With big changes happening in the workforce and employees expecting more from their employers than ever before, many savvy business owners and leaders are beginning to incorporate wellness programs to offer employees incentives and to improve the work environment overall.
Research programs with proven results.
If you’re considering adding a wellness program to your company, you likely know that your employees’ mental health and overall wellbeing can add up to increased productivity, lower absenteeism, and improved working conditions. However, to learn more about how these programs can work, you’ll want to start with Wellable.co.
Wellable.co is an employee wellness program that directly integrates with the leading consumer wellness apps and wearable devices. Wellable allows employers to create wellness experiences that address the specific needs and objectives of their organization. In taking a closer look at programs like this, you’ll have a fantastic foundation to understand the many options out there when ti comes to employee wellness programs.
Consider your employee lifestyles and habits.
One way to know what type of wellness program your employees might most benefit from is to consider their routines and habits. If you’re like most employers, you likely know many of your employees’ interests, goals, and dreams outside the office.
For example, maybe you’ve noticed that many of your employees gravitate toward soy milk and salads in the break room. Perhaps you’ve seen the best vegan mayo constantly being reached for at lunch. If you have employees who are vegan, vegetarian, or who are working on their own toward healthy dietary habits, they might enjoy a wellness program that would involve speakers on vegan living, cooking, and more. Many companies have great luck with networking with area chefs for cooking demonstrations and employee morale has gone up just by employees enjoying time together away from ordinary work with events like healthy taste tests.
Ask employees what they’d most benefit from.
After looking at other programs and taking note of your employees’ interests, it’s a good idea to ask them directly what they’d most benefit from. Perhaps you have employees worried about heart disease, their health plan, or their cholesterol. Maybe you have people working for you who are distracted by mental health concerns for their spouse. Or maybe you have staff who’d enjoy a regular fitness challenge. The best way to find out is to ask.
Keep an open mind about possibilities.
While you may have very different health goals than those that your employees request you help them with, it’s important to keep an open mind when planning a wellness plan unique to your business. Not only will this show employees you’re paying attention, but it will make you more open to suggestions along the way. Employee wellness programs can change as you get feedback. What starts off as free gym memberships could one day change to an incentive program for overall health. Being open-minded about options and changes will make for a stronger program down the road.
In the end, the best way to design a program that will work for everyone is to be willing to experiment with options for your wellness program. Whether you spend time focused on dietary habits and physical health or you decide to incorporate a mental health-based plan, there are no wrong answers. Your employees will know you care simply in your willingness to consider incorporating a wellness program aimed at helping them be their best selves. The best part is that your company will do better for it; retaining employees longer, meeting employee expectations, and garnering positive productivity results.