The sedentary nature of work can be detrimental to an employee's health. So how can we address this situation, allowing workers to become more productive and enjoy a healthy lifestyle? Promoting and implementing ways to enhance health and well-being in the workplace is not just an investment for employees, but also for employers. Implementing a wellness program in the workplace can promote productivity and job retention.
Assess The Health Risks Of Employees
Research has shown that 80% of employers using a wellness program assess employees through health risk evaluations, questionnaires, and physical examinations to identify prevalent issues. With this information, employers can create personalized preventive plans, which are more effective than generalized education and information.
These plans include primary prevention for employees, considering risk factors leading to chronic diseases. Secondary prevention is also included, which is used to improve disease management among employees with chronic conditions, such as arthritis, asthma, or diabetes. The preventive care provided by employers reduces the need for health insurance (e.g. coverage for illnesses, surgeries, etc.) and thus reduces health costs for each employee.
Providing Healthy Snacks
Remove the temptation. If there are soft drinks and sweets in the vending machine or donuts for breakfast, employees are forced to either bring their own healthy food or succumb to an unhealthy diet. Employers could discuss with employees the benefits of a healthy diet, as well as conduct a survey to identify their favorite choices and dietary habits.
By replacing soft drinks with water and sweets with cereal bars, you contribute to promoting a healthy work environment by reducing the available options for quick snacks. Open communication with employees regarding changing dietary habits and education about healthy alternatives to common snacks helps facilitate the transition while simultaneously creating a health-focused environment.
Gym Memberships
Rewards and benefits are excellent techniques for increasing motivation in the workplace. These techniques can also promote health and well-being by providing benefits such as gym, spa, or yoga memberships. On-site gym facilities allow employees to exercise together and more frequently, thus creating an improved working environment. Offering group classes that educate employees about the benefits of exercise and nutrition before or after work provides them with an incentive to be at work and enjoy it.
Companies like Google offer on-site gym services, while Microsoft has a budget for employees to access comprehensive wellness services at gyms. Physical well-being is linked to productivity, and offering perks such as gym memberships helps retain and maintain employees.
Access to Counselors, Nurses, and Office Ergonomics
In addition to promoting group well-being, providing more personalized choices for employees is equally important and beneficial. Employees can benefit from 24-hour access to communication services with nurses and doctors, where they can address personal health questions, concerns, or even seek help. Health counseling services are a convenient method of private communication, via phone or internet, where health professionals can speak with employees about symptoms, illnesses, and diseases. In this way, a workplace wellness program provided by the employer can offer options on a personal level.
Ergonomic implementation contributes to the adjustment of the employee. A simple definition of ergonomics in the workplace could be the science that deals with the design and organization of the work environment, where people can easily and safely adjust. Recognizing and selecting the best chairs, desks, lighting, colors, and spatial layout significantly benefit employees, as all these aspects concern their safety and comfort.
Benefits of a Healthy Workplace Environment
Employers may wonder why it is important to invest in an employee's health and well-being. If they provide a healthy work environment, they can expect multiple benefits. What are these benefits?
Less Absenteeism At Work
A healthy work environment can lead employees to be absent less frequently. Studies have shown that the likelihood of absenteeism during working days decreases by 18%-32%.
Reduce health benefit costs. Although it should not be the primary reason why an employer uses a wellness program in the workplace, most companies that provide wellness services to their employees note a significant reduction in health benefit costs for their workforce.
Increase employee satisfaction. Regular evaluations and surveys of employees show that wellness programs increase job satisfaction. This includes more effective teamwork, better communication, and improved efficiency in the employee's position.
Greater job retention. Hiring new employees is time-consuming and expensive. Retaining the same employees is quite beneficial for a company. If employers treat their employees well, offering them benefits and a comprehensive wellness program, employees will have more motivation to stay in their job position.
Improve productivity. Supporting and investing in employee health directly correlates with their productivity. Healthy employees will perform better, and ultimately, they will love their work environment.
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