Workplace well-being: just a trend or is it here to stay?

December 21, 2022

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Employee well-being is important for a healthy work environment, which is why focusing on workplace well-being can pay off in spades. Here’s how corporate wellness programs can improve your employees’ health and happiness.

Thanks to an increased awareness of employees’ physical, emotional, and financial health, corporate wellness has gained serious traction over the past few years. It’s estimated that the US corporate well-being market is estimated to be $20.4 billion, and is forecasted to grow to $87.4 billion by 2026 [1].

But why is well-being important in the workplace, and how can employers implement ways to boost their employees’ health and job satisfaction? Before diving into some corporate wellness program ideas, let’s first start by understanding what employee well-being is, and why this concept is important.

What is employee well-being?

Employee well-being is a concept that revolves around understanding how your employees’ duties, expectations, stress levels, and work environments affect their overall health and happiness [2].

Dimensions of employee wellbeing

Experts continue to find that when employees have a positive experience in the workplace, they can flourish both inside and outside of the office. This is because employee well-being has evolved to include a culture of holistic well-being, including physical, emotional, financial, social, career, community, and purpose [1].

Let’s break each of these down in a bit more detail.

Physical. This encompasses exercise, sleep, overall lifestyle, and food choices, all of which impact someone’s health, happiness, and well-being.
Emotional. Since the pandemic, employees say they have had an increase in stress-related symptoms, like sleep, mood swings, and alcohol consumption. As such, supporting employee mental health should be a priority since it has a profound effect on employees and their performance. In fact, surveys have found that 68% of senior HR leaders rated employee well-being and mental health as top priorities [1].
Financial. Experts have found that employees who experienced increased financial stress are four times as likely to admit that their finances have been a distraction at work [1]. As an employer, it’s important to re-evaluate your employees’ salaries, bonuses, and raises to make sure they are satisfied with their compensation.
Social. Social interactions and meaningful relationships (both in and out of work) are key predictors of long-term happiness. Providing company get-togethers or encouraging meet-ups will help strengthen these ties and boost employee satisfaction.
Career. Many people are looking for increased compensation, enhanced learning/development programs, new internal talent mobility opportunities, and online coaching and resilience training to further their careers [1]. Talk with your employees to see what they prefer and what will be most beneficial for them.
Community. Getting involved in the local community will continue to strengthen work relationships and provide a sense of value.
Purpose. People want to work for a company whose values match their own. Make sure that your company values are displayed front and center, and that your workplace environment aligns with these values.

The growing importance of well-being in the workplace

While productivity, timeliness, and quality of work are all important to a company’s bottom line, none of this is possible without ensuring that employees are happy and satisfied with their job.

Experts continue to find that employee well-being affects referrals and retention rates, as people who experience high levels of workplace well-being are 3x more likely to stay with the company [3]. Furthermore, employees are more likely to be satisfied when they feel their needs are being met.

Corporate wellness program ideas

Corporate wellness programs are one way to boost employee health and wellness. If you’re thinking about implementing a wellness program in your company, here are some ideas to get you started.

Offer a gym membership discount. Gym membership fees can be expensive and may deter employees from utilizing this resource. To combat this, consider paying for all or part of employees’ fitness membership fees.
Be flexible with work hours when possible. If possible, you can encourage employees to be more flexible with their hours and work when they are most productive. You can also offer a flexible work-from-home option if you feel this would benefit mental health.
Offer monthly massages. Who doesn’t like a good massage? Treat your employees to a 10-minute massage once a month by inviting a masseuse into the office. Everyone will leave feeling rejuvenated, relaxed, and ready to tackle the rest of the work day.
Arrange volunteer activities. Whether it’s raking leaves or volunteering at a soup kitchen, your employees will appreciate getting out of the office, building relationships, and helping the community.
Provide resources to stop smoking. Smoking has long been associated with many chronic conditions and negative health outcomes. Offer smoking cessation resources to improve your employees’ health, reduce healthcare costs, and increase productive time in the office [4].
Advocate for time off. To avoid burnout, it’s important to encourage your employees to take time off instead of banking it or exchanging it for pay.
Switch up furniture. For those who are interested in alternative chair options, try providing standing desks or yoga balls.
Create an office library. Encourage employees to bring in resources or books they enjoy that are related to health, fitness, business success, or financial advice, and keep them in a central location. Everyone can then access this “office library” to exchange, share, and swap resources.

Nutrium Care program: health and well-being at the workplace

You can greatly improve well-being in the workplace by giving your employees access to the tools they need to manage their health and wellness goals. In turn, this will help improve your company’s bottom line and improve productivity.

This is where Nutrium Care comes in! We help improve your employees’ health by addressing many dimensions of employee well-being, including sleep issues, weight management, chronic diseases, bad eating habits, and more.

Here’s how the program works:

Online appointments with nutrition experts. Each employee can choose a specialized nutritionist and have their first online nutrition appointment. The nutritionist creates a personalized plan and works with employees to help them achieve their health and wellness goals.
Direct access to a nutritionist. After the first appointment, employees can communicate directly with the nutritionist at any time with the Nutrium mobile app. They also have their meal plan always at hand and receive important notifications to remind them to eat or drink water.
Educational materials. The entire process is accompanied by relevant information for a healthier life, through newsletters, webinars, and personalized workshops, created especially for each company. We also offer well-being in the workplace training.

Contact us if you’re interested in adding Nutrium Care to your business strategy!

How to manage a successful corporate well-being program

Managing a successful corporate well-being program may seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some ways to make this process easier.

Offer support and encouragement.

Your employees are going to be more motivated to reach their goals if they feel you support them in their endeavors. Consider acknowledging their accomplishments in company newsletters, wellness seminars, or even in team meetings. You can also show support by giving discounts or reimbursements.

Furthermore, providing encouragement can go a long way toward employee well-being. Whether it’s from a supervisor, leader, or other team members, words of encouragement are vital for morale and success.

Regularly assess your program.

It’s important to constantly evaluate your employees’ needs, and work towards implementing policies and practices that are beneficial for them. You can do this by asking for feedback on possible changes and adjustments.

Summary

Employee well-being is important for a healthy work environment, so it’s important that employers take their employees’ physical, emotional, and financial health into account. By implementing corporate wellness programs and utilizing Nutrium Care, health and well-being in the workplace can greatly improve and lead to a happier, more productive work environment.

References

The Future Of Work Is Employee Well-Being. Retrieved November 8, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com

What is employee well-being and how to launch a well-being program. Retrieved November 8, 2022, from https://haiilo.com

Employee well-being. Retrieved November 8, 2022, from https://www.greatplacetowork.com

How to quit smoking. Retrieved November 8, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov

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well-being at workplace, workplace