The health of employees should be one of the top priorities for every business leader and manager, as happy and healthy staff members can mean big changes for the workplace.
This article will take a look at what workplace wellness is, and what businesses of all sizes and industries can do to improve it.
Defining wellness programs
Workplace wellness is essentially a policy that the business creates that supports healthy behaviour and activities, with the aim of improving the wellbeing of employees.
These could be free health checks held on a regular basis, or possibly free flu vaccinations during the appropriate season. In addition, wellness programs might involve fitness activities designed to motivate staff to stay healthy.
What are some of the benefits?
Aside from the obvious health benefits for employees, there are a number of other improvements for the company. For example:
Engagement: As staff have access to auxiliary programs that promote healthy living, they're far more likely to remain engaged employees. That is, workers who are more invested in their jobs and the company.
A focus here, for example, could prove useful in preventing an IT security event, as the staff will be more switched on and ready to respond.
Engaged employees could prevent an IT security event.
Positive culture: A workplace culture is something that is intangible, but a good one is definitely noticeable. Having activities and programs that promote healthy living can do wonders for creating such an environment.
There are also financial benefits, as the company can reduce health care costs and even see absenteeism rates drop off, given the healthier state of workers.
Prioritising employees
Staff are one of the most valuable assets for a business, especially workers with experience. As such, it's important to think about the usefulness of wellness programs. The happiness and health of staff is often directly tied to their view of the company, and how engaged they are with their work.
The health and wellbeing of workers should start to become a focus of businesses, but it's also a good idea to ensure that the correct management practices are in place. These can help to ensure that workers are always correctly utilised, as well as engaged.
Get in touch with ALC Training today to find out more about people, IT and other capable frameworks. We've got a significant range available, and courses coming up this year across a number of major cities.