As today being World Health Day, how can we use this as a time to pause and reset as it pertains to our Health and Wellness.

Workplace Health and Wellness: Difference You Must Know

“Health is a state of body, wellness is a state of being.”

                                                                                   J. Stanford

What’s in a name? This is a question that we often ask because in the end it’s more about the idea and thought behind the concept rather than what it is called. However, can we really say that for every program, especially when it concerns our well-being and health? We are talking about the two popular terms that are commonly used interchangeably - ‘Health’ and ‘Wellness.’ Of course, the two concepts go hand-in-hand but they don’t refer to the same thing at all. While executing and communicating workplace wellness programs, people overlap it with health. It is imperative to know the differences between workplace Health and Wellness and the factors that differentiate the one with the other. 

Wellness is the action that we do to achieve health and Health is the outcome of practicing wellness. We all are familiar with the latter concept but the former concept is relatively new and has been introduced in offices and organizations in the past few years. Health is a mere part of wellness programs implemented in workplaces and focuses on physical wellness. On the other hand, wellness is a wider term that covers everything from job satisfaction to financial incentives to smooth interaction and more to finally ensure the better physical and mental health of employees.

The primary motto behind wellness programs in offices is preventive care which is essential to save the interests & money of policyholders and employers in the long run. The idea is that when employees have regular medical checkups, flexible working environment, and healthy surroundings, they will be a less expensive asset to the company. Moreover, they will feel valued and important part of the organization, hence, boosting productivity and quality of work. 

Now that you are acquainted with the two concepts, let’s dive deeper to differentiate them accurately and precisely. Here we go:

Health

Let’s start with the official definition of Health as given by the World Health Organization.

“Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” 

We can say that it talks about much more than physical ailment and includes social and emotional fitness too. It refers to the state when a person is free from any disease and to ensure the same, companies come up with schemes and plans that keep a regular check on employees’ health. Employers organize medical camps, include physical activities, promote a healthy diet and whatnot. The main determinants of physical and mental fitness are employees’ behavior and characteristics without any discrimination on the basis of religion, race, political beliefs, social or economic status. 

The reason that employers pay the utmost attention to their members’ health is twofold. It not only reduces absenteeism but also results in improved results. When office workers feel valued and are taken care of, they tend to put in their best efforts to attain organizational goals.

Wellness

World Health Organization defines Wellness as,

"The optimal state of healthy individuals and groups" and is also expressed as "a positive approach to living."

Wellness is more about the way of living, the lifestyle of people to attain one’s fullest potential and better health conditions. It comprises eight components, namely environmental, social, physical, financial, intellectual, occupational, spiritual and emotional. When companies introduce wellness programs, they not only focus on the illness-free environment but also on the dynamic process of growth. In simple terms, if health is your goal, then wellness is the way to attain it. And that is what employers do. They ensure the right balance between all the aspects of life. Employers and employees work jointly to blend all the dimensions in the correct amount. 

The wellness programs introduced in organizations deal with disease prevention, health assessment, and various other efforts to create a satisfactory working environment. 

Wellness at the Workplace

There is no denying the fact that understanding the differences between wellness and health is important for employers. It helps them to implement effective plans to employees and also to communicate the schemes with them smoothly. Of course, no office member would like to compromise with their health but lack of understanding and engagement is the stumbling block to their involvement. If guided and educated well by HR and employers, employees would certainly take an active part in the wellness programs and would even contribute to making them work efficiently within the company. 

They can organize sessions to educate them on healthy eating & lifestyle, convey the importance of breaks and sports and more. The lower health risks for employees, the better it is for companies. The shift toward wellness will result in higher productivity and retention rate which is the final aim of every employer. 

 Wellbeing

Wellbeing expands a bit further and covers wellness, health along with other significant factors. To state in simple words, wellbeing is a state of happiness, good health, and fulfillment where a person feels content with his professional life. With emotional, mental and physical wellbeing, an employee performs to the best of his abilities and gives the maximum result to the company. 

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention describes wellbeing as 

“Wellbeing integrates mental health (mind) and physical health (body) resulting in more holistic approaches to disease prevention and health promotion.”

When companies shape a wellbeing program for the workers, they make sure that employees get monetary and non-monetary benefits and also cover fitness, work stress, eating habits, smooth communication, insurance plans, etc. 

The best representation of employee wellbeing is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. 

The lowest two stages, i.e., Physiological and safety needs demonstrate wellness. Once the employees seek these two phases, they move forward to achieve psychological and self-fulfillment needs. These stages include:

Belonging

• Sense of community with better interaction within the organization.
• Friendly environment for the employees so they feel comfortable and welcomed in the office.

Esteem

• Seek self-respect, fame, and glory for his accomplishments.
• Feel proud and rewarded for the excellent work in the field.

Self-Actualization

• Exploits his capabilities and potential to reach the highest level.
• The need to become what one is capable of.

Now we are sure that you have understood the difference between health and wellness and also acquired knowledge of wellbeing which is the final goal of every wellness program in organizations. Honestly, these concepts are the constant work in progress and employers have to work daily to achieve them. Once they realize the importance of health, wellness, and wellbeing in their company, we are certain that they will be able to exploit the full potential of employees. As we said earlier, 

“The more wellness opportunities for employees, the higher job satisfaction and wellbeing.”