Workplace Wellness Programs Growing Fast
n Since the 1980’s the idea of wellness programs has gone from something that few companies were even interested in to being more and more integrated into the work life for most Americans today. Wellness programs in the workplace are now even being integrated into the entire culture of some corporate organizations.
Emily Noll of CBIZ Business Solutions indicates that wellness programs have gone from “the status of being nice-to-have to must-have status.”
According to a recent article by Andie Burjek which appeared at Workforce.com, as of July 2016, there are more than 950 companies which specialize in corporate wellness in the United States. And the projected growth of the industry shows absolutely no sign of slowing down. IBISWorld estimates that the industry will grow to a whopping $7.6 billion by the year 2021 even though just less than ten percent of workers have access to a wellness program.
According to an article in Fortune magazine, some of the things companies might consider looking for in their own corporate wellness program are the following:
- Choose programs that are accessible & practical.
- Make the workplace more health conscious – Is the company cafeteria offering healthy choices for employees? Sometimes offering a healthier choice at a lower cost can provide an incentive to make that choice. Are there walking paths or an onsite gym for employees to work out?
- Offering health screenings for workers. – Some workers may balk at such screenings insisting that employers can use their health information about them. Some companies offer extra vacation or flexible spending accounts for participation in such voluntary screenings.
- Personalization – One of the top complaints that workers have against wellness programs that are offered is that it doesn’t suit their own personal needs or that of their families. Try to implement a program that gives a wide variety of choices and consider ones that offer tailor made programs and incentives that suit the needs of your workers.
Workplace wellness programs are an important part of more and more companies today. It can be confusing to know which is which in the field of wellness program providers.
At EinsteinHR, we understand that maintaining the health and happiness of your workers is a win for them and for your organization. Keeping them that way is an important part of retaining your precious human capital and to your company’s bottom line. The research is clear – workers who feel that their health and wellbeing matters not only to them, but also the company, feel valued. Those who feel valued are more productive and are much more likely of staying where their current organization.
EinsteinHR can help you in determining what wellness program is right for you. We offer a full range of HR management services that gives peace of mind to your workers and lets you continue to grow your business. To find out more, please contact us today at 888-981-3622 (emc2) for a consultation.
