Wellness trends have become commonplace in today’s world. So why are some employees still behind the curve when it comes to employee health benefits and wellness? Here are 10 reasons companies should be investing time and energy creating quality wellness programs for their employees.
Wellness programs create a more productive work environmentE
I don’t think this will come as a surprise to anyone! When you want to go to work every day, you spend more time and energy putting in quality work. When you aren’t excited to go to work in the morning, it’s easier to go through the motions. Employees will feel like their company is investing in their wellness and cares about their health. Plus, it’s great having free and easy access to wellness — especially in the workplace!
Wellness programs give employees a reason to stay with the company and sets companies apart from others that do not offer wellness programs
The idea of having “Wellness Wednesdays” where employees have access to healthy fruits, vegetables, and snacks or giving employees a 15 minute recess to walk around the block are super simple ways to bring wellness into the workplace. Some employers offer really unique wellness programs — Asana offers employees nap time in their ‘nap rooms’, yoga programs, and free gym memberships. EMC offers employees onsite gyms and pools, color coded cafeteria food so they can see their healthiest options, and incentive programs. Earth Friendly Products allows employees to pluck their favorite produce from their very own garden. Employers can really set themselves apart by offering simple wellness programs. I dons easier to go through the motions.
Employees will be healthier and more educated about wellness in the long run
What company wants their employees to always be using paid time off for sick days or have high absenteeism? Offering employees tools to become more educated about weight loss, diabetes and heart disease prevention, smoking cessation, diet and physical activity, or offering them mental resources will aid employee wellness. In the end, employees will be more motivated to take care of themselves and will be happier doing it. Employers who emphasize employee wellness can expect lower claims and happier, healthier team members.
Wellness programs are a great incentive to work at a company or to stay for the long haul
When you’re starting a new job, you look at the benefits your employer has to offer. Companies that offer wellness programs and take them seriously may see interest from candidates that care about their health and wellbeing. It’s a selling tool to encourage employees to start their career with the company because it says “We care about you and how healthy you are!” Employees want to feel like their employer cares about them and their wellbeing.
Say hello to higher employee morale!
Having something to look forward to at work is always a great incentive to work hard and show up ready for the day. Healthy snacks make employees feel good. Having resources that educate employees about mindfulness and meditation will decrease stress. Encouraging employees to be active will aid with weight loss, healthy habits, and physical activity. These are all things that make people feel good about themselves and increase happiness. Happy employees make for a happy and well oiled workplace.
Interested in getting started? Here are a few ideas that you could try!
- Introduce healthy snacks into the workplace. Bringing healthy snacks and food items like Fiber One Protein Cookies,RXBAR Real Food Protein Bars, Green Tea, Natural Coconut Chips, and Maple Almond Butter Squeeze Packs along with some fresh produce gives employees a mid-day pick me up.
- Give employees a way to track wellness. Interested employees could sign up to receive a fitness tracker where they could record their goals. We like the Fitlosophy Fitbook for example.
- Have some free reading materials like healthy cookbooks and wellness magazines around your break room. The Skinnytaste Cookbook: Light on Calories, Big on Flavor, The Laura Lea Balanced Cookbook: 120+ Everyday Recipes for the Healthy Home Cook, and
The Healthy Meal Prep Cookbook: Easy and Wholesome Meals to Cook, Prep, Grab, and Go are all wonderful cookbooks to have around in the kitchenette. - Make the break room a place employees want to actually be during lunch time. They’d be more likely to bring their lunches. Bring some plants in like succulents and fiddle leaf trees, offer filtered water, and have some interactive board games like uno or giant Jenga available for employees to use. Build camaraderie.
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