Wellness has recently risen to the top of HR leaders' agenda. There is a lot of thought around why workplace wellness programmes are essential for a business's overall growth. But everything has been from the employees' point of view as to why it is necessary and should be done. But for a company with no experience in the area, implementing the program without prior knowledge might become a little challenging.
In today's business world, it appears there are more employee programs available than ever before. The global corporate wellness market was evaluated at 52.8 billion dollars in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.0% from 2021 to 2028. Such perks are becoming the norm for most businesses, whether volunteering, mentorship, or health and wellness programs.
Employees are looking beyond paychecks and vacation plans regarding company benefits. They want to work for a corporation that cares about its employees' well-being. Therefore, employee Health and Wellness programs need to be a priority for companies because of the positive benefits for employees and employers. Read on to find out how you can implement effective wellness programs for your company:
What are Employee Wellness Programs?
Employee wellness programs are a set of workplace benefits and activities that are intended to improve or maintain the health of a company's employees. These programs have become more engaging, varied, and well-rounded programs that focus on the whole well-being of the employee and can provide significant benefits for the employer.
89% of workers at companies that support well-being initiatives are more likely to recommend their company as an excellent workplace. Wellness programs can benefit employers by:
- Lowering health care costs.
- Reducing absenteeism.
- Achieving higher employee productivity.
- Reducing workers' compensation and disability-related costs.
- Reducing injuries.
- Improving employee morale and loyalty.
Because of the ever-increasing costs of health insurance and the importance of employee health, employers should consider implementing a well-thought-out wellness program that benefits the employee's health and the employer's bottom line.
Incorporating Wellness at Workplace
Listed below are a few ways that might help you in getting your employee wellness program kick-started:
Spread Awareness Internally
Awareness is the most outstanding agent for change —everything you want to do starts with creating awareness. Starting health campaigns in the organization takes a lot of effort initially. And the main challenge here is motivating the employees to look closely at their health. You can do this via health awareness campaigns by sending health newsletters and articles daily to their emails as a part of workplace health promotion activities.
Build Engagement
Design programs that speak to people's interests and needs. Employees are more likely to participate in a wellness program or activity with a social component, like a progress board or chat room, for updates and motivational messages. Research reveals that employees are also 33 times more likely to partake in a wellness program when offered meaningful incentives.
Celebrate Wins
Everyone likes to celebrate what they have accomplished, it gives a sense of fulfillment and achievement, and most importantly, it gives the courage to accept future endeavors and tasks. Acknowledge their extra time and extra efforts, don't just let them go ignored. Offer rewards, and they need not be monetary or something extravagant. Empower your employees with unmatched benefits and rewards through Sodexo Premium Pass. When employees feel involved, they will not only work to the extent required but will go the extra mile, put in more effort, and come up with new ideas.
Communicate and Check-in with Employees
Communication is essential to marketing the program and ensuring participation. Therefore, it is practical to utilize communication to create a social culture where well-being is valued. Furthermore, it is of utmost importance to check in with employees regularly, allowing them to talk and share their feelings with an approachable attitude. Ultimately, the best practice for introducing wellness into your workplace is asking your people what they want for an optimum work-life balance and combining that with what the company needs to create a program that benefits them.
A healthy workplace is genuinely achieved when there is a direct participation in programs with learning and development for employees that improve their well-being. Therefore, embracing a proper workplace wellness program is vital for ensuring a healthy workplace. Thus, implementing an effective employee wellness program has now become the need of the hour. Sodexo is a leading Digital Employee Fitness and Wellness Benefit solution provider that offers Sodexo's range of employee benefit solutions designed to positively impact the lives and businesses of clients, consumers, and merchant partners.
