Workplace Wellness Programs: Benefits and Examples
Employee wellness and well-being have become a buzzword in the organisation world around the globe. Employers are ready to invest in the wellness quotient of their employees as it has a wide range of benefits. In this case, workplace wellness programs have become rapidly popular. However, most of the companies are new to this concept, it would be interesting to see if it becomes a necessity for the workplace.
In our opinion, corporate employee wellness programs will boom in the near future, as according to data Global Corporate Wellness Market is expected to reach a staggering $87.02 billion by 2027. Read further to know more about the types of workplace wellness programs, their benefits, examples, and return on investment.
What are Workplace Employee Wellness Programs?
Workplace wellness programs are often referred to as corporate employee wellness programs or employee well-being programs. In simple words, it is a set of initiatives in an organization to boost a healthy lifestyle among the employees. There is a wide range of initiatives such as physical wellness, mental health support, work-life balance, financial wellness, etc. We will be discussing all types of well-being programs for employees below.
Read Here: Lack of Wellbeing Data Might Be Hurting Your Businesses Success
Benefits of Corporate Wellness Programs
A well-designed employee wellness program can lead to a significant impact on the health, happiness, and productivity of the employees. A study published by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) showed a 5-12% increase in productivity due to employee wellness programs, also a significant increase in employee satisfaction. Let’s see how well-being programs for employees can help with:
- Increased Productivity: Physical well-being programs will ensure the promotion of healthy lifestyles among employees by tracking their optimal nutrition, sleep, and exercise.
- Boost Employee Morale: employee wellbeing programs help the employees to be in a positive emotional state, and make them feel valued. This leads to more driven employees in the workplace.
- Improve Retention: Promoting wellness in the workplace through these programs will help companies to retain their best employees. Wellness plans motivate the employees to work and to stay loyal to the company.
- Reduced Health Risks: The employee wellness programs usually make the employees adopt healthy habits such as exercising, eating healthier, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It significantly reduced the health risks of people.
- Strengthen Your Team: When the employees participate in a challenge or activities they feel more connected, hence it enhances their bonding. It facilitates team bonding, and teamwork improves. Here are 10 fun activities for employee engagement that you shouldn’t miss.
Examples of Workplace Wellness Programs
There are several examples of employee wellness programs provided by companies. Let’s take a look at them below:
Employee Assistance Programs
A 2022 survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation revealed that 80% of large firms offer wellness programs, with Employee Assistance Programs being a significant component. Here, the main focus is to support the emotional well-being of the employee. Counselling services and mentorship services are provided. It significantly helps employees who are going through depression, anxiety, or stress.
Fitness Activities
The National Association for Sports and Physical Education (NASPE) was surveyed in 2023, where it was found that 72% of employees are interested in participating in corporate fitness programs. This is mainly due to most of the work involves sitting in one place for long hours. With the help of fitness programs in the workplace, employees can indulge in various activities of their choice. It significantly reduces stress and improves their physical and mental health.
Flexible Work Schedules
In remote work setup, companies should definitely offer flexible working hours to the employees. It will cater diverse needs of the employees in the workplace. It will have a great impact on employee productivity, and satisfaction. Especially today, where work/life balance has become a trend, it is important to promote flexible work schedule programs.
Financial Wellness Programs
Apart from keeping track of the emotional, and physical well-being of the employees, it is equally important to address employees’ financial well-being. By offering planning tools, insurance, and retirement plans companies can encourage their workforce to make better financial planning. With these kinds of workplace wellness programs, companies can surely reduce the financial stress of employees, and promote a secure work environment.
Team-Building Programs
Team building activities in the workplace are instrumental in fostering social well-being among employees. It creates a sense of belonging in the workplace. For example, employees can be part of various challenges, and activities, and integrate healthy practices into the work culture. Apart from strengthening team bonds, these programs will also promote shared well-being among employees.
How to Conduct Employee Wellness Programs at the Workplace?
As we have mentioned the benefits of wellness programs for employees, it’s time to plan a successful program for your company. These are the best practices you need to consider to come up with a solid design for your next wellness program.
- Take Employees’ Opinion: Conduct an internal survey in your company to get ideas about the wellness activities your employees are interested in. Make sure the programs satisfy the goal of your employees, and help in improving both physical and mental well-being.
- Offer Rewards: The best way to motivate your employees to participate in wellness programs is by offering rewards, and incentives. These rewards will be for the employees who achieve wellness goals.
- Choose a Leader: To run the program smoothly, ensure to choose a leader. The leader will work as per the objective of the management starting from planning to executing.
- Measure Success: After completion of the employee wellness program, don’t forget to measure the results. See if the goal has been achieved. For example, if the goal was to promote healthy lifestyles among employees, then have one-on-one conversations, and come up with a survey to measure the program’s success.
Promote Workplace Employee Wellness with CHOYS
Ensuring workplace wellbeing for employees is not a tough task at all. With the right planning a strategy you could achieve it, which would contribute significantly to your business growth. However, to make this process a lot easier, you can always take the help of CHOYS.
CHOYS aims to promote the well-being of employees at the workplace by providing a wide range of tools, and services. With CHOYS benefits you can take care of all four pillars of wellbeing that includes, physical, mental, social, and financial. Here is how CHOYS can help:
- Easily set up fitness goals and track activities.
- Receive rewards upon achieving the target.
- Get the best deals on employee Insurance
Want to know more? Contact us today!
Schedule a demo today to see how our solution can assist you in promoting well-being and unlocking your employees' full potential.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What is in a wellness program?
A: A wellness program comprises initiatives that are designed to improve the overall well-being of an individual. In the workplace, wellness programs aim to take care of four pillars of the well-being of employees which include, physical, financial, mental, and social well-being.
Q: Why are employee wellness programs important?
A: The employee wellness programs can lead to Increased Productivity and improved Physical, Mental, and emotional well-being of the employees. Due to this companies can reduce healthcare costs, increase retention rates, and get the best out of each employee.
Q: Is a workplace wellness program required if my team is small?
A: Yes, taking care of employees’ well-being in the workplace is crucial even if the team size is small. It can have a significant impact on a team’s performance and productivity.
Q: What kind of workplace wellness programs should I choose for my employees?
A: Opting for the right corporate employee wellness program depends on various factors such as team size, needs, and budget. However, the most commonly opted programs are physical wellness programs and mental wellness programs.
Q: How to motivate employees to participate in wellness programs?
A: Come up with a design in which the majority of the employees are interested. Ask for personal opinions to make it more engaging, and interesting. Don’t forget to add rewards for the winners of the programs to keep them motivated throughout.
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