How to Implement Effective Employee Wellness Programs
Implementing employee wellness programs can save your organization money in both employee absenteeism and employee productivity, and can help control costs of health care benefits. Here are a few ways to ensure the implementation of your wellness programs is successful.
Make Sure the Program Is Comprehensive: Make sure your health and wellness programs focus on all aspects of employees' everyday lives. Build a community of wellness, focusing on every day areas of concern like exercise, healthy eating and stress management. Build community by creating an office running club, softball league or weight loss group.
Engage Employees: Center your wellness programs around results, while engaging employees into the program. Ensure employees set goals, whether they are weight loss related, fitness related, or focused on healthy eating (does anyone really
need that 3rd cup of coffee?). On the other side, reward employees for reaching their goals, or for investing themselves in the program. Small rewards like small denomination gift cards to healthy retailers like
GNC or CVS/pharmacy will be a treat for employees, showing them that their employer cares for their well-being and wants to help them down the road of healthy behavior.
How to Foster Employee Loyalty
Compensation: Compensating employees can take many forms, and in order to foster employee loyalty compensation should extend beyond a paycheck. Standard payment is important, however finding innovative ways to compensate employees will help maintain loyalty among your workforce. Using spot rewards, like small denomination gift cards to popular retailers like
CVS/Pharmacy,
The Cheesecake Factory and
The Limited is a great way to show employees you noticed extra effort on a specific project, or appreciated them staying late one night.
Environment: Creating a comfortable environment where goals are clearly stated and communication is clear between peers and from managers to their team is key in creating a culture of loyalty. Working hard and having fun as a team will form relationships and camaraderie that foster loyalty, job satisfaction and improved productivity.
Combat Workplace Stress with Health and Wellness Programs
Workplace stress is an increasingly common issue, affecting both employee well-being and company performance. According to the American Institute of Stress, job-related stress is the primary source of stress for American adults, with 83% of U.S. workers reporting stress-related symptoms. This stress not only impacts individual health but also costs American businesses a staggering $300 billion annually due to absenteeism, turnover, and reduced productivity.
Employee Recognition the Right Way
Everyone knows how valuable it can be to practice employee recognition across an organization. The key is to execute an employee recognition program the right way, if your employees don't feel recognized or are not comfortable with the recognition method, your organization is not going to get the ROI it is looking for by way of increased productivity, increased job satisfaction and high retention rates. Here are 3 key ways to make sure your employee recognition program is working for your organization and its employees.
Universities Manage Rising Health Care Costs with Wellness Programs
Big companies, small businesses and even colleges are making necessary changes as they prepare to comply with the Affordable Care Act. Employees at the University of Minnesota are looking for ways to reduce their health care premiums and the university has provided them a way, in the form of their University Wellness Program. When employees participate in the Wellness Program they are awarded points for completing healthy activities and can save up to $400 on their premiums in a single year. But it’s not all about the money. While employees enjoy the lower premiums, the University sees the potential in investing in their employees’ health and wellness as a way to increase morale and retention. Keep reading more about the University Wellness Program in,
As health care costs increase, University employees try to save, from Minnesota Daily. Want to kick start your Wellness Program? Health-focused incentives are a great way to reward healthy behavior in a positive way, gift cards to Whole Foods Market or CVS/pharmacy help keep employees on the right track outside of work.
