Office Wellness
Office Wellness
The new year is officially under way, and with it comes a whole new 12 months worth of possibilities and opportunities for you, your company, and your employees. With each new year comes resolutions to set and goals for us to reach. The most common resolutions are usually either financial, or health based. From saving money to losing pounds, or for those ambitious employees, a little bit of both. Why should you take interest in the New Year’s Resolutions of your employees? Because you can benefit from them as well, while also benefitting your employees. There is an undeniable connection between productivity and health. It’s simple logic, a healthy employee can do more with a more positive outlook, so why not give your employees some incentive to keep with their resolutions?
How do you do This?
There is a multitude of ways you can implement a wellness program, and no one way is universally effective. This is because every company is different, and a wellness plan needs to be tailored to it’s employees and their needs. Especially when you consider the physical needs of different work environments. Office jobs, for instance, don’t generally offer a lot of physical activity, whereas construction sites offer an abundance of it. You can also choose how extensive your wellness program is. Some companies will do the basics, offering health screenings and resources for learning how to live healthy. Some companies will go all out, offering incentives for improving your health, creating health events outside of work, and encouraging physical activities such as walking or visiting the gym.
One thing to remember when implementing a wellness program, however, is that it has to be inviting, not intimidating. You can not force an employee to live a healthier lifestyle. You have to invite them to do so. Making it a requirement, or punishing an employee because they don’t take part in the program will cause completely polar effects to the intended goal. Make it simple to take part in the wellness program. Don’t make it an obligation, rather let them use it at their own pace. This doesn’t mean you can’t try and motivate an employee to join it of course.
What is Wellness Though?
When you think of Wellness, what comes to mind? Is it working out and building some muscle, or maybe eating a healthy salad instead of a greasy burger? Many people think of the physical body when it comes to wellness. While that is a major part of it, there is much more involved. Wellness incorporates all parts of the human experience, meaning Physical, Mental, Emotional, and for some, even Spiritual. These are all for the most part, connected however. Studies show that people who are physically healthy tend to have a more positive state of mind and emotion. Emotionally positive people tend to get out more and be more active. Physical fitness can also boost confidence, which in turn, can make someone feel emotionally stronger as well.
Wellness on a spiritual level is best left to the individual. Some find spiritual wellness in churches, some by meditating in the woods, and some don’t believe in it at all. To refrain from conflict between ideas, it is best to focus only on physical, mental, and emotional, and leave spiritual journeys to the employee.
How does this Benefit the Company?
A happy employee is a productive employee, and a happy employee is oftentimes, a healthy one. Physically, mentally, and emotionally fit employees can work for longer, with more stamina and more focus. They tend to be happier and can help raise morale in the office. They tend to be more outgoing and can inspire other employees to try and live healthier lives. Not to mention smiles are contagious. That’s not just a saying, some studies have shown smiling around others can inspire them to smile as well. Other studies have shown that by simply smiling, you can improve your mood.
A wellness program that allows employees to work together is also a team building exercise. It lets employees operate together outside of a pure work environment. They can support each other on their path to better health, and socialize while they work out.
It also helps to attract new employees to your business. Individuals with a certain skill set can be highly sought after in a market, giving them room to choose a company. Often times the four factors that pull an applicant to you is pay scale, benefits, location, and environment. While you can’t really do much for location, unless you have a plan for moving an entire building across town to please an applicant, a wellness program can add to the benefits and environment parts. Pair them with other benefits such as health insurance and vacation pay, and your company goes to the top of the list for the applicant.
How far should you go with your wellness plan? That depends on your employees and what your company can comfortably accommodate. When reviewing the possibility of a wellness program, let a Port Orange Payroll Company like Vision H.R. supply you with in depth payroll reports, so you have all the numbers you need. Don’t wait, the time to start is today. Otherwise, tomorrow will become next month and next month will become December.
