If you’re an employer or HR director thinking of adding a wellness program, you probably have a lot of questions about how to go about it.
For starters, initiating a wellness program doesn’t have to mean installing a fitness center and hiring a full-time wellness coach. The reality is, a wellness program can be relatively straightforward – like implementing a no-smoking policy or a walking program – without hurting your bottom line. And it can be a real positive not only for your employees but for your company.
The Benefits of a Wellness Program
For many employers, it may be hard to see the advantages of an employee wellness program at first glance. But the truth is healthy employees bring many benefits to the businesses they work for. Here are a few examples of how increased employee wellness can have positive effects on workplace health:
- Better productivity
There are numerous studies that suggest a healthy lifestyle correlates with increased productivity. Better health means more energy!
- Fewer colds, flu and other illnesses
Healthy practices such as eating right and not smoking prevent illness. And businesses can benefit when fewer sick days are taken.
- Less office stress
Workplace stress may be the norm, but it leads to burnout, which can result in higher employee turnover. Exercise and healthy habits can help combat stress.
- Fewer office-related injuries
Taking a break to exercise or just stretch prevents common office injuries, resulting in fewer worker compensation claims.
- Happier employees
Offering a wellness program leads to happier employees. They’ll appreciate the benefit and be generally positive because they’re leading a healthier life.
5 Steps to Creating an Employee Wellness Program
Now that we’ve touched on some of the benefits of employee wellness, here are some basic steps for getting a wellness program going in your workplace:
1. Gain Support from Management
Support from all levels of management is key to the success of any wellness program. To gain corporate support, inform managers about the program early on and encourage them to participate.
2. Set Goals that Benefit the Company and Staff
Creating a wellness program is a fun project but don’t lose sight of why you’re doing it. Make sure every part of your program benefits both the company and staff.
3. Form a Wellness Team
Creating a comprehensive wellness program can take some time so it’s a good idea to put a team on the project. The group should be led by HR or a manager, but should also include executives, and others who are interested in promoting a healthy workplace.
4. Make a Plan
With your team in place, start planning what your program should look like. Form a budget, research ideas, and get input from other employees. When the time is right, call a company-wide meeting to announce the new wellness program and get into the details. Make sure your employees know everything it includes and be prepared to answer questions.
5. Get Feedback and Tweak Where Necessary
A successful employee wellness program is never done. Your team should always be open to feedback and new ideas, so the program can improve based on the needs of your employees.
Lanmark Staffing provides over 40 years of combined human resources, recruiting, temporary placement, sales and management, and temp-to-hire services. Visit our website and learn how our team of local, experienced professionals can help you find the right employee for the job.