Corporate wellness programs have become instrumental in providing employees with the tools they need to properly deal with the stressors that accompany work in a positive manner. These programs often result in fewer sick days, higher levels of productivity, less turnover, and higher morale. Here are five attributes to consider when creating a successful wellness program.
Healthy Culture
You cannot expect employees to take a wellness program seriously if they do not see the higher ups involved. Get your managers and supervisors to be active participants, creating a natural support system throughout the company. Want to team build? Base it around an outdoor activity and avoid bars or restaurants with less-than-healthful options. Do not allow smoking zones near highly visible spaces such as the entrance; this helps set a healthy tone from the moment the employee walks in. Provide bicycle racks to encourage riding to work and keep highly processed and nutritionally void snacks out of the vending machines, stocking them instead with healthy options. Make a move towards whole foods, offering organic, locally sourced mealsin the cafeteria, as well as a salad bar with plenty of fresh produce.
Accessible
Accessibility to healthful options is imperative to keep the motivation strong. If it becomes a difficult task to find ways to improve wellness, employees will begin to stagger in their drive. Offer a variety of programs that can be attended before or after work, or during lunch. Encourage stress-relieving activities, or classes such as yoga and meditation as well high-energy options. Implement competitions between teams of employees for who has recorded the most steps throughout the day or takes part in the most wellness activities hosted by the company. Offer a fruit delivery program to allow employees easy access to healthy pick-me-ups throughout the day. Make sure wellness programs are practical and are easy enough for employees to add into their already busy work schedule.
Integration
Integrate wellness into the core of the company, creating interconnectedness between the workplace and healthy choices. Offer perks for not lighting up to your employees, along with support groups or resources for smoking cessation. Offer pedometers and other fitness gear as rewards for employment milestones. Allow employees to take mental health and wellness days, and add a gym membership to their benefits package, reducing the need for sick days and the recovery time that often follows an illness.
Screenings
Give employees the opportunity to keep on top of their numbers by offering regular screenings. While making these appointments mandatory is discouraged in the workplace, offering voluntary and private health screening for cholesterol, blood pressure, and other wellness indicators can be beneficial. Offer a reward of monetary value or time off to encourage workers to participate.
Education
Give your staff the gift of education with seminars and health expos presented by professionals within the industry. Set up outreach programs led by people from outside the company, allowing employees the chance to ask questions in a private manner. Offer opportunities for counseling to deal with specific issues or to set up a personalized plan. Providing the gift of knowledge gives your work base the power to take their health into their own hands.
Setting up a wellness program in the corporate world takes plenty of planning and forethought. However, with proper implementation and ongoing support, it provides numerous benefits to both the company and its employees.
