Why is employee wellness even a thing?

There has been a lot of research into the link between employee wellbeing and absenteeism. Companies with comprehensive corporate wellness programs have a lower number of absent employees and higher productivity levels:

• Employees who are in a good mental health state are likely to resign without any reasons

• Employees with good stress management are less likely to experience ​burnout

• Employees who are living healthily, including taking care of their mental well-being, have a higher level of energy that can help them to increase productivity

• A supportive work allows employees to feel cared for and creates a sense of belonging, which then translates into employee loyalty

Employees are our most valuable resource

What is a company’s most important asset? Is it the building, products and services, or even intellectual property? It is actually our company’s workforce that is made up of tens, hundreds, or even thousands of employees! Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the employee wellness programs we organize for our staff are suitable.

We can always easily repurchase spoilt products from the store but not the loyalty, knowledge, skill sets, expertise, and experience of our valuable employees.

What can I do to have successful employee wellness programs?

Step 1: Conduct the employee wellness survey

Working in the same environment does not mean we go through the same experiences and emotions as everyone else. To really understand and know how our employees are coping, we can encourage them to fill up a short survey

Tip: Having respondents be anonymous will get us more honest answers.

Remember that wellness programs are more than just doing physical activity. To have a holistic approach, there are other programs you can implement such as meditation, nutrition talks, mental wellbeing workshops, and lifestyle workshops.

Step 2: Make sure everyone is on board (especially the team leader!)

After processing the result of the employee wellness survey, we can then decide on the programs that will be suitable going forward. However, suitable programs do not always translate into high attendance rates. This is where getting the support of their leaders to join the sessions is vital because they are ultimately role models in the company.

Tip: intentionally setting aside time for employees to attend such programs will also encourage them to join in.

Step 3: Keep in mind the outcomes we want to achieve

When we create a program for employee wellbeing, we should always put our focus on our end goal. What is it that we want our employees to take away from attending the program? Is it purely to build awareness first or we will follow through and encourage application during work?

Working with vendors for corporate wellness programs will allow staff to focus more on other employee engagement aspects, leaving the planning and execution to the professionals. This includes coming up with customized topics for talks, interactive workshops, ideas for employee rewards, and many more.

Tip: Having a trustworthy vendor ensures that the quality of the program will not be compromised and is beneficial for the employees.

Step 4: Upkeep the wellness program

Even after our corporate wellness programs have ended for the year, it is important to keep track of their efficacy and make adjustments as needed. We can start by conducting a post-feedback survey, evaluate the effectiveness of the program, and use the information gathered to make certain changes for the upcoming year.

Tip: Having a vendor to help with data analysis and modify the employee wellness program is more cost-efficient.

Implementing corporate wellness programs at our workplace can help our employees to work better, create a better workplace environment, increase employee satisfaction at work, and keep them away from burnout or instability in mental wellness. Read here for more information on how poor mental health can affect your business.