The Importance of Employee Wellness Program

Did you know that good health and happiness lead to increased productivity? Studies show that happy employees are 13% more productive than their unhappy counterparts. You must be wondering how health and happiness are linked. But it is well-known that when people are in good health, their moods are uplifted, too.???

When discussing employee productivity, employers are the most concerned about it. After all, if employees are productive, the organization benefits the most. Similarly, employers can play an active part in maintaining the well-being of their workforce.?

Enter Employee wellness programs.??

Let's delve into further discussion on the topic in today's newsletter.??

What is an Employee Wellness Program???

"Take care of your employees, and they will take care of your business." - Nelson Mandela.??

As the name suggests, an employee wellness program is designed for employees to participate in, resulting in them adopting healthier lifestyles. This program can be in any form, from in-house walkathons to corporate yoga and more.???

Healthy employees are also more productive and miss less work. According to reports, wellness programs reduce absenteeism at work by 14%-19%. That is one of the crucial reasons behind the importance of employee wellness programs.???

These programs are significant for employees who spend all their days in a 9 to 5 job. Their lives are otherwise sedentary, but programs as such really help motivate them to be active and fitter.???

Benefits of an Employee Wellness Program??

Just like we have established that employee health is directly proportional to organizational health, let's look at all the benefits an employee wellness program comes with.??

• Improved physical health: Employee wellness programs provide information, on-site opportunities for physical activity and a healthy diet, and even support preventative healthcare. By encouraging healthy habits and fostering a supportive atmosphere, these initiatives can generate a healthier workforce with fewer chronic diseases and more energy.??

• Employee retention: About 87% of employees stated that they considered wellness offerings when choosing their employer. Employee turnover is higher when workers are highly stressed. An employee wellness program aims to counter this by encouraging positive attitudes, stress reduction, and healthy lifestyles. The result is a happier, more engaged staff that feels appreciated and is less inclined to leave. It's a win-win for both employee wellbeing and company retention.??

• Work-life balance: Wellness programs like time-management workshops and stress reduction techniques help employees manage their work and personal commitments effectively. 87% of employees anticipate their companies to help them strike a work-life balance. These initiatives empower them to be productive at work and present themselves outside it by fostering general wellbeing.??

• Better mental health: Employee morale is considered the most improved (54%) metric from implementing wellness plans. Employees' mental health often suffers due to workplace stress. In such times, programs for employee wellness can be a lifesaver. They encourage healthy practices that enhance mental wellbeing, offer access to mental health services, and teach stress management strategies. These initiatives can produce a more contented and resilient workforce by establishing a healthy and supportive atmosphere.??

• Employee engagement: When companies host employee programs, they motivate employees to participate actively. These programs boost employee engagement and can even promote workplace camaraderie. With well-defined tasks and incentives, employees are encouraged to accomplish them and reach their health goals.??

• Reduced healthcare costs: Workplace wellness program offerings lead to healthier lifestyles with reduced health risks. This results in fewer sick days and zero absenteeism. Furthermore, healthy and fit employees are less likely to incur healthcare costs. As per a study, 60% of respondents reported that workplace wellness programs reduced their organization's healthcare costs.??

• Healthy work environment: As we know, employee wellness programs improve employee health. And a fit workforce creates a culture of good health and prosperity.???

Tara Shore, from Niche Technology Inc., shared her two cents on how wellness programs have benefitted her company,

“It has encouraged movement and healthy competition amongst the staff. I have had various employees tell me that they are moving far more than before we started Vantage Fit, that is a win!”?

Examples of Employee Wellness Programs??

Today's employee wellness initiatives aim to provide a holistic approach to wellbeing by going beyond the obvious. These initiatives, which range from stress-relieving workshops to financial fitness education, aim to enable the employees to prosper at work rather than merely get by.??

Let's look at some of these programs, including the various wellness dimensions-?

• Get Up, Get Moving: Exercise is essential for overall health. Many businesses provide innovative fitness opportunities. They even host walkathons, provide free gym memberships, and offer on-site fitness programs to promote community and healthy competitiveness. There are various virtual wellness platforms too that offer a variety of services to track both physical and mental wellness activities. Vantage Fit is a comprehensive platform with features like a step tracker, nutrition tracker and more.?

Pinansharu Champanari from Anunta Tech shared her experience with Vantage Fit,

“This was our first association with Vantage Fit. And we loved the app. The multiple challenges and wellness contests kept the employees interested. Overall, a good experience.”?

• ?Mindfulness and meditation on the menu: Employees sitting through a 9 to 5 job often suffer from stress affecting their mental health. So, companies often introduce several mindfulness sessions or yoga and meditation for mental wellbeing. These programs allow the mind to be calm and relieve stress.??
• Consider financial wellness: Financial wellness plays a big role in the current world. And businesses know it better to incorporate programs related to financial goals. The programs include workshops on budgeting, debt management, and even financial counselling services for the economic wellbeing of the workforce.??

• Promote healthy eating habits: Just like other programs, organizations can develop healthy eating challenges and hydration challenges where employees are given a set of targets like drinking 4 liters of water daily. These tasks can be tracked on digital wellness platforms that are trending in the market. Moreover, stocking the cafeteria with healthy eating options and offering free access to the staff can lead to nutritional challenges. These challenges can be fun, and everyone is asked to consume a healthy breakfast from the cafeteria for a month.???
• Proper ergonomics: Leading sedentary lives involves employees sitting at the desk all day without much movement. This often leads to severe back pain and more. To prevent that, companies can install comfortable workstations with proper chairs and desks to avoid discomfort and musculoskeletal issues.???

To make employee wellness programs more effective and successful, employers should assign rewards against each task. This will motivate employees to take the programs seriously and put more hard work and dedication into them.??

?The Bottom Line??

Employee wellness programs are a wise investment rather than only a benefit. They produce a win-win scenario for your business: happier, healthier, more engaged and productive workers.???

So, are you all ready to harness the power of employee wellness at work???

Schedule a free demo with us.??

Link: https://www.vantagefit.io/request-demo/

Article by Dipshi Bhattacharjee