Posted by Employer Wellness | Posted in Employer Wellness | Posted on 26-08-2010
Small business wellness programs are catching on. A well-designed wellness program can increase productivity, boost morale and vitality, reduce stress, reduce absenteeism, and control preventable healthcare costs within an organization.
The beauty of it is that you’re simply assisting employees to make smart choices so the costs of beginning a wellness program are minimal compared to the benefits.
Worker health is a major concern for small company owners. In a small shop, even a few sick employees can disrupt the flow of the workplace and bring the operation to a standstill.
Instead of sitting back and hoping for the best, some owners are taking the matter of staff member health into their own hands by starting staff member wellness programs. Here’s how they work . . .
Overview of staff member wellness programs
Staff Member wellness programs are programs initiated by the corporation to improve the overall health of their labor force and to help individual employees overcome specific health-related hurdles.
These programs could be offered in a selection of formats – In mandatory staff training sessions, as voluntary seminars, or through a third-party provider offering a wide-range of employee assistance programs.
In every case, notwithstanding, the corporation foots the bill for the programs because an investment in worker health is a company investment that directly impacts the corporation’s bottom line.
Why offer staff member wellness programs?
Apart from the apparent concern for the health of your workers, there are a few other reasons why staff member wellness programs make sense for small businesses. Right off the bat, your business will benefit from the lowered level of absenteeism that goes hand in hand with a healthy workforce.
Wellness programs will also reduce the number of injuries that occur in the workplace, not just from accidents, but also from repetitive motion and other recurring sources.
Since even a minor blip in worker attendance can have a large impact on a small business, a more reliable workforce will inevitably translate into a smoother work cycle and a more robust bottom line.
Wellness Program Features
Wellness programs can cover a wide range of health-related topics. Based on your employees’ needs, it’s entirely up to you to determine the type of programming you want to offer.
However, most employee wellness programs offer some at least some programs in the following areas –
• Nutrition. Diet can significantly impact an employee’s ability to do their job effectively. Nutritional programs educate staff members about food options and equip them to make healthy dietary options.
• Physical Fitness. In addition to diet, exercise is an important factor in a healthy lifestyle. Wellness programs frequently provide employees with opportunities to incorporate exercise into their daily lives.
• Tobacco use Cessation. Statistics prove that smokers tend to fall ill more frequently than their non-tobacco use colleagues. Since sick workers disrupt the workplace, tobacco use cessation programs are a no-brainer for both corporations and workers.
• Physiological Testing. Many businesss offer physiological as a regular part of their wellness programs. Cholesterol tests, blood pressure (BP) screenings, and other simple exams can provide early warning signs for more serious problems.
• Stress Management. Stress itself takes a toll on staff members. However, stress is also linked to other health problems such as depression, cardiovascular illness, diabetes, and obesity. Wellness programs that help staff members deal with stress improve not only the psychological health of your staff members, but their physical health as well.