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Wellness programs are instrumental in keeping people healthy,
especially in office environments where employees are often sedentary
for significant portions of the day.
In an office with 100 people
...
.. 59 percent spend
their entire workday seated
...49 percent are classified
as "Physically
inactive" even in their leisure time;
...30 percent or more
have "limited" participation
and activity.
Source:
naturalhealthcare.ca
The good news is that various research studies suggest that as
much as 70% of health care expenses are associated with preventable
conditions. Given that workers spend, on average, 60% of their
waking hours at work, the workplace is therefore an ideal setting
for making positive changes in daily habits and lifestyle.
It’s simple – an effective Employee Wellness Program
encourages employees to lead healthier lifestyles.
This can be
implemented in a number of different programs, such as nutrition,
fitness, smoking cessation, workplace safety, coaching and counseling,
and on-site healthcare..
According to Natural Healthcare Canada, a comprehensive workplace
wellness program consists of three components:
Prevention;
Recognition;
And Assistance.
For maximum impact on employee health, a comprehensive wellness
program should focus on increasing awareness of wellness issues;
supporting health management; and promoting healthy work environments
A program might consist of on-site massages, for example; discounts
at a nearby gym or fitness club; smoking cessation challenges;
and a nutrition program.
Numerous guides and resources are available for information, and
an entire industry of health and wellness consultants has sprung
up
over
the past
2 decades
to accommodate the shift
toward a healthier work culture. A company can either chose to
create and manage their own program, or outsource it to a company – or
individual consultant - who will do it for them.
The key thing to remember is that participation in a Wellness
Program must be voluntary. Not all employees are going to want
to participate. Therefore the first step is to have employees fill
out a survey to gauge their interest and to find out what elements
of the program they would use. I.e. how many would be interested
in a fitness program; onsite healthcare; a healthy snacking program;
first aid courses; or counseling resources.
Secondly, define specific goals. Do you want to reduce turnover?
Improve morale? Save overall health costs in the long run?
Natural Healthcare Canada offers some options and ideas for wellness programs
on their website, such as:
• Bringing in a personal trainer to help devise programs
and measure progress;
• Subsidizing memberships at a fitness club near the office;
• Providing group yoga classes;
• Providing storage for bicycles;
• Bringing in small exercise equipment that can be used throughout the
day; and
• Put together corporate sport teams (soccer, volleyball, hockey, etc.)
• Counseling for Stress Management
Other suggestions, gained from a multiple number of sources and
experts in healthcare, include:
• Build on-site gyms or outsource fitness programs
• Hold health and safety fairs
• Offer stress management and relaxation training, mental health programs,
and substance abuse programs including smoking cessation
• Organize team challenges, fitness breaks, walking clubs, stretching classes,
and onsite yoga
• Offer on-site medical services, including health risk screening and counseling
• Have programs for childcare, elder care
• Have personal, family, and financial counseling
• Nutrition counseling and weight control programs
• Promote alternative work arrangements such as telecommuting, job sharing
• Stress the importance of healthy snacks and lunches
• Add juice machines and water coolers
A corporate wellness program does not need to be extensive – any
combination of these suggestions will make a positive impact on
the overall health of an organization. No change is too big or
too small. Organizations of any size can make inexpensive changes
or small adjustments to their workplace and still gain results.
As many organizations are realizing, a wellness program makes good
business sense. Indeed, it may be the only employee benefit that
pays back.
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