Healthy employees cost employers less. Â
Expenses related to unscheduled absences, medical leaves of absences, prescription medicine, reduced focus, increased stress leading to emotional highs and lows, and medical claims impact the productivity and financial wellness of organizations. Harvard Business Review (12/2010) published an article that stated every one dollar spent on wellness initiatives delivered a $6 dollar savings to health care. Another ROI discussion related to workers compensation well-being initiatives that reduced lost work days by 80%. Workplace wellness makes good financial sense.
What needs to be considered for high-impact workplace wellness programs?
- Of course, it always starts with support from the top. Executives must support, encourage, and promote a culture of wellness. How many of your leaders are ‘Modeling the Way’? How often does the executive team participate and prioritize wellness for themselves? How comfortable is your leadership in asking about personal health?
- Promoting a whole-person wellness vision is sure to attract more employees and will assist in determining the scope (activities and programs) the organization will focus. Whole-person wellness might be considered mind (intellect), body (physical), spirit (life purpose and passions), emotional (stress management and more). Whole-person wellness may also be viewed from the lens of Dimensions of Wellness (University of CA): Social, Emotional, Spiritual, Environmental, Occupational, Intellectual, Physical. The bottom line is wellness is much more than nutrition, exercise, and weight. Defining what ‘wellness’ is for your organization helps with focus and scope of programs.
- Alignment to Core Values is another way to bring wellness into the workplace. Linking wellness participation and activities to expected behaviors helps to define the ‘why’, the purpose. Companies that create a wellness vision and link this vision to core values shows employees that the health and wellness of each individual is paramount.
- Wellness champions support and communicate, motivate and encourage participation. Finding champions with middle management, health advocates, committee leaders, and in those more competitive helps to create collaboration, passion, fun, and diversity of ideas/programs. Champions bring diverse views on education and activities – which are both needed for optimal wellness programs.  Champions build awareness and support.
- Accessibility and using high tech devices/platforms are other aspects of results-oriented wellness programs. Programs that are low cost (or free), and programs that provide reimbursement for healthy lifestyle choices, as well as fun competitions are things to consider. What is a priority for one person (like lowering blood pressure) is not needed for everyone. Offering choices, flexibility, and diverse activities and learning initiatives will help with participation levels. Using mobile devices can help with connectivity, competitions, and monitoring of program status.
- Marketing and Communication from various wellness champions (executives to team leaders to committee members) will help to build interest and support programs. Just as there is a strategic marketing campaign in most organizations, there are benefits to an active marketing campaign communicating successes and upcoming events. Â Celebrate and celebrate some more!!!
- Finally, unless you have a physician or a nutritionist on site, please recognition most employees – no matter how well intended – do not have the skills to educate or coach others. Instead, Wellness Programs that are safe, use research to educate and to promote knowledge sharing. Some good sites include UCSF SugarScience, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Nutritional Wisdom podcast, Cleveland Clinic or the Intestinal Health Institute .  The best programs are not prescriptive, but are educational and allow for self-realisation!
