What is the importance of employee health?
A 2025 New Indian Express report reveals that 70% of Indian employees are battling lifestyle diseases, but only 20% of employers offer preventive health screenings. The numbers are even lower among startups and SMEs, just 9% have structured wellness programs in place.
These stats highlight a serious gap between awareness and action. In fast-paced startup environments, employees often work long hours, skip meals, and face high stress, leading to burnout, hypertension, and other lifestyle-related issues. Regular corporate health checkups act as a preventive shield, helping detect issues early before they escalate into serious medical conditions.
Beyond physical well-being, they also boost morale. When employees feel cared for, they’re more engaged, productive, and loyal, a direct win for any HR leader trying to build a stable, high-performing team.
Challenges startups face in offering health checkups
1. Limited budgets: For early-stage startups, every rupee counts. So naturally, corporate health checkup packages can seem like a non-essential expense, especially when profits are still uncertain.
2. Smaller workforce size: Unlike large enterprises, startups don’t have the bargaining power to negotiate massive discounts or comprehensive plans for smaller teams.
3. Lack of awareness: Most HRs don’t realise they can opt for customized corporate health checkup packages, which can be tailored to their team’s age, risk profile, and budget.
Customized corporate health checkups
So, what exactly are customized corporate health checkups?
They’re flexible, modular health screening packages that can be tailored to your workforce. Instead of a one-size-fits-all plan, you can design packages that fit your company’s unique needs and budget. Here’s how startups can go about it:
- Choose relevant tests: For a young tech team, focus on mental health, BMI, and sugar levels. For a mixed-age workforce, include cardiac and thyroid tests.
- Offer tier-based options: Introduce multiple levels like Basic, Standard, and Advanced, so employees can choose what’s right for them.
- Collaborate with local diagnostic centers: Tie up with providers to get discounts and flexible schedules.
- Include mental wellness and nutrition: Go beyond medical tests. Offering consultations with nutritionists or mental health counselors helps create a holistic wellness experience.
Types of corporate health checkup packages for startups
Package Type |
Common Inclusions |
Best Suited For |
Basic Package |
CBC, blood sugar, BP, BMI, cholesterol |
Entry-level or younger employees |
Standard Package |
Adds liver, kidney function, thyroid, ECG |
Mid-level professionals and team leads |
Advanced Package |
Full body checkup, vitamin panel, cardiac risk profiling |
Senior management or employees with health risks |
Add-on Options |
Eye/dental exams, mental health sessions, nutrition consultations |
Optional upgrades for all employees |
The Basic Package ensures essential tests for overall health. The Standard Package offers a balance of affordability and preventive coverage. Meanwhile, the Advanced Package, a full body checkup, provides a complete health assessment for high-risk employees. By combining these options, startups can create customized corporate health checkups that feel inclusive yet budget-friendly.
Affordable strategies to offer corporate health checkups
1. Start small and grow with time: Begin with annual or bi-annual checkups instead of quarterly ones. You can always expand as your workforce or funds grow.
2. Negotiate group discounts: Partner with diagnostic labs, hospitals, or wellness aggregators that offer corporate health checkup packages for smaller teams. Providers like Pazcare have special rates for SMEs.
3. Go digital: Use wellness apps or telehealth platforms for online consultations and at-home sample collections. Platforms like Pazcare offer remote health assessments, saving both time and cost.
4. Offer voluntary participation: Not every employee may want the same level of screening. Let them choose, this not only saves money but gives employees more control over their health plans.
5. Combine with group health insurance: Pairing checkups with group health insurance ensures employees are covered both for preventive and emergency care, making it a well-rounded benefits program.
Benefits of customized health checkups for startups
1. Higher employee engagement and trust: When employees see that their well-being matters to the company, their loyalty and motivation naturally increase. It builds emotional connection, a key differentiator in competitive startup ecosystems.
2. Preventive savings: Early detection means fewer hospitalizations, fewer sick leaves, and lower medical expenses, savings that directly impact company productivity and insurance claim ratios.
3. Employer branding advantage: Offering wellness benefits enhances your employer image. It positions your startup as people-first, something today’s workforce deeply values.
4. Better long-term performance: Healthy employees perform better, take fewer breaks, and contribute positively to work culture. In short, investing in health checkups pays off in better business results.
Conclusion
For startups, wellness doesn’t have to be an afterthought. With strategic planning, digital tools, and customized corporate health checkup options, preventive care can easily become part of your work culture, without exhausting your finances. At the end of the day, healthy employees are productive, loyal and engaged. And that’s exactly what every startup needs to thrive.
So start small, stay consistent, and make corporate health checkups a part of your growth story.