Four (More) Reasons You Need an Employee Wellness Programm

Wellness programs are highly sought after by large and small organizations. Most employers have realized that employee wellness program ideas have many cost-effective benefits for the organization and the employees. Globally, more than 75% of employers have set up worksite wellness programs. Here are some benefits of an employee wellness program:

1. Save on Costs

A wellness program helps your employees to adopt healthy lifestyles, including regular workouts, healthy foods, and snacks. Consequently, the employees' health improves, thus helping to save money that you would spend on their health care.

Studies in the United States show that employers spend 200 to 300 percent more on the indirect costs of poor health than they do on benefits. Frequent cost-cutting in the realm of health benefits and health insurance has the opposite effect than the intended one, and ends up costing companies more in the long run.

This is a bigger problem than can be solved with just one policy or implementation, but a high-quality employee wellness program is an important part of a healthy workforce, which can save you money in the long run.

2. Boost Employee Retention

Organizations with a wellness program record lower employee turnover rates. Statistics show that employee satisfaction and loyalty increase when the employer offers a wellness program. After surveying thousands of employees in my work through Zest, I’ve found that 97.8% of all employees surveyed believe live wellness programming to positively impact their work experience.

Employees are more likely to consider a workplace with a high-quality employee wellness program a good place to work. They will also be more likely to recommend that workplace to others. This helps attract and retain top talent, and retain valuable employees. 

3. Increased Productivity

Healthy and satisfied employees are more productive at work, across a broad range of factors. Better mental and physical health reduces absenteeism and unexpected or severe illness, and happy employees tend to be more motivated. In fact, a University of Warwick study found that employees who are happy and have the opportunity to move during their workday are 12% more productive on average.

4. Invest in Your Most Valuable Resource

Employees are your most valuable resource. When you invest in them by offering them a wellness program, you send a message that you value them, and you help them to be their best selves at work. This pays off in loyalty and in productivity, but it also demonstrates that you are invested in their future, wellbeing, and growth.

So now that you understand more fully the benefits of an employee wellness program, let’s break down some of the specifics:

What are the Financial Benefits of an Employee Wellness Program?

An in-house wellness program is an investment. It will cost you time and money, and you should therefore be concerned about the program's ROI.  The overall cost of your employee wellness program template depends on what you are willing to include. Some organizations offer biometric screening, wellness training, and incentives for participating in wellness programs. 

Reports indicate that organizations are spending between $150 to $1,200 per employee annually.  A survey on these organizations shows that they are getting an ROI of between $1 and $4 for each dollar spent on their wellness programs.

Among the companies with the best employee wellness programs examples is Google.  Professor Oswald of Warwick University reported that the productivity of Google employees rose by 37% after the setting up of the worksite wellness program

Who’s Responsible for “Owning” Employee Wellness Programming?

Existing Employees: Human Resources, Office Managers, Wellness Committee Leader

The wellness program needs someone to lead strategy and implement the plan. You can train one of your managers to do this, and add on this responsibility to an existing role at your firm. This person will need to have extra bandwidth, be detail oriented, and well-educated in (1) how to find quality instructor talent, (2) scheduling and class registration systems, (3) marketing and communications for program promotion, and (4) data and measurement for program performance reporting. This team leader will be the liaison between management and participants and will strategize, implement, and evaluate your  employee wellness program.

Hire In-House

Companies like Google prefer hiring their in-house wellness coaches. A benefit of this is employees  can access the coach at their convenience, and they have deeper knowledge of how to run these programs effectively. The in-house coach will understand your organizational goals and use that knowledge to help employees become more productive. This is the most expensive option, but ideally gives you a seamless execution.

Outsource To a Wellness Partner

Your wellness partner like Zest will give all-round support to employees. They may even offer virtual services so that employees can access their services at any time of day. 

Zest has highly trained and experienced professionals to give you results with an appealing differentiator to help you stand out from your competitors. You will not need to hire a FTE. Our services are pocket friendly. 

At Zest, we offer wellness services that set you apart. We have on-site and virtual wellness classes. We also work with companies to show them how to create worksite wellness programs. 

Get in touch with us for data-driven, high-quality wellness services that will help you build an appealing wellness-centric workplace.