If you are going to lead a successful business, you must invest in the wellbeing of your company’s most valuable asset — your employees.
Implementing wellness at work programs is done to help the employees to maintain and improve their health and their overall well-being. There are different types of wellness programs ranging from designating rooms for napping to seminars on stress management and more.
Despite being a new trend in the workplace, these programs have gained popularity recently both in medium and small-sized businesses.
Research indicates that the majority of organizations are now extending wellness programs to their workers. The large percentage is proof that implementing a workplace wellness program is a viable investment.
Below are 12 benefits to help you understand the importance of these programs.
1. It improves employees’ productivity
It is one obvious benefit of implementing these programs. Health and productivity go hand in hand.
Statistics reveal that healthy employees perform 25% better than their peers who are not. With employees’ wellness programs, you will get a healthy, happy, and highly motivated workforce. You will have a reduced number of employees who take sick days and improve the efficiency of the team.
For this reason, launch a wellness program that takes care of your employees’ health and support them while in stressful stages, and they will reward you with improved productivity at work.
2. Improved focus
Performing repetitive tasks every day can be boring and draining to the mind. It reduces the employee’s level of concentration when working. It is at this point that you find them sleeping during work hours or engaging in unhealthy behaviours.
Introducing wellness at work programs will help them operate around the clock and still focus. The activities undertaken during wellness programs such as mindfulness, physical exercise, and social engagement, help employees to reboot their focus on tasks ahead of them.
They give them a break from monotonous tasks and relieve them of stress and work pressure. They can then retain focus and concentration even in stressful environments, thus boosting the company’s productivity.
3. Enhanced employee engagement
Similar to productivity, employees’ health and engagement are closely associated. The American Psychological Association ran a survey that found out that 91% of workers feel motivated to do their best while working at companies that have wellness programs.
These programs help employees to stay healthy and happy.
They become more creative and feel they have control over their health and lives. When employees are happy at work, great things start happening for your company. There’s more open communication and become good team players.
4. Improved social interactions
Participating in wellness at work programs promotes collaboration among the employees. The reason for this is that most of the activities conducted are done as a group or team.
Employees get to know each other better and build strong bonds among them. It boosts employees’ creativity and teamwork in the workplace. It also builds a positive work environment, helps single people find more inspiration by improving their relationships from outside work.
A successful employee wellness program encourages staff to connect and participate in social events. If employees are having healthy social interactions at work they can enjoy what they do resulting in happier work life.
5. Improves employee retention rates
Employee wellness programs increase your ability to retain employees. Various surveys have reported that employees from companies that support wellness programs are more satisfied than their peers in those that haven’t implemented.
Having wellness at work program makes you stand out from your competitors. It helps your employees feel valued, appreciated, and that you care. Thus, they give their all to their work and become loyal to your brand.
Such employees are more likely to feel satisfied and will not want to leave their jobs in your organization.
6. It makes the recruitment of employees easy
If getting top talents working for you has been a challenge, try introducing wellness at work programs as part of your job offer. Today, job searchers are considering accepting only the offers that have health care benefits and encourage work-life balance.
Many employees check for the availability of these programs when searching for jobs to ensure that wherever they get one, their health needs are met.
The wellness programs strengthen your brand and allow you to set yourself apart from competitors in the labour market, thus attracting the most talented workers.
Having an employee wellness program also increases the number of employee referrals.
89% of employees at companies that have wellness programs are more likely to recommend their company to other job seekers. Start attracting talented workers by providing employees with wellness programs in your company.
7) Reduced health care costs
Are employee-related health care expenses becoming a burden to your financial budget? Consider implementing wellness at work program.
A successfully implemented plan will help you mitigate health care costs sought by employees due to various health issues.
Many studies have found out that investing in wellness programs for employees contribute an average ROI of $3.27. This amount is credited to the education of employees on ways to maintain good health, thus reducing claims for benefits on preventable illnesses.
8. Reduces elevated health risks
Aside from reducing healthcare costs, wellness at work programs reduce health risks. Several studies have evaluated the impact of these programs on elevated health risks. According to them, most of the participants of a wellness program improve their health risk status within one year.
Eating unhealthy foods and failing to engage in regular physical exercises are the leading causes of high blood pressure, blood glucose, and cholesterol.
Introducing employees’ wellness programs will promote healthy eating habits and lifestyle. Healthy employees bring about the success of your company.
9. Reduces the mental health stigma
With wellness at work programs, employees who experience mental health issues or work-related stress can improve their condition by participating. The program normalizes discussions on mental health, thus reducing the stigma associated with the issue.
Such employees can speak up when they are struggling. They can then get counselling and access online well-being resources.
Improving their working conditions will help them feel cared for, and can, therefore, remain productive even in stressful environments.
10. Reduces absenteeism
Regularly absent employees lead to a lot of work being left pending as well as missed appointments and deadlines.
It also results in other employees having to work under pressure to complete their tasks as well as those of their co-workers. In the end, this might reduce their productivity.
However, having a wellness program for employees can help you reduce the number of employees who are absent from work. They are less likely to take leave from work due to health issues caused by stress, overweight, cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, and many others.
Moreover, wellness programs promote safe health behaviours and a happy workforce. When employees are happier and have higher morale, their chances of being absent from work reduces.
11. Increases adaptability to change
When employees are engaged in wellness at work programs, they adapt to changes easily.
According to top researchers at Gallup, those who participated in wellness programs are 45% more likely to adapt to change than their counterparts who don’t have the opportunity to do so.
Many factors in an organization require a high level of adaptability. If you can improve the levels of your employees’ flexibility to change, you will be benefiting the company considerably.
As a result, no time will be wasted freaking and stressing out about shifting responsibilities. Whenever a new situation occurs, with no hesitation, your employees will be ready to rise to the occasion and save the day. As a result, the performance and productivity of the company will improve.
12. Influences your company’s culture positively
According to a study by Virgin Pulse, 85% of employees think the employee wellness program influences the company’s culture positively.
They build a culture based on trust, good relationships, and career development. It satisfies employees’ needs and creates a healthy worksite culture.
Conclusion
You now know why wellness at work programs is important. They provide a win-win situation for both the employer and employee.
If you have been considering implementing employee wellness programs in your company, you are on the right track. It will help you enjoy the benefits listed above and have a healthy workforce.
Although introducing the employee’s wellness programs will require a fortune initially, in the long run, it will bring high returns on investment and improve your company.
Help your business succeed by making your employees feel healthier, happier, valued, less stressed, and motivated to accomplish their goals with wellness at work programs.
Source: CareerMetis
