With ever-increasing health insurance costs and the importance of employee health, employers should consider implementing a well-designed wellness program that benefits both employee health and employers' profits. Employees need to feel supported no matter how big or small the budget is. You can provide that support by offering a wellness program, which in turn can improve both the recruitment and retention of employees in your organization. Prioritizing employees’ well-being cuts health care costs, increases engagement, and reduces absenteeism. A wellness program that focuses on what employees most need and want takes a more proactive and informed approach to healthy living. Here is why you need a wellness program and how to get started.
The Benefits:
You’ll End Up Saving Money
A study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that employees who participate in workplace health programs to improve their health and lifestyle significantly increase their work efficiency, saving an average of $353 in lost time per person per year. To break it down even further, a detailed analysis published in the American Journal of Health Promotions revealed that employers save $5.81 on average for every dollar invested in wellness. Organizations that prioritize health benefit from this because they focus on preventative measures to stay proactive. Investing money in a wellness program has the potential to improve employee health, reduce medical requirements, and save you money.
You’ll Boost and Encourage Self-Efficacy
A study published by Sage Journals in 2020 investigated three things to understand the barriers and benefits of employee engagement in a wellness program. This included employees’ self-perceived health, efficiency to live a healthier lifestyle, and their opinion on how useful the program was in providing health resources. The results of the study revealed that program participants had more self-efficiency and felt that the resources provided were helpful in engaging in a healthy lifestyle than nonparticipants. Self-efficiency isn’t a trait that can be taught or learned. It’s developed with time in an environment that encourages one to believe in themselves and their ability to achieve a task. There is not a one-size-fits-all solution for improving employee motivation, but an effective wellness program can nurture an opportunity for self-discovery and accomplishment.
You’ll Attract Motivated & Hard-Working Future Employees
As health becomes popular among millennials, the trend of employee health plans is attracting high-performing employees seeking jobs that care about their overall well-being. Generation Z is also graduating from universities, making up 20% of the workforce as of 2020. Statistics from Small Biz Trends also state that 70% of Generation Z employees prioritize health insurance, showing the importance of well-being and how this will impact their expectations in job searching.
Companies that create a culture of wellness attract employees who are more focused and motivated because they see working for your company as a career advantage. Employees are more committed to working hard when they feel that their well-being and success are inextricably linked to the well-being and success of the company. Not to mention that employees who already lead healthy lives have lower health risks and lower employee-related costs.
You’ll Stay Competitive Among Competitors
As stated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there has been a record-breaking number of people leaving their jobs in the past year. However, the American Heart Association has found that a health-focused company could be the key to employee retention and commitment. More and more employers are accepting the idea of workplace health plans, with almost 9 out of 10 businesses having a wellness program, according to KFF. The American Heart Association recognized more than 450 fitness-oriented companies that embrace well-being and health for the year 2021. Health is more important now than ever, and it’s essential to be a part of the recognized group that provides care.
How to Get Started:
Understand It’s Vulnerability
Workplace health goes beyond providing your employees with basic benefits such as health insurance. Health and well-being are highly personal issues that involve many complex emotions and vulnerability. Many of your employees will be taking first steps to a healthier lifestyle by simply participating in your program. If we look at engagement from this perspective, we can see that participation in wellness involves about 75% of employees who are not yet healthy. It’s important to develop a tailored wellness program that offers alternatives. Improving employee well-being and productivity are important responsibilities that companies are embracing almost universally with diverse lifestyles.
Embrace the 8 Dimensions of Wellness
Avoid focusing solely on physical or mental health and offer programs to help your employees cope with financial well-being, anxiety, and stress. In the past couple years, wellness has surpassed just health and fitness. As stated by the Rise Center at UCLA, the Wheel of Wellness includes career/occupational, social, physical, existential/spiritual, emotional, environmental, financial, and intellectual. Create a culture that focuses on healthy lifestyle choices and encourages employees to participate. The eight dimensions of wellness can give the variety your program needs by giving something to everyone.
Investigate What Other Companies Are Doing
Along with the eight dimensions of wellness, here are some things you can cover in your program regarding the “physical” aspect. A survey by the RAND Corporation showed that 84% of large employers provide workplace health plans for their employees in 2019. Programs offered by larger employers cover a series of screenings, health promotion activities, and support for employees with chronic diseases. Many components are provided, but the most common include a health risk assessment (HRA) and biometric surveys. HRA is a survey that investigates health risks and quality of life, while biometric screening collects information about body mass index, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar data. Researching what other companies typically provide in wellness programs can give you the competitive edge you need to optimize and create a program that works best for your company.
Use Incentives to Attract Participants
In the same Sage Journals study stated earlier, the main reason employees didn’t want to participate in the wellness program was privacy. However, a program that focuses on different forms of wellness creates more flexibility for someone who may not be 100% comfortable being vulnerable yet. Some of the other reasons included time, perceptions of unfairness, lack of effectiveness, or knowing they were already healthy. Use gift cards to award participants for dedicating time to their health and well-being. It is a small gesture to physically (or digitally) show that you care as an employer. According to Wellsource, only 10-15% of employees will participate. Employees are already dedicating a large portion of their time to work. Adding the right incentive can attract most of your employees, increasing this number to 85-90%.
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Create a Wellness Team
It takes a village to grow a company. The first challenge is creating the wellness program, but now comes to marketing and promoting it. Consider creating a wellness team that screen employees for their needs, desires, and program recommendations to increase interest. Having a staff dedicated to promoting your company's wellness goals can increase engagement in your programs by 10%. Senior leaders can also be involved, but make sure they are acting as team members participating and not a team leader.
A wellness program’s objective is to increase the likelihood of improving the health and overall well-being of an organization. These employee programs work best as part of a comprehensive long-term commitment program with the help of gift card incentives, a dedicated team, and a unique program. We will work with you to support your wellness program to inspire your employees to invest in their health. Learn more about us at RPG Card Services or call us at (888) 774-0125.
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