Employee wellness programs are an effective way to increase employee motivation and retention. Not only do they encourage healthy habits, reduce sick days and absenteeism, but they can also lower healthcare insurance costs.
However, small businesses must remember a few things when creating their own wellness program. These include:
1. Health and Wellness
Employee wellness programs are a proven strategy to promote employee health, boost productivity and reduce healthcare costs. Unfortunately, they may prove challenging for small businesses to implement successfully.
Employees may be reluctant to participate in wellness programs due to a lack of time or the perceived lack of benefits. Others feel their company doesn’t support or value them enough for them to make a real impact, leading them to believe there’s nothing worth the effort.
Communicating the purpose of the program clearly and promptly clearing up any misconceptions employees might have about it is key. Furthermore, a small business wellness program can be an excellent opportunity to foster teamwork among staff members.
Finally, health and wellness programs are essential for small businesses as they improve employee morale and productivity while cutting healthcare costs – saving the business money in the process. That is why many small companies now provide workplace wellness programs to their staff members – an investment that will reap rewards in the future.
2. Work-Life Balance
Work-life balance programs are essential for small businesses as they improve employee quality of life and make them more loyal to their employers. Furthermore, work-life balance programs help reduce turnover rates – which can be costly to a company.
According to a study by Hays Group, employees in workplaces with successful wellness programs rated their employers higher on job satisfaction than those without them. Furthermore, they reported lower levels of stress, improved overall health and an lowered risk for burnout.
Employees working from home, a cafe or an office often struggle to maintain a separate work and personal life. Meetings in the living room, balancing lunch with social interaction – these are just some of the difficulties remote workers must contend with.
3. Increased Productivity
Productivity is the amount of work completed within a specific amount of time. Increased productivity not only helps businesses be more profitable, but it can also raise living standards.
Small businesses can experience increased productivity from a number of sources. Employee wellness programs, in particular, have been shown to encourage employees to remain at their jobs longer and perform better.
Many small businesses lack the resources to fund comprehensive employee wellness programs, but there are several cost-effective solutions for improving employee health.
Subscription options, such as gym memberships and meal delivery services, can give employees the power to take control of their health at an affordable cost. Remote workers may benefit from virtual wellness programs that enable them to improve their wellbeing without sacrificing quality of life.
4. Employee Engagement
Investing in employee wellness programs can have a tremendous impact on the health and happiness of your employees. Not only that, but creating an encouraging work environment is essential for building and sustaining employee engagement as well.
Gallup has even found that highly engaged teams experience 21% greater profitability.
To gauge employee engagement, evaluate employee survey results. Regular feedback conversations and access to survey information provide managers with invaluable data that they can use to make positive changes in their team’s performance and culture.
Small investments in workplace perks, a positive work environment and quality of life at work can go a long way towards creating an efficient company. Your small business will see higher retention and more satisfied customers as a result, plus employee engagement saves you money in the long run by reducing employee turnover and lost job skills.
