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There are a lot of moving parts to a robust workplace wellness program. You may have to start small and build your program piece by piece. But eventually, you’ll want a program that covers all these bases.
Ok, you might be wondering ‘What Wellness Program’? But, even if you are at the stage of giving fruits every Wednesday, that’s a great start! We believe the following will simply help you get better at it.
Cause in principle I think we all agree that a healthier workplace, can bring out the best in your people!!
√ Prioritize physical fitness
The cornerstone of a complete wellness program includes keeping bodies fit and strong. This can happen in several ways:
- Gym passes
- Personal trainers
- Fitness challenges
- Team sports
- Wearables (like a FitBit)
- Incentives for biking to work
√ Address chronic conditions
Achieving a regular habit of physical fitness might be determined by workers’ current physical conditions. For some, addressing lifelong habits or other chronic conditions is where the first focus should be. A program for employees dealing with bigger health issues can help them turn their health around. Provide resources for issues like these:
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Metabolic syndrome
- Obesity
- Smoking
√ Reduce mental stress
A well-rounded wellness program will address the mind as well as the body. And as we’re discovering more and more, the mind and the body aren’t separate from each other: a frantic, stressed out mind, and a body full of tension and injuries go hand-in-hand. Address emotional and mental health with resources like these:
- Guided meditation groups
- Mental health support
- Mindfulness training and practice
√ Improve nutrition and diet
We all know that the fuel that keeps our bodies going is just as important as physical fitness. Make it easier on employees by encouraging healthy eating habits at home and at the office:
- Water vs. soda
- Meal planning help from a nutritionist
- Food allergy testing
- Replace vending machines snacks with fruits, veggies, and nuts
- Cooking demonstrations to help create healthy meals at home
√ Be proactive about wellness
The best cure is prevention! And lucky for us, we’re living in a time when we have more options than ever to keep illness and injury at bay.
For employers, it makes financial sense to ensure employees are healthy and safe on the job. It saves a ton of money in worker’s compensation claims as well as an employee’s absence due to a work-related injury.
- In-office massage reduces carpal tunnel syndrome, headaches, repetitive motion injuries and general stress and fatigue
- Ergonomics keeps work stations safe and reduces risk of developing work-related injuries
√ Get everyone involved
This really should be rule #1. Before developing an office wellness program, ask employees what they want and what they would use. Maybe everyone has a gym they already love and aren’t interested in the new gym passes you’re giving out.
Or maybe you’re putting tons of money in a huge smoking cessation program, only to find out very few of your employees smoke.
It’s a drastic example (hopefully you know more about your employees in the first place), but it makes a point. There’s no sense in building a wellness program that no one will use.
