Companies Step Up to Culture of Wellness
By now, company leaders realize they can’t simply tell their employees to “be well” and then expect all will actually be well.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 1 in 2 Australians have at least one prominent chronic condition - ie, arthritis, asthma, back pain, cancer, cardiovascular disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, diabetes or mental health conditions.
Research shows an effective workplace wellbeing program, implemented following best practice and covering the key areas of Physical, Mental and Social Health can support employees to optimise their health and improve healthy lifestyle choices.
WHY INVEST IN CORPORATE WELLNESS AND NUTRITION PROGRAMS?
When workers feel supported by their employer, happiness, productivity and a sense of purpose in the workplace flourish. More than 14,500 Australian workers were interviewed for the Workplace Wellbeing report published earlier this year. Most respondents noted the importance of wellbeing in the workplace, saying that when their employer cared about their health and happiness, they felt engaged and content at work.
By investing in wellness programs, the corporate sector can actively create a supportive culture that employees feel enthused to be a part of. And a healthy workplace reflects well on a business, potentially attracting new talent to the organisation.
6 Ways To Build A Culture Of Health
Building a culture of health requires a multi-pronged approach that involves an entire organization. Below are six steps necessary for building a culture of health.
#1 Leadership Involvement
If leaders do not act as role models, the culture cannot be reinforced. Leaders must “walk the talk” — in other words, they must participate in developing the culture of health. That may mean leaving the office by 6:00 to emphasize work/life balance or establishing a work from home policy for employees. Leaders should also “talk the talk”— intentionally communicate about their actions, why those actions create a culture of wellness, and why that is important for the well-being of employees.
#2 Tailored Wellness Program
A culture of health should include a tailored wellness program designed for the employees it is meant to serve. Too often, employees do not participate in wellness programs because those offerings are not a match for their specific needs. These needs can be different for employees depending on their geographic locations, job functions, and demographics. Find out what employees want by asking them what is working and what isn’t. Use surveys to get feedback and build upon what is already effective.
#3 Effective Communications
Employers must employ multiple channels to reach a broad audience, using emails, text messages, physical and online flyers, internal messaging applications, and word of mouth. With the increasing popularity of flex and remote workers, it is particularly important to communicate broadly to make sure the information reaches the entire workforce.
#4 Business Practices Embedded With Well-being
A culture of health cannot be a side note. It has to be integrated in the day-to-day operations of an organization. Policies and practices must support it. This means embedding well-being through benefits like family leave or flexible work hours, practices like standup or walking meetings, or policies like not sending emails after work hours (or, at the very least, establishing the expectation that email responses can wait until business hours). Business meetings, for example, are an ideal situation where leaders can emphasize a culture of health by providing healthy and tasty food and snacks, emphasizing water over coffee, and adding stretch and movement breaks in the schedule.
#5 Wellness Champions
While leaders are instrumental in setting the tone for wellness, they are not the only ones who can help develop this culture. Anyone can influence culture. Recruit employees throughout the organization who are passionate about the wellness vision to help plan and execute the program.
#6 Commitment
Establishing a culture of wellness shouldn’t be a temporary endeavor. Instead, it should be seen as an essential part of the company’s operations. When a wellness program is initiated, it should be the first step in an ongoing process of better health. Offerings like a six-week step challenge may help create interest and jumpstart participation, but in general, programs like challenges should run every regularly, with the end of one challenge dovetailing into the beginning of a new program.
Even though companies are increasingly focused on wellness, creating a culture of health is not a trend or a way to stay competitive in the job market. A culture of health stems from employers genuinely caring about employees and understanding the necessity of a culture of health for the mutual success of the employees and the business.
Then, with a commitment to the well-being of employees and the decision to demonstrate that commitment throughout the company, through everyday actions, a culture of health can begin to develop.