When it comes to employee wellness, there are a lot of different approaches that companies can take. Some businesses opt for on-site gyms and fitness classes, while others set up employee health screenings and wellness fairs. No matter what route you decide to go, it’s important to tailor your employee wellness program to the specific needs of your workforce.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
1. Encourage physical activity by organizing company-wide fitness challenges or offering discounts on gym memberships.
2. Make healthy eating options easily accessible by setting up a wellness café or stocking the break room with healthy snacks.
3. Promote mental health and well-being by providing access to resources like an employee assistance program or holding lunch-and-learns on topics like stress management.
4. Create a culture of wellness by establishing wellness committees, organizing group activities, and celebrating employees’ wellness milestones.
5.
- Team scavenger hunt. …
- Hold a fitness challenge. …
- Host an employee field day. …
- Subsidize wearable technology that helps employees track their activity. …
- The Mile-A-Day Challenge. …
- The 7 Hours of Sleep Challenge. …
- The 8 Glasses of Water Challenge. …
- The Whole Life Challenge.
Why create an employee wellness program?
Employers who implement effective employee wellness programs can gain a number of advantages. Employers can benefit from incorporating employee wellness programs into their benefit packages in a number of ways, including:
What is an employee wellness program?
A company’s employees’ health can be improved or maintained through the use of a set of workplace benefits and activities known as an employee wellness program. Employers first introduced fitness centers, gym memberships, and smoking cessation programs to their staff as the earliest forms of employee wellness programs. These programs have developed to be more interesting, diverse, and comprehensive, focusing on the employee’s overall health and offering the employer significant advantages.
List of employee wellness program ideas
A wellness program for employees can include a variety of advantages and pursuits. Some of your program’s elements might be ongoing, while others might be one-time special events. Your employee wellness program can be divided into a number of categories. Here are 10 suggestions to get you started on developing your own successful employee wellness program:
1. Make nutritional snacks and water more available
Many employees snack at their desks throughout the workday. Your business will encourage staff to choose healthier snacks and to drink more water by only providing nutritional snacks and water. Try to provide a variety of snack options, such as granola, fruits, and vegetables.
You can also try less frequent special offerings like catered lunches, cooking classes, and asking staff members to contribute their favorite healthy recipes to a workplace cookbook. These activities can increase employee engagement and morale in addition to assisting staff members in making better food choices.
2. Offer flexible schedules and/or remote work
Your staff can experience less stress and better work-life balance if you provide flexible work schedules and the option to work from home. Employees are more focused and productive at work when they aren’t worrying about juggling the needs of their family and their work schedule. Benefits like flexible working hours and remote employment also boost morale among staff members and maintain high levels of retention.
3. Encourage employees to keep up with preventative care
One of the best ways for workers to maintain their health and general well-being is through regular preventative care. Physical examinations, wellness exams, and routine vaccinations are examples of preventative care. By providing on-site flu shots during flu season and holding health fairs that screen for potential health risks, you can motivate your employees to maintain their preventative care. Anything you can do to keep your staff from getting sick will lower absenteeism from work and boost productivity.
4. Establish an employee assistance program
You want your wellness program to support your employees’ mental and emotional well-being as well because these are crucial components of their overall well-being. An employee assistance program (EAP) is among the most frequently used components of employers’ employee wellness programs. These initiatives are made to give staff members whenever they need it simple, affordable, or free access to mental health professionals like counselors and therapists.
5. Create an ergonomic office environment
Having an ergonomic office environment can help make employees more comfortable at work and reduce pain and workplace injuries By providing workers with ergonomic chairs, standing desks that convert to sitting positions, ergonomic office supplies like raised keyboards, and ergonomics education, you can create an ergonomic work environment.
6. Foster a collaborative and fun work environment
Workplace morale can be raised, a team environment can be created, and employee engagement and productivity can be increased by encouraging employees to work and play together.
You can accomplish this by designing a fun break room where workers can gather to watch TV, play games, and relax together, or by providing flexible seating arrangements that encourage coworkers to sit close to one another.
7. Have areas where employees can relieve stress
Every workplace should have a space where employees can go to unwind if they’re feeling stressed. Employees can meditate, read a book, or take a quick break in this space, which could be as straightforward as a small, private office space that is decorated to promote relaxation.
8. Allow employees to bring pets to work
This benefit is becoming more and more popular, particularly with smaller businesses. The majority of people view their pets as members of their families. Providing employees with the option to bring their pets to work can enhance their mental health and raise staff morale throughout the entire office. Start off modestly by allowing staff members to keep fish at their desks or by periodically hosting “Bring Your Pet to Work Days.”
9. Develop a smoking cessation program
A support program that gives workers the training, resources, aids, and encouragement necessary to successfully stop smoking is one of the most well-liked features employers include in their employee wellness programs.
10. Incorporate employee incentives
Increase employee participation in the program to get the most out of your investment in your employee wellness program. Offering rewards that encourage staff to participate in various aspects of your employee wellness program is one way to achieve this. Bonuses, gift cards, and an additional day off from work are a few examples of incentives you can provide.
6 Best Employee Wellness Program Examples | AIHR Learning Bite
FAQ
What should an employee wellness program include?
- Flexible working hours. …
- Remote working arrangements. …
- Financial education. …
- Give your employees autonomy. …
- Require work-life balance. …
- Celebrate employee’s successes. …
- Onsite fitness accommodations.
How do you create an employee wellness program?
- Set goals that benefit the company & staff. …
- Form a team to create the employee wellness program. …
- Get to work planning the program. …
- Get feedback and optimize your wellness program.
What are some wellness ideas?
- Meditate for 5-10 minutes.
- Cook healthy recipes at home.
- Clean areas around the house.
- Walk around the neighborhood.
- Participating in virtual bodyweight fitness classes.
- Go to bed 30 minutes earlier than usual.
- Listen to a podcast.
What are 3 key elements of a successful wellness program?
- Flexibility. Employee participation in wellness programs is the main objective.
- Be aware of best practices. …
- An ability to track engagement. …
- Freedom to choose. …
- Motivates people to make wellness a priority.
