Employee Health and Well-Being
Employee Health and Well-Being
Employees are the most valuable assets to any company and as such there is a growing focus on employee health and overall well-being in the workplace.
Workplace wellness programs are designed to assist employees in changing their behaviors by nurturing wellness and promoting healthier lifestyles in all types of work environments.
Wellness programs range from offering information to workers, to sponsoring healthy lunches, fitness education, or even a company gym.
Getting information to companies in order to encourage behavior changes that will promote a healthier lifestyle and overall wellness is a bit of a challenge especially if companies are unaware of the programs that exist or how to access those programs. EPAs (Employee Assistance Programs) have much to offer, companies can use wellness programs to facilitate behavior changes in their employees that lead to a healthy life style. The following video discusses the need to inform employers/employees of programs that are available and examples of how to implement an effective wellness program in the workplace.
In conclusion, the EAP (employee assistance program) at most workplaces have a wellness component and while many companies are seemingly unaware that these programs exist there is a wealth of information on how to organize and implement such a program at little cost to the company and countless benefits to all involved.
Incorporating a wellness program can effectively raise employee’s awareness of the lifestyle choices they make on a daily basis, as well as promote better dietary choices and exercise habits, which can help employees be less stressed and more productive in the workplace while reducing overall costs for the company.
Workplace wellness programs can help people get healthier, from learning how to reduce stress and muscle strain on the job to losing weight, lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, and even sleeping better.
Sometimes, all someone needs is a little motivation to get the ball rolling and a workplace wellness plan might be the ticket.
References:
CBS Money Watch:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505125_162-47541594/my-job-made-me-healthier-4-inspiring-stories/?tag=mwuser
Harvard Business Review:
http://hbr.org/2010/12/whats-the-hard-return-on-employee-wellness-programs/ar/1
Keywords: EAP, Employee Assistance, wellness, Workplace wellness, healthy employees, wellness programs