10 Benefits of Offering a Wellness Program
Are you looking for a way to provide your employees with extra incentives? An employee wellness program could be just what you need. It’s a type of program that offers health coaching to support and improve quality of life. When paired with a great medical plan, it gives employees what they need to lead healthier lifestyles.
Let’s take a closer look at what a wellness program is and how it can benefit your company and your employees.
What Is a Wellness Program?
A wellness program is a structured way for you to help your employees be healthier. While they used to be primarily in big corporations, even medium and small businesses are getting into the mix. That’s because setting up a program is an easy way to earn your employees’ respect and trust.
Fitness memberships, social support, weight-loss programs, diet plans, and even massage therapy are all examples of robust programming in an employee wellness program. You can choose to be as thorough and comprehensive as your budget allows. If you don’t have a big budget, you can even do small things like starting a lunchtime walking group, providing healthy snacks in the breakroom, or encouraging workers to take the stairs. The goal is to inspire your employees to be healthier while giving them the tools to do so.
Keep in mind that 75% of employees accept a job because of the benefits. So crafting a benefits package that attracts and retains workers is key. Keeping wellness as a primary focus for your workplace is a way to do just that.
Benefits of a Wellness Program for Employers
Running an employee wellness program isn’t just about giving back to your workers. It can have a lot of direct benefits for your company as well.
1. Reduce Health-Related Time Off
The most significant benefit of an employee wellness program for employers is that workers will be in the office more. Because they’ll be eating healthier, working out, and improving their mental health, they probably won’t need to take as many sick days.
Absenteeism is a big problem for companies, costing employers $225.8 billion annually in the United States. That works out to about $1,685 per employee. It might not sound bad, but it can quickly add up, especially if you have a lot of workers.
When an illness forces them to miss work without notice, it can drastically reduce productivity and put a strain on the rest of your team. A wellness program can avoid all of this, so your workers only take PTO during scheduled times.
2. Improve Workplace Productivity
When employees are happier and healthier, chances are they’ll be much more productive. Working out and eating healthy can provide more energy and mental focus, making it easier to accomplish tasks and work through difficult projects.
Some workers may also feel the need to come to work when they’re sick. This is especially true in high-pressure jobs with lots of deadlines. Unfortunately, this can be even more costly than staying home. It’s estimated that employees who work when they are sick accounts for about 60% of the total cost of worker illness.
The most productive workers are the healthiest!
3. Improve Employee Recruitment (and Retention)
These days, employees aren’t just looking for a paycheck. Many of them are considering the additional perks a job can give them. In addition to providing extras like dental and vision insurance, you can also offer an employee wellness program to show that your company is a great place to work.
This is especially true if you can’t compete with salary expectations in your industry. In some cases, employees may be willing to take a slight pay cut for more comprehensive benefits. Knowing that they’re working in a place that values and respects their wellbeing is enough to get the attention of top candidates.
And once they see how great your program is, they’ll be more likely to stay on for the long term.
4. Curate High Morale
There’s something to be said about making employees feel valued. When you do, they’ll not only kick their productivity into high gear, but they’ll inspire everyone else to as well. Employee morale is a big player in establishing the work environment at your company.
Having high morale isn’t just good for productivity and workplace relations – it’s also good for your B2C interactions. If you’re trying to forge relationships with new clients or investors, they’ll love seeing that your company is so high-energy and efficient.
5. Improve Workplace Relationships
As we already mentioned, a wellness program can make employees happier, more focused, and even in a better mood. Naturally, this should mean they’ll also improve their relationships with their coworkers.
But beyond just working, employees will also have the chance to bond through wellness activities. As an example, a walking group that gets in steps during lunch is a great place to socialize and get to know one another. You might even start a friendly rivalry by having a weight loss competition.
6. Help Employees Choose Healthier Behaviors
The road to being healthy is not a simple one. Employees may need to completely alter their lifestyle to get where they want to be. Luckily, your employee wellness program acts as a series of stepping stones for them.
The best programs will teach and encourage them to not eat fast food every day for lunch, get 30 minutes of activity every day, and even drink more water. They’ll have all the tools they need to work on their personal development (not to mention the professional development you provide them during the workday as well).
7. Reduce Healthcare Costs
You should be providing your employees with great medical benefits – after all, it’s the most common type of employee benefit. But even top-notch medical plans don’t cover everything. The good news? When employees are healthier, they won’t have as many healthcare costs.
One study found that for every dollar spent on wellness programs, medical costs fell by about $3.27. That’s a huge return on investment, especially when you consider just how much it could mean for an employee struggling financially.
8. Reduce Stress and Anxiety
When employees don’t have a chance to blow off steam, it can affect their mental health. They may begin to feel worn down or even burned out.
Employee wellness programs can give them the tools they need to manage their stress and anxiety to feel better on and off the clock. For example, you may host a yoga class workers can attend or even have a breathing specialist come in and show them how to breathe deeply when things get rough. All of this will help their stress melt away.
9. Decrease Disease Risk
Working in an office is linked to a number of health issues, including obesity, back pain, and even heart disease. That’s because workers are mostly sedentary and hunched over a desk all day.
But when you start focusing more on wellness, your employees may be able to lower their risk of certain diseases. And if you offer preventive screenings at the workplace, employees may even be able to catch specific problems before symptoms begin. For diseases without a lot of signs, like high blood pressure, this could save their life.
10. Make Workers Happier to Come to Work
At the end of the day, you don’t want employees counting down the seconds until the clock strikes 5. It’s always best that they love what they do and are happy to be in the office. A wellness plan might give them just the motivation they need to enjoy their job again.
Exercise can release endorphins, which naturally boost a person’s mood. Eating well and drinking water can also improve their mood. Add in the comradery your employees will form after bonding in the wellness program, and you’ll have a workplace culture that is fun, energetic, and content.
Give Your Employees the Wellness Benefits They Need
In today’s world, a wellness program is a must for any company that wants to stay competitive. And as you can see, you’ll reap far more than you put into the program.
Of course, a wellness program is just one part of the benefits package. Your employees will also need affordable medical, dental, vision, and group life insurance.
That’s where InsureOne can help. We offer affordable employee benefits insurance to give your employees peace of mind. Learn more about our coverage by calling us at 800-836-2240 or get your free employee benefits quote today!