In any business, success is always directly linked to the wellbeing and happiness of employees – businesses are only ever as good as the people that work for them. When corporate wellness, or employee wellbeing, becomes a top priority for companies then success soon follows.
Starting out as “employee perks”, corporate wellness programs are now increasingly common in company’s benefits packages. In fact, it is now a huge part of attracting future employees to these companies.
The benefits of corporate wellness programs are extensive for both businesses and their employees, so we will pick out just 5 of the top benefits resulting from wellbeing and health culture.
Definitions of Corporate Wellness Programs
Corporate wellness programs are designed to encourage healthier lifestyle choices in the workplace, generally covering any workplace activity or policy that supports the health and wellbeing of employees.
When first approaching corporate wellness, the broadness of the topic can be daunting for companies. Often businesses find it difficult to know which areas of health and wellbeing to invest in.
Each company can break it down any way that works for them, the basics being:
- Career
- Social
- Financial
- Physical
- Community
- Mental
No matter the approach, emphasis should always be on the wellbeing of the employee – from there, company success will follow!
Each employee’s wellbeing is critical in achieving a company’s overall goals and mission. Corporate wellness can act as an influential way to educate employees on the importance of healthy habits and wellbeing goals, creating a full circle of health and success.
What are the top 5 benefits of corporate wellness?
The list of how corporate wellness programs can benefit both employees and businesses are long and overflowing. So, here is just 5 of the top benefits.
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Employee retention & recruitment
Having a good support system in place attracts future employees, where 87% of employees consider health and wellness offerings when choosing where to work. Having wellness programs to help employees work towards personal goals increases loyalty and makes employees feel valued and appreciated.
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Greater productivity & engagement
Establishing a wellness culture through group health activities makes employees feel more connected to the company. Companies showing that they care about their employees will in return receive an increase in morale, motivation, and productivity. Increasing health can reduce absenteeism, boost job satisfaction, and reduce presenteeism.
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Lowers elevated health risks
By keeping on top of, and monitoring, employee’s general health, wellness programs can reduce the risk of every day health threats. Companies can promote an active lifestyle, healthier diet, alcohol and tobacco avoidance. This reduces the risk of diseases e.g., high blood sugar, high blood pressure, high cholesterol.
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Reduced stress
Corporate wellness plans that target mental wellbeing often promote mindfulness programs. These can reduce stress levels, improve sleep quality, improve memory and focus, reduce extreme emotional reactions, improve adaptability (Gallup survey found 45% of employees engaged at work were more adaptable to change).
These factors are becoming increasingly important in the workplace, with companies looking for employees that can adapt to any situation without stress and worry.
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Reduced costs
By providing preventative health services for employees, businesses can lower their overall outgoing healthcare costs. Examples of preventative services can be frequent check-ups, chiropractic support, or health screenings.
Another way they reduce overall costs is through programmes addressing employee health behaviour. Behavioural change through education, skills, encouragement, and social support help employees adopt and maintain healthy habits. In the long run, this prevents health conditions caused by smoking, substance abuse, or poor diet.
How have companies adopted corporate wellness programs?
Many companies have implemented corporate wellness into their structure. Google is known for their extensive wellness programs, as seen on their page “How we care for Googlers”. The page is broken down into clear sections outlining their employee wellness scheme:
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“Support your loved ones”
Parental leave policies, retirement savings, death benefits, even bring your dog to work!
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“Live a healthy life”
Access to healthcare, onsite wellness/healthcare services (physicians, chiropractic, physical therapy), onsite fitness centres & classes, nutritious meals, and snacks
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“Give back”
Opportunities for charity work
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“Enjoy quality time”
Flexibility on holiday and “flex your workday” around personal and business needs
- “Manage your finances”
- “Invest in you”
Personal and professional development e.g., “onsite coding or cooking classes, degree programs, or the guitar lessons you’ve been meaning to take”
As seen from Google, corporate wellness programs can be adapted to suit the goals and mission of any company. For example, Netflix has more of a focus on a comfortable and relaxed work environment so they offer unlimited time off to employees where they can take holiday with little notice and no questions asked.
Wellbeing and Engage
The influence of corporate wellness programs on overall wellbeing is obvious. A full wellness program helps employees achieve aspirations and goals, making them feel cared for and accepted in a workforce. In return, employees improving their health creates higher productivity, morale, and stronger wellbeing.
So really, it can be a win-win situation for everyone! However, each wellness scheme must be tailored to company and individual needs, so these differ from each business.
At Engage Health Group, we specialise in certain aspects of corporate wellness – basic numbers, health screenings, employee assistance programs, educational workshops, mental resilience, and so on. Find out more on how we can help you tailor corporate wellness to fit your company.
Contact us through Engage Health Group where we give free no-obligation advice and support and discover more on the benefits of corporate wellness programs.
