Recently, there has been a lot of focus on employee wellness and burnout. Particularly for those who work in fields with long hours, such as healthcare and finance, the burnout rate can be high. This can lead to fast employee turnover and a lower quality of work. With this in mind, there has been a tremendous push to improve employee wellness. This can mean different things to different companies; however, it is important for every company to do something in the field of employee wellness. What are some of the top reasons why companies should make the effort to have an employee wellness program?
- Having an Employee Wellness Program Improves the Morale of the Workplace
Employee wellness can take many different forms; however, pretty much every employee wellness program will lead to an improved morale at work. When there is an employee wellness program in place, the employees will take notice. They appreciate the lecturers that come in and are thankful for the days that lunch has been catered. There have even been employee wellness programs that have brought in puppies for some form of pet therapy. It is easy to see how this can provide a significant boost in the workplace morale, which can lead to other benefits.
- Employee Wellness Programs can Reduce Healthcare Costs for the Company
The vast majority of companies still provide health insurance for the employees who work there full time. With an employee wellness program, people can be rewarded for staying healthy. This means seeing a doctor regularly, joining a gym, and eating healthy. Companies can provide incentives for all of these things and, ultimately, this helps employees stay healthy. If a company employs healthy people, this can translate to lower insurance premiums for the business. This can help the bottom line of a company, which is always appreciated.
- Fewer Sick Days from Employees
Going hand in hand with the reason above, companies that have an employee wellness program have significantly lower rates of employees calling out sick. Ultimately, most people know that not everyone who calls out sick is actually sick. Sometimes, people just want a mental health day. Regardless, having an employee wellness program in place means that people will stay healthy and not get sick as much; however, if an employee wellness program also focuses on people’s mental health, this will also lead to fewer people calling out sick.
- Employee Wellness Programs can Boost Productivity
It can be a challenge to find good employees who are productive and when they happen to join the company, it is important to keep them around. Furthermore, it is also important to keep them productive. This means incentvizing them to stick around. An employee wellness program is one way to make this happen. When there is an employee wellness program in place, people are happier at work. Happier people are more productive. Therefore, don’t underestimate the power of a wellness program. It can lead to a significant boost in production which helps the bottom line.
- An Employee Wellness Program Improves Loyalty
When an employee wellness program is put in place, people feel like the company cares about them. This means that they are less likely to leave. Almost everyone has worked for a company at some point that didn’t treat them well. Maybe they felt like they went unnoticed the entire time that the worked there. Maybe they felt like people were taking advantage of them. Regardless, let employees know that they matter by having an employee wellness program. This will provide an incentive for people to stick around. It could even bring in new employees who are looking for that kind of loyalty.
- Employee Wellness Programs Breed Responsibility
When people feel like the company cares about them, they take pride in their work. This means that they feel like they are a part of the company and will also be willing to take responsibility for their work and the work of the company. Businesses should want this because employees who take responsibility for their work are more inclined to take the time and effort to do a good job every time. This leads to improved work quality and an improved company reputation.
- An Employee Wellness Program Makes the Company Competitive
Ultimately, a company that wants the best talent is going to have to sell themselves to potential employees and to potential clients. Having an employee wellness program is a great way to set the business apart. With a lot of companies moving in this direction, it is important to take the time to make sure that people know that the company cares about them. A business that wants to hire the best people is going to have to compete in the economy. An employee wellness program is a great way to do so.
In the end, employee wellness will look like different things in different fields. In some cases, this could mean making an effort to get employees discounts at certain businesses. In other ways, this might mean catering a lunch once a week or having guest lecturers come in to talk about ways to lower stress. Ultimately, as long as companies put forth a good faith effort to focus on the quality of their employees’ lives, it will be appreciated. This will then translate to improved production, higher work quality, and a happier workplace. Why not establish an employee wellness program and see the difference that it can make?