When you think about corporate wellness programs what comes to mind? Many people think of tech companies in the 2010s with meditation rooms, napping pods, flexible workspaces, and kitchenettes full of snacks.

Since then, meaningful wellness programs have evolved and nowadays effective employee wellness programs focus on supporting workers’ autonomy, mental health, and overall well-being. 

In my humble opinion, effective wellness programs should aim their focus beyond physical health to encompass overall well-being. We tend to focus a lot on what to eat and how much we train, but we often forget some other important factors that play a main role in our health, such as our sleep hygiene, our mental health and the way we face stress and daily problems.

This is why, for example, I wrote the 30 Days Well-Being Planner created to help you build a thriving lifestyle with tips that can be applied at the workplace and at home.

And before you continue reading, you can also request HERE your free stretching routine to do at your desk!

But wait, exactly why do companies need a Corporate Wellness Program?

The most successful companies know that employee well-being is not a “nice to have.” It is a foundational layer of high-performing workforces . It is a also a crucial factor in a long list of business outcomes, including healthcare costs, productivity, retention, safety, absenteeism, collaboration and company culture

For instance, according to the American Psychological Association (APA), 91% of workers at companies led by leaders that support well-being efforts say they feel motivated to do their best at their jobs. Similarly, the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP) noted that, among employers offering wellness programs, 67% reported increased employee satisfaction, 66% reported increased productivity, 63% reported increased financial sustainability and growth, and 50% reported decreased absenteeism.

Furthermore, according to Forbes Magazine, companies that emphasize worker’s well-being will likely attract higher-quality talent, enjoy higher retention and see increases in productivity.

Three main reasons why a Corporate Wellness Program is a necessary step towards achieving the organization’s strategic objectives. 

1) Wellness Programs Improve Productivity

Poor employee productivity can be defined as physically being at work but not working at optimal performance. This type of poor productivity is sometimes called presenteeism. This phenomenon could have many causes. Some causes are associated with the operation and management of the work system, while others arise from poor lifestyle choices and behavior. For example, it has been recognized that humans need between 7-9 hours of sleep each night to assure adequate rest and optimal performance. Unfortunately, according to the Center for Disease Control in the USA, 35.2% of all adults in the United States sleep less than seven hours a night on average (https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/data_statistics.html) . Sleep amount/quality is only one  example of how some unhealthy habits can potentially degrade performance at work. Other unhealthy habits in/outside work can decrease worker performance including nutrition, physical activity , stress management and the mentioned disruption on sleep sleep .   

2) Wellness Programs Can Decrease Absenteeism

Worksites with comprehensive wellness programs can experience reduced absenteeism for a variety of reasons:

1. Employees with good health behaviors have lower absenteeism.
2. Employees who can control their stress have lower absenteeism.
3. Employees with healthy blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose have lower absenteeism.
4. Employees who are not overweight or obese have lower absenteeism.

By decreasing absenteeism, the overall organizational performance can be increased. This is because there is a clear link between workers’ health, productivity and organizational performance.  For example, some statistics from the American Institute of Stress show that 83% of U.S. employees suffer from work-related stress, resulting in a loss of up to $300 billion per year for U.S. businesses.

The figure below shows a group of benefits associated with a corporate wellness program—both from the point of view of the employees and the point of view of the employers. This briefly summarizes the potential impact of our services on your company.

3) Wellness Programs promote healthy lifestyle habits among employees and Reduce Indirect Health Care Costs

The core of every good wellness program is behavior change. With the right education, skills, motivation and social support, people can change their behavior. Incorporating healthy habits can positively impact employee’s well-being and can help them feel more focused and productive through the workday.

The figure below shows the interventional nature of unhealthy behaviors and organizational effects in terms of increased indirect health care costs.  These indirect costs arise as losses in productivity: decrease in performance, presenteeism, absenteeism and high turnover among others. 

SUMMARY

Wellness has been at the top of mind for many employers, creating opportunities for employees and practitioners alike. No doubt these offerings will continue to grow as workers and leaders evolve what meaningful wellness feels like and means.

A healthy lifestyle is not about restrictions or hard workouts, but rather about 3 important questions:

1. Can I sustain these habits forever?
2. Can I eat things I love and do workouts I enjoy?
3. Is living this way affecting my mental health in any way?

One simple habit you can incorporate is a series of stretches you can do at your job, at any time of the day. To do so, just follow this simple guide.

Contact me now to start crafting a wellness program for your company.