Importance of Wellness
“More than 90 percent of business leaders agree that highlighting wellness and a healthy workforce can influence morale, engagement and corporate performance.”
Wellness is an active process of becoming aware of and making choices towards a healthy and fulfilling life. Wellness is more than being free from illness, it is a dynamic process of change and growth. Leading companies know that employees who are physically active are healthier and more productive. In fact, more than 90 percent of business leaders agree that highlighting wellness and a healthy workforce can influence morale, engagement and corporate performance. As a company, it is important to provide your employees with the tools they need to be physically, financially, emotionally, and socially well in the workplace. Below are examples of each area.
Physical Wellness
The physical component of wellness is what we typically think of first when we hear the words “health” or “wellness.” Physical wellness encourages the balance of physical activity, nutrition, and mental well-being to keep your body in top condition. Obtaining an optimal level of physical activity allows you to nurture personal responsibility of your own health. As a company, it is important to understand the benefits of how an active lifestyle, proper diet, and adequate sleep can make you and your team more engaged, energized, and productive. There are a vast number of ways you can promote physical wellness in your workplace. Here are a few examples of what we do an Innovative to keep physical wellness at the forefront.
- Offer Annual Biometric Screenings and Flu Shot Clinics
- Opportunities for Physical Activity at Work
- Fitness Membership Reimbursements
- Incorporate Monthly Wellness Challenges & Tips
- Provide Nutritional & Healthy Lifestyle Education
- Supply Healthy Office Snacks
Financial Wellness
According to an article published by UC Davis, financial wellness involves the process of learning how to successfully manage financial expenses. Financial stress is repeatedly found to be a common source of stress, anxiety and fear in the workplace. In fact, according to one study by GreenPath Financial Wellness, 58% of employers reported that financial “illness” plays a role in employee absenteeism – while 71% of employees say their top source of stress is personal finances. Learning how to maximize your financial fitness now will help you feel prepared to handle potentially stressful financial situations in the future. Workplace wellness programs that incorporate financial wellness helps employees become better educated about their personal finances. In turn, reducing a lot of the stress associated with money management. There are many ways you can help enhance your employees financial wellness. Here are a few to help your company be financially prepared:
- Provide Financial Resources
- Offer Tuition Assistance
- 401(K) Education
- Finance Focused Lunch & Learn Sessions
Emotional Wellness
Emotional wellness can be more difficult to discuss in the workplace, but it is pivotal that employers do. According to the National Center for Emotional Wellness, the term refers to an awareness, understanding, and acceptance of your emotions, and your ability to manage effectively through challenges and change. Supporting your employees emotional well being helps provide them with a healthy mental state. This includes stress management, emotional intelligence, and positive mental habits. Positive emotional well-being also helps employees perform well and feel their best at work. There are several ways to incorporate emotional wellness into your programs including the following:
- Onsite Meditation Programs or Dedicated Medication Rooms
- Encouraging mental health days
- Providing Emotional and Mental Health Education & Resources
- Offering stress management programs
- Develop spaces for employees to take mental breaks
Social Wellness
The importance of employee’s social wellness can often be overlooked. Strong work relationships and opportunities for social connection in the workplace are essential for employee job satisfaction, happiness and overall well-being. According to the National Wellness Institute, social wellness can be defined as being able to interact positively with the people around us. Encouraging strong work relationships and opportunities for social connection in the workplace are essential for job satisfaction and overall well-being. In fact, lonely employees are much more likely to feel disconnected from their jobs, which can lead to lower work performance and employee retention. Here are a few ways to encourage and support social interaction in the workplace:
- Organizing Company Outings and Activities
- Encouraging Employee Book Clubs
- Providing Social Areas in the Office
- Facilitation Work Celebrations
- Arrange Employee Potlucks
Insights with Innovative
Unsure which wellness initiatives are right for your company? At Innovative, we help make workplaces more productive and believe in the importance of workplace wellness. Creating an inspiring environment where people love to work is essential for workplace culture and company productivity! Through our Insights Workshops, we can help you improve your company’s wellness program to better support the well-being of your employees!
Contact Innovative at [email protected] or reach out to your Account Executive to get started today!
