What is Workplace Wellness?
Workplace wellness refers to the
education and activities that a worksite may do to promote healthy lifestyles
for employees and their families. Examples of wellness initiatives include such
things as health education classes, subsidised use of fitness facilities,
internal policies that promote healthy behaviour, and any other activities,
policies or environmental changes that affect the health of employees.
Why Workplace Wellness?
It affects your company’s bottom
line in many ways. Namely, workplace wellness can help control costs, increase
productivity, reduce workplace accidents and staff turnover, decrease
absenteeism and raise employee morale. Because employees spend many of their waking
hours at work, the workplace is an ideal setting to address health and wellness
issues.
Wellness programmes help control private
medical insurance costs. For
organisations that offer private medical insurance, health care costs are a
significant portion of a company’s budget, so strategically targeting this
expense can significantly benefit an employer’s bottom line. An investment in
your employees' health may lower costs or slow the cost increases. Employees
with more health risk factors, including being overweight, smoking and having
diabetes, cost more to insure and pay more for health care than people with
fewer risk factors.
Healthier employees are more
productive. Research
shows that workplaces with wellness programmes have employees who are more
productive at work.
Healthier employees miss less work. Healthier employees mean fewer sick
days, which is another benefit companies generally achieve through wellness
programmes. Plus, employees’ healthier behaviour may translate into better
family choices, so employees may also miss less work caring for ill family
members. Reduced absenteeism can create significant cost savings and return on
your wellness investment.
Wellness programmes can reduce
employers’ liability costs. Employees
who make healthy changes and lower health risk factors often have a lower
chance of a workplace injury or illness or a disability. In both cases, this
can save the employer money, not just on insurance, but also the replacement
cost of recruiting and training a new worker to replace one out of work for
health reasons.
Wellness can create higher morale
and improve recruiting. A
company that cares about its employees' health is often seen as a better place
to work and wellness programmes can attract top talent in a competitive market.
In addition, expressing a commitment to your employees’ health can improve
employee morale and strengthen retention. Employees can experience many
potential benefits after joining a wellness programme, including:
• Increased well-being, self-image and
self-esteem
• Improved coping skills with stress or
other health factors
• Reduced risk for developing chronic or
life threatening conditions
• Easier access to health improvement
programmes and convenience can increase motivation to improve health
• Improved overall health
• Access to needed social support, as
co-workers strive towards healthier lifestyles as well
• Improved job satisfactions
• Safer and more productive work
environment
Employees
who experience these positive changes and benefits will often feel more loyalty
to the company and grateful for the company’s commitment to their health.
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