. 

Gym Management

If you’re in the lucky position of having a gym onsite at your workplace then you want to have the best people in the business managing that gym. That’s Fitvision. If you’d like an introduction to Mark the CEO then drop me a line.


Nutrition Ideas

Feeding Your Potential
Fuel your body for work and play. 'Feeding Your Potential' is a Workplace Wellbeing Nutrition Course that empowers colleagues to make healthier choices with the tools and the knowledge to do so.

  • Book a live healthy cooking demo or sign up to a 6 week perimenopause cooking programme with Fiona’s Food for Life

  • Podcast: How Nutrition Can Enable High-Performance with Kate McDaid

  • Fruit Partner: Fresh fruit and snack packs delivered weekly by The Fruit People

  • Revolutionise your workplace canteen with Food Choice at Work’s scientifically proven programme that integrates environmental re-engineering and detailed nutrition education. If you’d like an introduction to Fiona the CEO then drop me a line.


Online Programmes

Self-Care for Working Parents
On this course, Clinical Psychologist Dr. Malie Coyne supports working parents to balance the many demands placed on them by helping them to cultivate compassion for themselves and their children, whilst creating a healthy work-life balance which truly aligns with their values.

Managing Stress at Work to Improve Wellbeing
We can achieve well-being within our work and personal lives if we are equipped with sufficient resources to balance against the daily demands we face. In this evidence-based module, underpinned by the Job Demands Resources Model and Conservation of Resources theory, Dr. Jennifer Hynes explores the psychological, social, physical and financial drivers of well-being in life. 

How to Boost Energy, Increase Productivity and Eliminate Procrastination
Just like an athlete, or any leading performer, if you want to win the day, it’s critical that you start on the right foot. That’s why morning routines are so important. They prime you for the day ahead, motivating you, energising you, and helping you to take positive action as you go about your day. Join Brian Pennie as he highlights key techniques including gratitude, visualisation, affirmations and mindfulness to demonstrate how routines don't have to take time, they make time. 


Wellbeing Books & Learning Resources

If you’re building your own knowledge — or looking for thoughtful gifts for leaders and teams — I’ve curated a selection of recommended wellbeing, leadership and behaviour change books.

👉 Explore the Wellbeing Books Gift Guide


🤝 Let’s Build Better Workplaces in 2026

If you’re planning your wellbeing strategy for 2026 and would like support — whether through training, facilitation, strategy development or partnerships — I’d love to hear from you.

👉 Get in touch or explore collaboration opportunities: brian@workwellireland.ie

Thank You 

I'm sure you have a lot going on at present so thanks very much for reading all the way to the end of this article. By integrating these advanced resources and programmes into your 2026 planning, you position your organisation at the forefront of employee wellbeing, fostering a thriving and engaged workforce ready to meet the challenges of the future.

I have never been more excited by the positively changing landscape and the opportunities that are out there in this space and will continue to do all I can through Workplace Wellbeing Ireland and the Work Well Community to promote wellbeing in our workplaces throughout 2026.

Yours in health,
Brian


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brian Crooke is a wellbeing educator, speaker and adviser, empowering Irish organisations to promote and sustain wellbeing within their workplaces.

He is the founder of The Work Well Institute and the Workplace Wellbeing Ireland community and is Course Director of the Postgraduate Certificate in Workplace Wellness at Tangent, Trinity College Dublin. He is the host of The Work Well Podcast.

In his spare time, Brian is bringing free resistance training to every county and community in Ireland through his parkHIIT social enterprise.

THE WORK WELL COMMUNITY

The Work Well Institute - Our online education hub.

Our Workshops - Bespoke and tailored options available.

The Work Well Forum - Our private LinkedIn group.

The Work Well Podcast - Conversations with thought leaders.

The Work Well Webinars - Our back catalogue of live panel discussions and expert led presentations.

Our Services - Talks, workshops and bespoke programmes. 

The Work Well Newsletter - community news and updates. 

parkHIIT @ Work - Tailored resistance training workouts: online or on site.

Brian