Wellness Program Trends for the Modern Workplace

What inspires you to get up, get active, and get healthy? Big wedding coming up? You’ll want to look good in photos. Going to the beach? Get that bikini body ready. High school or family reunion? Better hit the gym.

As an employer, you’re probably wondering how does any of this matter to your workplace. Why should you be concerned with the health of your employees or how to keep them inspired to stay healthy?

Wellness is about more than just losing a little weight and looking good in a swimsuit. It’s about the mind, the body, and for some, the spirit. Taking a holistic approach to wellness is a great way to increase employee productivity and reduce burnout. Companies that support employee wellness are seeing a positive effect on the company’s bottom line and the overall well-being of everyone in the company. But before you encourage your employees to start a diet challenge or join a Jazzercise class, check out these modern trends in workplace wellness.

Nutrition Education

For many, living well and being healthy requires constructive lifestyle changes. While most people would like to lose weight, most diet programs only offer short term solutions. It can be a touchy subject to challenge employees to participate in weight loss and diet programs. Modern wellness programs have incorporated a holistic approach to improving employee well-being. They offer nutrition education programs that encourage healthy eating and exercise. Modern wellness programs encourage employees to make lifestyle changes that improve their blood pressure, cholesterol, body mass index, and other health indicators.

Workplaces that encourage nutrition as part of a wellness program are educating employees on how to prepare healthy meals, take care of their bodies, and prevent illnesses such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

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Fitness Challenges

Of course, physical fitness is still a primary driver of overall health. Our bodies need exercise. Your employees are spending eight or more hours a day sedentary at a desk with little to no incentive to be active. That’s why new wellness programs encourage physical fitness through fun challenges and rewards offerings. Office marathons organized sports, and fitness contests are becoming popular corporate wellness trends. Fitness competitions encourage employees to rally, bond, and get excited about physical fitness. Many wellness programs offer incentives and prizes to encourage participation and recognize employees for achieving their fitness goals.

On-site Clinics

To reduce absenteeism and improve overall workplace health, many companies are offering on-site clinics and health screenings to employees. Employees can participate in health screenings that are vital to diagnosing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and more. These on-site clinic days are also a great way to offer illness-preventing vaccinations such as flu, pneumonia, and shingles vaccines.

You may be wondering why your employees don’t see their medical practitioners for such tests and vaccines. The truth is, not everyone has the personal time off from work or the ‘leisure time’ to schedule and make it to a doctor’s appointment. Bringing health into the workplace helps reduce the stress around scheduling appointments and requesting time off to make it to them. It also shows your employees that you have their overall health in mind and want them to have access to basic healthcare services and illness prevention programs. These types of wellness programs have been proven to reduce absenteeism. Illness prevention minimizes the spread of illness in the workplace and reduces the number of sick days employees must take to care for themselves. Improved health lends to a more positive work environment and overall happier employees.

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Mental and Emotional Health

We want our bodies to be healthy. We want to be fit and look good. But we also want to feel good. Mental and emotional health is not just a trend; they are a necessity. Your employees deal with several psychological barriers that they aren’t willing to reveal. And that’s okay! However, encouraging them to discuss those barriers with wellness coaches and therapists can help them become their most productive and happy selves.

Several health and wellness programs incorporate mental and emotional health education courses. You might even find classes or challenges that encourage meditation, relaxation, and how to recognize and prevent employee burnout. Wellness programs encourage employees to be proactive in caring for their mental health and offer tips for improving overall emotional well-being.

Find a Provider

Looking for a wellness program provider? Look no further! We’ve made it easy for companies to incorporate health and wellness programs in their workplaces. Our programs encourage and enforce healthy lifestyle choices by offering wellness incentives, desirable rewards, and specialized recognition tools. Our comprehensive platform provides a variety of wellness programming and content to keep employees engaged and excited to participate. Interactive content includes videos featuring health experts, educational information and health tips, and workout and fitness challenges. Your employees can learn about healthy cooking, take a yoga class, or learn about illness prevention at the click of a button.

Taking a holistic approach to workplace wellness encourages employee participation in corporate health programs. Offering incentives and a variety of programming encourages your employees to improve their physical and mental health while also improving the company’s bottom line.

HR Success Driven by Employee Recognition