How Employee Wellness Programs Can Benefit a Company

Business owners are often asked what’s the reason behind their success, and without a doubt, they heavily rely on their employees to keep their business running.

Some employers often think that the best employees can already take care of their health and well-being, even without their help. However, they’re missing the point. Companies should be committed to employees should be happy, healthy and productive to make that happen.

Introducing a wellness program gives a huge benefit to the company by:

• Lesser absences and punctuality issues
• Boosts work productivity
• Enhanced employee recruitment and retention rates
• Improved company image and culture

Lesser absences and punctuality issues

It’s a known fact ‒ people who are physically healthy and fit tend to miss fewer days at work. Workplaces that provide wellness programs reduce employee absenteeism. For example, getting people to exercise regularly already makes a significant difference in one’s well-being.

While personal illness is health related, a worker that lacks physical exercise gets inadequate sleep, experiences high levels of stress and regularly abuses substances such as alcohol may attribute their absenteeism to an unhealthy lifestyle. One’s health may also lead to family and personal issues. Another factor while some employees are absent from work is that they’re taking care of family members who are sick from illnesses brought about by these lifestyle behaviors.

Wellness programs can improve workers’ health which can play a role in whether or not employees will be absent from work. Workers who have higher morale are less likely to be absent at work.

Boosts work productivity

The essential focus of an employee wellness program is encouraging and giving the opportunity to access to exercise and healthier food. Regular exercise releases endorphins that make employees feel more positive and energized. They’re also more focused at work and retain more information. Furthermore, having a healthier, more balanced diet lessens the risk of obesity and enhances the immune system. As a result, employees can better avoid disease. After all, having the perfect workforce have sharp minds, positive attitudes, and have fewer sick days.

Improved Employee Relations and Retention Rate

Most employees tend to stick around longer if you show them a greater appreciation and make them feel valued. While compensation and recognition programs are one of the most popular ways of showing appreciation, creating a workplace environment that fosters health and wellness is another thing.

Giving perks and benefits like a free gym membership, fresh fruits, and vegetables in the pantry, mindfulness training, and team building activities show how much an organization genuinely cares about their employees and their wellbeing. Since wellness programs benefit employees provides a positive impact in multiple aspects of an employee’s life, they’re more likely to stay in the company on a long-term basis.

Enhanced Company Image and Culture

Most employees find wellness programs as a form of a company image enhancement. It allows employees to share with others positive feedback about the company which can reflect positively on its image.

Also, promoting wellness programs creates a brand that genuinely cares about an employees’ health. If a company’s work practices are not in line with wellness, then there’s a greater chance that the program will fail. To increase the likelihood of success, and to keep employees motivated, companies must walk the talk.

Another essential aspect of a company is its culture, and an employee wellness program is a perfect way to improve it. Fitness classes, boot camps, and team building activities are an excellent way for everyone to collaborate in a different setting outside of work. By providing health and wellness goals for the team, the organization taps into everyone’s competitiveness, while fostering teamwork and cooperation at the same time.

In Summary

Choosing to invest in a workplace wellness program provides broad-reaching benefits not just to the employees but also to the company as well. It enhances the employers brand, employee loyalty, and retention. Moreover, it also boosts productivity and lessens absenteeism among employees. Effective wellness programs create a culture that’s health-centered, covers many health challenges brought by stress, mental health issues, smoking, and obesity. It also helps coworkers work together towards a common goal.

Fostering workplace wellness isn’t a one-time effort. It’s a continuous journey with a solid understanding of the employee population. If done the right way, it produces a win-win situation for everyone ‒ improving employees’ well-being and the health of the company.