5 Simple Steps to Increase Employee Wellness
Yesterday’s blog, Investing in Employee Wellness, discussed the benefits of a healthy workplace; increased employee retention and productivity, to name a few. Today we cover a few small steps any company can take to begin their journey to becoming a healthy workplace:
1. Establish a Health and Wellness Committee. Before beginning the ambitious endeavor of increasing employee wellness, select a small group of people to lead the charge. A wellness committee can research local opportunities, organize activities, send out weekly health tips, and more to help create your healthy workplace.
2. Administer a Survey to Employees. The best way to select a program that is truly right for your employees is to ask them what they want. Chances are your employees want to look and feel better, but don’t have the time, the access, or the funds necessary. Ask them how you can help.
3. Provide Employees with Fresh Produce. Here at Great Place to Work®, we receive a box of fresh fruit every Wednesday from a local company, The Fruit Guys. More and more farmers are providing similar services to homes and offices alike, and it’s a great alternative to the vending machine.
4. Encourage Employees to be Active. This is a great opportunity to increase both employee wellness and employee engagement. Inviting employees to walk to a company-sponsored lunch, or encouraging everyone to take the stairs each Thursday, not only gets the endorphins pumping but gives employees something to talk about around the water cooler as well.
5. Provide Health Screenings at Work. Bringing in medical professionals is convenient for employees, cuts down on health-related costs, and as an added benefit will bring everyone together for a singular goal—to increase employee health wellness.
Increasing employee wellness can be an overwhelming task, and it won’t happen overnight. It’s a culture shift. But a committed team dedicated to employee health and wellness can slowly but surely bring everyone on board. By offering tangible ideas and realistic goals, any workplace can cut costs along with calories, and increase endorphins along with employee engagement. The benefits of creating a healthy workplace are well worth it!
What does your organization do to encourage healthy habits among your employees?
Tiffany Barber is the Associate Manager of Marketing and Communications and guest blogger for Great Place to Work®.
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