Corporate wellness has come a long way since the days of “Let’s stop using children in the mines” and “Maybe workers shouldn’t stick their hands into the machinery when it’s still running”. Nowadays, many businesses have realized the value in having a program in place that takes their employees’ health into account.
By facilitating a healthy lifestyle, companies stand a better chance of having employees who are more productive and have better morale. That means things like absenteeism and extended sick time drop, which in the long run is good for the company’s bottom line. Corporate wellness is an investment that pays off in time.
Yoga is another possible benefit offered in corporate wellness programs
According to “Do Corporate Wellness Programs Actually Benefit Employees?”, the Center for Disease Control says that “implementing health programs inside the workplace has become a vital piece of a healthy lifestyle.” But what does the concept of corporate wellness actually mean to your employees?
Corporate Wellness Program Defined
First of all, what constitutes a corporate wellness program? In most cases, it’s a series of voluntary programs, incentives, and practices that are meant to improve employee wellness. This includes things like reimbursing gym memberships, having healthier snack options in the cafeteria, weight control and smoking cessation programs, seminars and fairs, and health screenings.
The number of features of any given program depends on the size of the company. For instance, the company I work at offers partial reimbursement for gym memberships, weight loss and smoking cessation, and challenges throughout the year with things like running 5K’s or accumulating the most miles walked over a given period of time.
What It Can Mean To Employees
It’s easy for employees to dismiss corporate wellness programs as simply an attempt by businesses to make sure that they’re getting the most out of their workers, disguised as a “it’s for your own good and we care!” campaign.
Well, yes, of course companies are concerned about making sure that their employees are physically and mentally fit to do their jobs, and therefore they take fewer sick days. That’s just common sense and good business.
But just because these programs benefit the companies that promote doesn’t mean that employees aren’t getting something out of them as well. And that’s the main point that needs to be stressed; these programs DO help employees improve their quality of life, and those benefits are enjoyed 24/7/365, not just during work time.
Watching your weight, getting into shape, or keeping track of your vital numbers (blood pressure, heartrate, cholesterol) are all things that can be very difficult to consistently do by yourself. Let’s face it, it can be tedious and in many instances it just plain isn’t fun. But by turning health and wellness into a team effort, a company creates an atmosphere of “we’re all in this together!” and makes it easier for people to opt in.
Emphasizing the advantages of a healthier lifestyle, brought on in part through corporate wellness programs, is a surefire way of getting more people on board. After all, look at life insurance. Premiums drop for people who don’t smoke, have few pre-existing medical conditions, and keep their way under control. By taking full advantage of corporate wellness programs, employees can not only enjoy a better quality of life, they can also save money.
Bottom line, the more people are made aware that these programs benefit everyone, employee, executives, and owners alike, the more will join in.
Speaking of healthy lifestyles, check out “The Role Of Good Nutrition In Your Weight Loss.”