How can you build the best corporate health program for your employees?
Skipping lunch or staying up late to get the job done is one of the reasons why employee wellness programs are so important in the workplace. As an employer, it becomes your responsibility to make sure that your employees aren’t compromising their health in an attempt to get more work done. Although the dedication and hard work are admirable, it is undoubtedly a crazy way to work and may bring more harm than benefit to your company.
Being in great physical shape leads to good mental wellness which leads to quality work done healthily.
Not to mention, introducing a corporate health and wellness program can be an effective way to reduce health insurance premium costs and produce a much happier workforce. Plus, there are fewer health-related issues such as flus and colds that can affect the whole office. The levels of productivity skyrocket and this can generate additional business revenues.
In this blog, I will discuss some effective ways to make sure your employees aren’t facing any major health issues. And I’m giving ways to improve the general physical and mental well-being of your employees:
- Identify and evaluate the health risks of employees
- On-site fitness center
- Offer incentives when they reach their goal
- De-stress time
- Choose healthy snacks
- Organize health challenges
- Why do you need a corporate health program software?
Assess the health and wellness risks
First off, you want to evaluate what type of health risks are present in your workplace. A great way to find out is by distributing a survey among the workers. They’ll fill it out, which can give you, the employer, a clear idea of what changes need to be implemented. Assess the lifestyle concerns and wellness needs that employees have. For some, it could be getting more active; for others, it could be to reach targeted health goals. Get to the heart of these needs to increase participation in the wellness program.
Also, instead of targeting all the specific health issues, you could find ways to give an overall generalized wellness program that caters to everyone needs.
Creating a corporate fitness center
Many companies and businesses have an on-site fitness center which is great for employees. They can take a break by going to the centers and spending some time relaxing and refreshing. However, while some companies are fortunate enough to have an on-site gym or fitness classes, these perks aren’t feasible for most.
Offer incentives for exercising, losing weight and smoking cessation
Another convenient and cost-efficient way to develop an employee wellness mindset in the workers is to offer incentives for exercising, losing weight and smoking cessation, for example. Making sure each of these is done in the healthiest way possible is also important. Keeping track of each physical and mental health helps to reward the most active workers.
Help your employees de-stress with some meditation and yoga
Just like physical exercise does wonders for the body, maintaining mental wellness is extremely important as well. Stress and anxiety are silent killers and it is known that these lead to heart problems. They are triggering issues which lead to other mental illnesses such as depression. To help de-stress your employees and maintain great mental health, a room where you work could be vacated for yoga purposes. Yoga and meditation are natural stress relievers and many who do it daily have benefitted from it. Team members at startups or PR agencies often have to deal with tight deadlines and overtime. Yoga is an effective way to incorporate self-care into work, so that team members don’t have to feel guilty about neglecting work.
Investing in a few yoga mats, some calming incense, and peaceful music can be great for workers who need a break mentally.
Offering employees healthy snacks as an alternative to fast food/vending machines
Obesity and weight problems are probably one of the biggest issues in workplaces today.
Obesity has a direct link to increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes (high blood sugar), high blood pressure, certain cancers, and other chronic conditions. Since the break time in the workplace seems pretty short, having fast food seems like a viable option. Everybody knows what type of effects fast food has on the physical and mental health of the bodies.
Having healthy snacks all year round in the workplace instead of vending machines with fattening foods might bring a huge change in the physical wellness of your employees. Seeing changes in their bodies for the better might also lighten up moods, encourage and motivate them to adopt healthier lifestyles. This will eventually be affecting their mental health as well. Encourage your employees to bring healthy lunches from home or invest in services that will deliver healthy snacks to your office, like Natural Source and Mindful Snacks .
Introducing health-friendly challenges and wellness adventures
Maintaining the health and wellness of your employees is a huge issue that all companies and businesses need to start taking seriously. Although it seems time-consuming, there have been significant changes in the health and wellness of employees in the workplace. Adopting a fun approach to these wellness programs is the best way to go. Treating your employees like you would treat yourself. Taking everyone out on wellness adventures and introducing fun challenges every week/month can be a great way to get started.
Corporate health program software?
An all-in-one corporate health software gives you all the tools you need to stimulate a healthy lifestyle in your environment.
According to a study by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans , for every $1 invested in workplace wellness initiatives, most North American employers saved between $1 and $3 on healthcare expenses. With an online coaching tool , you can easily motivate employees and monitor results. Your corporate health system can add great value to your health plan.
Companies that offer corporate health software and wellness programs have experienced an average productivity increase of around 66%.
Conclusion
It’s important to remember that changes in everyone’s wellness will come over time. Slowly, your company will be able to spot trends in the way employees respond to and participate in health programs. Use feedback from your employees for further improvements and enhancements in your wellness programs.
