What Should Corporate Wellness Programs Provide?

If you are a health-conscious employer, then you know that your fit employees are more productive, that fitness lowers healthcare costs, and that if you could put all of your employees on wellness programs then you would boost your bottom line. As you begin shopping for an on-site or online program, you should first understand why corporate fitness works and what corporate wellness programs should provide.

Here is a simple list that will help you determine what your company needs. On a basic level, the corporate fitness program you choose should offer many incentives to motivate your employees. Employers should look for a program that ...

... Offers expert solutions to all health issues - Total wellness is multi-dimensional and includes mental, emotional and spiritual health as well as physical health. Corporate wellness and fitness programs lower healthcare costs because healthy people have less stress and manage what little stress they do have. Workers with high stress have 46% higher medical bills, and the annual economic cost of depression in 1995 was $600 per depressed worker. Employers implementing wellness in the workplace should be sure the program includes a psychosocial component.

... Helps employees set personal goals - Employees on wellness programs can be presented with fact after fact, but if they aren't given the means to apply their new knowledge, then it goes in one ear and out the other. If you want to offer your employees online access to health, make sure you choose a program that motivates and encourages them to set attainable and measurable goals. Your wellness program should also include an easy way to track their progress.

... Provides fitness plans catering to various individuals - You pride yourself in your company's diversity. Your workers come in all colors, shapes and personalities, and this means they also have different health concerns. The corporate fitness program you purchase needs to meet each of your employees on an individual level. African-American women have different risk factors than Hispanic males. Your Caucasion secretary might be thin but malnourished compared to another, more obese worker. When corporate wellness programs provide personalized attention, your employees are more likely to succeed.

... Offers clear and easy to follow nutrition guidelines - Nutrition is a huge part of wellness. You might incite a revolt if you remove the candy and pop machines without warning, but if your employees start understanding why corporate fitness and health are important, perhaps they'll be the ones leaving the junk machines on the loading docks. Educate and raise awareness through access to health recipes, meal planners, and nutrition information and your employees will thank you.

... Has a healthy living forum - Of the many benefits of corporate wellness websites, the ability to connect employees to talk and ask questions about their health is vital. When your employees have your permission to utilize online tools in their journey toward wholeness, that gift will come back to you. It is not a waste of time to allow your workers to better themselves. After all, when you have the privilege of managing high quality people, it is infinitely easier to turn out a product of high quality.