Looking after your employees’ health and wellness is beneficial to your company in many ways. First of all, employees with happy hearts and minds tend to be far more productive and help to boost office morale. A high number of healthy employees also means less absenteeism due to illness. Additionally, employees who are satisfied and content at work are also likely to want to quit. Don't we all prefer working somewhere where everyone feels good, inside and out? This article goes through some simple steps to help improve employee wellness in your office.
Group health and dental insurance
Providing employee health and dental insurance is a fantastic step towards improved employee wellness. Research shows that employees view health insurance as one of the most desirable perks an employer can offer. It is also proven to increase loyalty towards a company - it makes sense that employees have a more favourable attitude towards an employer who values their health.
Exercise scheme
It is also important to emphasise the importance ofexercise and physical well-being in the workplace. At the very least you should ensure that you have bike racks available to those wishing to cycle to work. A good follow on from this would be a cycle to work scheme. Other impactful initiatives include setting up an onsite bootcamp with a trainer who comes once or twice a week. This way, employees have the opportunity to work on their health and fitness goals as a team which fosters a great sense of community in the office. Another activity which works very well or group bonding is group yoga classes. Yoga is also very low impact so these classes could even be held during lunch hour. This great article by Officeninjas gives some tips on how to incorporate an onsite yoga programme. A final suggestion would be investing in a few pieces of gym equipment such a treadmill or crosstrainer so employees can get fit onsite. Failing this, reimbursement of gym membership fees is always a popular option.
Delicious and nutritious food
A selection of healthy food options is one of the kindest gifts you can offer to your employees in terms of their health. Look into providing healthy lunch and snack options for your team to boost energy and concentration. If you provide breakfast, make sure that porridge, yogurt and various types of fruit are on offer. For lunch, be sure to choose vendors who offer a varied list of healthy meal options to be considerate of those with special dietary requirements. I would go so far as to ditch fizzy drinks completely and rather stock up on juices, smoothies and herbal teas. Healthy food in the office helps to nuture a happier, healthier and more motivated work force.
A visiting office doctor
Think about hiring your very own office doctor who visits once or twice a month or so. Employees with ailments are often reluctant to book time off or take sick days and end up compromising their health in the long run. On the other side of the coin, some employees frequently miss work to attend doctor’s visits. A visiting office doctor is a great solution to this. It means employees prioritize their health and minimizes absenteeism. The doctor could also offer biometric screenings to evaluate health, cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, body weight and BMI. You can notify employees of upcoming sessions with the doctor via email and plan accordingly.
Health and wellness are of central importance in today’s workplace. Millennials generally hold employers to a high standard and expect to gain more from their place of work than simply compensation. Plus, taking care of your employee’s well-being shows that you care deeply about them as people. This plays a key role in creating a healthy emotional work environment. Actively making efforts to improve employee wellness will lead to higher employee satisfaction, better morale and a lower turnover rate. Why not get started today?
