Why Start An Employee Wellness Program at Your Remote Company?

It’s no secret. Remote workers love freedom. Whether telecommuting or traveling keeps them away from the office, remote employees tend to be more independent, self-motivated and self-disciplined. They have to be.

So how do you develop a wellness culture in a remote company? With creativity, energy and ingenuity.

There are more of them than you think

Of course, any thriving wellness culture comes down to understanding the telecommuter.

Who are they? They’re independent, love flexibility, and are able to focus. Roughly 3% of U.S. workers telecommute, about five million in 2016, and that number is likely to grow. So, how do you neatly fold all these commuters into one wellness culture? Understand their needs.

At-home workers are not merely people who love to work in their bunny slippers. They’re often super competitive. And the qualities that make good remote workers (i.e. fierce independence) also makes them more likely to take their health into their own hands.

And they’re here to stay...healthy

Teleworkers take better care of themselves, because they have to. With flexible schedules, they’re more likely to see a doctor or do a gym work-out. They don’t have to take time off work. 86% of all workers say they don’t have time for wellness programs.

Since telecommuters can work from home, they know how to prioritize and get things done. That kind of self-discipline also helps them stick to healthy habits. Skipping the commute and mastering time management, they can squeeze in that extra hour or two to go for a run or cook a healthy meal.

They’re just happier

Remote companies by their very nature emphasize the work-play balance. Working in their preferred environment, workers feel more comfortable and tend to be more productive. This in turn leads to them feeling happier.

A Tiny Pulse 2016 survey found remote employees reported greater happiness and sense of being valued compared to all workers surveyed. And other studies show workers are 13% more productive working from home. They don’t have to worry about coming to the office sick, and they feel more in control of their lives.

Join the team

Now, getting remote staff from all parts of the country or world under one company wellness umbrella is not easy, but it is possible. The first step: make employees feel part of a team.

Go Team!

Humans are social. And Gallup research shows workers who form relationships at work are happier. For remote workers, that’s harder to do. But being part of a team is not as difficult as it seems.

While established company wellness programs range in size and duration, anything from health screenings to company walk-a-thons, there is no one-size fits all. Clearly most programs are designed for in-house workers only: lunch-time guest speakers or yoga sessions. However, most in-house offerings can be tweaked for the remote sector.

Health Hero provides smart, multi-channel and integrated health engagement experiences that are powerful and simple to deploy to employees in seconds. Contact us today to learn how we can create a customized plan for you!