How to Promote Health and Wellness at the Workplace
Kundan Pandey
Corporate health and wellness is indeed a new theme in the employee management models that aim to boost productivity and performance at the workplace. Here are some ideas on how to promote this concept.
Employees are the biggest asset for any organization. Their holistic health plays a notable role in the success of a firm. Initiatives aimed at health and wellness have become a norm for today's organizations owing to the increasing job stress and workload.
The increasing complexity of business has compelled many companies to include wellness programs in their strategy so that employees can achieve a healthy work-life balance. Let's look at some tips which would help your promotional campaign.
Introduce Fairs and Workshops
The management can introduce various schemes, incentives, and other health related activities to foster the spirit of wellness among the employees. This can be done through various means as mentioned here:
Organize workshops on themes such as 'nutrition day,' 'health day,' and 'healthy cooking demonstration day' for making the staff aware about healthy living.
Conduct seminars on stress management and natural ways to boost mental health.
Offer massage or spa vouchers on a periodical basis.
Invite the members of local fitness clubs to conduct sessions and lectures on fitness improvement.
Explain the crucial role of ergonomics in ensuring a safe work environment.
Offer health drinks and eatables, instead of the commonly served fast food, in the cafeteria.
Spread Awareness
The chief component of such programs is to educate your employees about the various ways in which they can remain healthy and fit. Some of the important things that you must make them aware about are:
Value of breakfast in the daily eating regime.
Encourage them to participate in physical activity and develop exercising as a hobby.
Drinking clean and potable water.
Possible complications of an unhealthy diet.
Nutritional information: posting banners near the canteen, water coolers, and vending machines.
Other initiatives that can be taken up are:
Arrange health experts and psychologists for employees so that they can go for free checkups or consultations.
Allow employees to be flexible with their work timings; however, ensure that the quality of work is maintained.
Provide safety kits and driving tips to employees.
Benefits
Some corporate magazines carried startling statistics about the success of these programs. Yes, these ideas have immensely benefited the employees and they have shown great response to the health care initiatives that have been arranged for them.
Surprisingly, employees found that they were able to cut their health care costs significantly once they started to attend such company-sponsored programs. Here are some of its tangible benefits and that's the reason why corporates are doing their best to involve their employees in such initiatives:
Reduction in the health care costs of the company and a healthier workforce.
Counseling of employees having the habit of excessive drinking or smoking.
Increased emotional intelligence of the employees.
A decrease in the number of leave applications and higher productivity.
Increased awareness about one's health.
Instilling a sense of trust among the employees that the firm takes adequate care of them.