Major Benefits of Employee Wellness Programs
Employee wellness programs are workplace initiatives to improve employee health and wellbeing. These programs benefit both employers and their teams.
Here are five main benefits of employee wellness programs:
1. Improved Employee Health Behavior
A good employee wellness program can promote healthier behavior in employees. In other words, these programs encourage employees to make healthier choices that should improve employees’ physical, mental and emotional health. They also provide your team with the adequate skills, motivation, tools, and support to change unhealthy behaviors and adopt healthy habits.
2. Reduced Stress
The key to a happy and healthy employee is the ability to manage job pressures efficiently, and wellness programs can help you do this. Workplace wellness programs, like afternoon naps, yoga classes, etc., can help employees manage unavoidable stress factors and improve your company’s worksite wellness.
3. Improved Relationships
Employee wellness programs have the potential to improve employee relationships. Wellness programs help employees reduce stress, fatigue, anxiety, and other conditions that contribute to conflict and bullying in the work environment. Not only does this type of employee assistance program positively impact employees’ emotional and mental wellbeing, but it also boosts productivity and has a positive effect on team collaboration.
4. Increased Morale
Wellness programs demonstrate goodwill from an employer towards employees, which has a positive effect on employee morale. When employers take the time to invest in wellness programs, employees feel valued. Employees are more likely to stay with an employer who cares for them. They are also more likely to give their best when they feel appreciated by their employer, which can have a massive impact on productivity.
5. Healthcare Cost Savings
Lack of physical activity, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption are major contributors to chronic diseases. Diseases like heart disease and cancer have the highest overall health insurance and healthcare costs.
If your employee wellness program addresses these factors, you can improve the overall health of your employees and minimize healthcare costs. In the long run, it will also positively impact your company’s bottom line.
An added benefit is that healthier employees stay off work less, their medical costs are lower, and they’re generally happier, positively impacting their work and productivity.
References:
https://www.timedoctor.com/blog/benefits-of-employee-wellness-programs/#challenges