According to the CDC, it's estimated that chronic diseases cost healthcare providers and employers $36.4 billion dollars per year. As these costs skyrocket, employers are starting to ask themselves how they can better support employee health in the new year. From fostering work-life balance to rewarding employees for adopting healthy habits, we've outlined the top 5 ways employers can help improve employees' overall health.
1. Support Employees’ Work-Life Balance
Employees often have caregiving responsibilities for dependents in their personal lives such as children and parents. Managers can support employees in striking a balance so that they can manage their workload as well as their personal responsibilities. Here are a couple of studies that validate the benefits of managers supporting employee health.
- A study by NIH on employees in nursing homes found that employees had less risk for heart disease and got better sleep when they had supportive managers.
- This study by NIH showed that supporting employees’ personal lives didn’t just help improve employee health, it also yielded greater results for employers.
Encourage managers to support their employees’ find balance with their personal lives to improve all around employee wellness, and ultimately, boost productivity.
2. Examine the Work Culture
While it’s true that work culture will develop whether you choose to influence it or not, neglecting this can lead to poor outcomes for everyone involved. A lack of focus on work culture can lead to a decline in employee wellness, and as a result the company will probably suffer by not achieving company goals as well as from sunk costs. Leaders can take charge and create an environment that encourages healthy behaviors and choices.
- An AIS Research shows that workplace related stress increases voluntary turnover by almost 50%.
- According to the American Psychological Association, it is estimated that $500 billion is lost every year due to workplace stress.
Don’t let work culture fall by the wayside; help foster a culture that rewards healthier choices and promotes employee wellness.
3. Provide Employees with More Autonomy
“If I give my employees freedom, will productivity suffer?” If you’ve hired the right people, they will take ownership over their work and be more involved. Letting employees choose how to work, when to work, and what kind of performance goals they pursue helps them feel more involved in their roles and allows them to strike the right balance between taking care of themselves and getting their work done.
- A BMJ study demonstrated that giving employees some level of control over their job was associated with lower levels of heart disease.
- Another study by NIH demonstrated that even just providing additional training that empowered employees to resolve problems and take on new challenges improved the employees’ work performance and well-being.
It may seem counterintuitive to some, but for many employers who have given employees more autonomy and empowerment, the results speak for themselves.
4. Create a Corporate Wellness Strategy
How can a company help promote the health of its employees? According to research, creating a health and wellness program that is well-structured with the proper rewards in place can help employers avoid high healthcare premiums and lower levels of productivity due to chronic illness.
- This study by Harvard demonstrated that there was about a 3-1 return on investment in corporate wellness strategy.
- For more information about creating employee wellness programs, check out our free guide: How to Create Health & Wellness Programs That Lower Healthcare Costs.
5. Incentivize Healthy Behaviors with CVS® Gift Cards
Whether you want to incentivize your employees to get vaccines or want to give them access to healthy products, CVS gift cards are ideal. There are a few different choices such as the CVS Select® gift card which filters out alcohol and other unhealthy options.
These custom options can help streamline employee wellness in the workplace.
- CVS has 8,000+ locations, making it very convenient for accessing healthcare needs.
- Low initial purchase requirement
- Fast fulfillment service
The CVS suite of gift card products offers you the power to select the right reward to accomplish your organization’s goals.
Our Engage2Reward™ Gift Card Ordering Portal allows you to not only mail plastic gift cards, but also send digital gift cards directly to your recipients via email or text. You can also design your own carrier and add personalized messages or images.
Click here to get started with CVS gift cards!
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Conclusion
Are healthy employees more productive? Remember, an estimated 500 billion dollars are lost every year due to workplace stress. Taking a more proactive approach to your workplace wellness can help you create a culture that rewards healthier choices and results in higher productivity across the organization.
References: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Harvard University, British Medical Journal, PubMed, American Psychological Association (APA), Stress.org, and National Center for Biological Information.
