Let us start with the obvious – What are employee wellness programs?
Simply put, these are programs undertaken by an organization to improve the health and overall well-being of its employees.
So, the question that then arises is –
Why are employee wellness programs needed?
Employees are an inextricable part of any organization. Their performance has a large impact on how well a company does in the long run. This is because the health and wellness of employees have a direct bearing on the financial standing of a company.
Many employers understand the importance of this and for the same reason invest money in such programs. These programs can include gym memberships, better snack options, or even smoking cessation benefits.
On the surface, it may appear as if companies invest in employee wellness programs to ensure that employees don’t miss work as often, as healthy employees mean lower healthcare and health cover subscriptions, which is true.
However, there is more to this story than meets the eye. An increasing number of companies are now beginning to realize that employee wellness programs do not just mean improving the physical health of the employees. This is because other aspects such as financial strain and child care concerns, among others, can also hinder employees from attaining their best levels at work.
Employee wellness programs that are designed bearing in mind the overall well-being of the employee are a lot more than just memberships to country clubs and financial perks.
What are these? Let’s find out
Flexible Working Hours
While many startups and other young organizations have accepted this trend with open arms, established and older companies are yet to join the bandwagon.
The logic here is very simple – If the role of any employee is such that it does not require her/him to complete a fixed number of hours as the others, then why compel the individual to do it? As countries across the globe are gradually transitioning to a 4-day work week, it makes sense to provide some time to employees which they can use for tending to other important things apart from their jobs. These can range from issues with their kids to getting themselves enrolled in a university course.
Providing flexible working hours as part of employee wellness programs will lead to increased productivity. This is because when they return to work after having dealt with their issues, they can work with a clear mind and take the issues at work head-on.
Financial Education
Stressing about finances happens to every individual at some point in her/his life. It has the potential to affect every aspect of an individual’s life including her/his work. Financially troubled employees will not be able to engage fully at work which will, in turn, hamper their productivity.
As such, providing financial education to every employee at work will not only help alleviate this strain but has the added incentive of teaching them invaluable life skills. Such employees can learn where and how to invest, budget, and above all, plan for retirement.
Any company is made up of employees across all age groups, ranging from those straight out of college to seasoned staff. The financial education program should thus be tailor-made depending on the needs of every employee.
Celebrating Employee’s Successes
Whenever a company goal is met, irrespective of whether it is big or small, it ought to be celebrated. Whenever goals are met, if they are not celebrated, then their drive to perform better takes a hit. What makes matters worse is that this might increase with every successive project that they get.
The best recourse here is to show the employees that you appreciate their hard work by celebrating their successes as part of the employee wellness programs. It can range from grand affairs like taking a trip somewhere or monthly outings, to doing things on a smaller scale such as office parties or even shout-outs in the monthly newsletter.
Some of the other ways in which you can appreciate your employees include doing a press release, doing a write-up in a trade publication, or even releasing a video on a social networking website.
Yoga Classes
While it is best to practice Yoga outdoors, doing so means restricting yourself to whether the weather allows you to do so or not. Instead, why not use the space inside your office to good use. You can instead use your conference or break rooms to provide yoga classes whenever it is convenient for them.
The reason why Yoga has been included as part of employee wellness programs is that it is very effective as a stress reliever. The best part? – it is free. As such, it is very effective for those organizations where employees have to work overtime and deal with tight deadlines, such as startups and PR agencies.
Group Health Cover
A group health cover is one of the biggest incentives you can provide your employees as part of your employee wellness program. This is because it takes away from them any worries pertaining to their or their family’s health.
There are many health covers available in the market. However, it is imperative to choose which gives you the best benefits and highest coverage, but at the lowest cost. This will ensure that your company is able to afford such a program at the lowest possible cost while your employees are protected from rising medical costs.
Some of these benefits include coverage from the very first day, no limits on room rent charges, round-the-clock support, full-body health checkup, unlimited teleconsultations, and the option to pay monthly subscriptions to name a few.
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