Why Your Company Should Add Wellness Programs for Employees

Have you ever wondered why some companies offer workers gym memberships or healthy snacks? These are examples of wellness programs that are becoming increasingly popular in workplaces. Let us discuss why companies add these programs and how they can benefit workers and businesses.

What is a Wellness Program?

A wellness program is a set of activities and services a company offers to help its employees stay healthy and happy. This can include things like:

• Exercise classes or gym memberships
• Classes on how to manage stress and professionals to speak with
• Help to quit smoking
• Regular health check-ups
• Immediate access to a health professional without any costs
• Financial and Legal guidance

These programs help workers take better care of themselves physically, mentally, and financially.

Benefits for Employees

Better Health

The most obvious benefit of a wellness program is that it can help employees get healthier. People with easy exercise and healthy food access are likelier to make good choices. Leading to:

• Lower risk of diseases like diabetes and heart problems
• More energy throughout the day
• Better sleep at night
• Less stress and anxiety

Saving Money

Many wellness programs offer things that would typically cost money, like gym memberships or health screenings. Employees can save money while getting healthier. Some insurance companies even give discounts to people who participate in wellness programs.

Learning New Skills

Wellness programs often include classes or workshops. These can teach employees new skills like:

• How to cook healthy meals
• Ways to relax and manage stress
• How to exercise properly
• Understanding nutrition labels

These skills can help people make better choices even when they are not at work.

Feeling Valued

When a company offers a wellness program, it shows that it cares about its employees’ health and happiness and makes workers feel more appreciated and respected at their jobs.

Benefits for the Company

Happier Workers

Employees who are healthier and less stressed tend to be happier at work. Happy workers perform better at their jobs and are nicer to be around, resulting in a more pleasant workplace.

Less Time Off Work

Healthy employees do not get sick as often. Therefore, they do not have to take as many sick days. When people come to work more often, the company can be more productive.

Lower Healthcare Costs

Healthier employees do not need to visit the doctor as often, which helps the company save money on health insurance costs.

More Productive Workers

People who are healthy and not stressed tend to work better. They can focus more, think more clearly, and get more done in less time. Creating a positive outcome for the company means more work is finished promptly.

Better Teamwork

Many wellness activities, like exercise classes or cooking workshops, can be done in groups. This gives coworkers a chance to get to know each other better, and when people know their coworkers, they often work together better on job tasks.

Attracting New Workers

When a company is trying to hire new people, having a good wellness program can be attractive. It shows that the company cares about its workers, which can make more people want to work there.

Attracting New Workers

Adding a wellness program to your health plan benefits the business by saving on employment taxes. Your company will save approximately $500 annually per employee. It can also reduce the costs of workers’ compensation and health plan insurance.

Challenges of Wellness Programs

While wellness programs have many benefits, they can also have some challenges:

• Cost: Setting up and running a wellness program costs money. Some companies worry about whether it is worth the expense. That said, programs can be established today without any out-of-pocket cost to the employer.
• Time: Employees might need to take time out of their workday to participate in wellness activities. However, because they are healthier, that could offset the time required to go to a doctor.
• Privacy: Some workers might not want their employer to know about their health. The program provider will ensure that the wellness program respects people’s privacy.

Conclusion

Including a wellness program in your business’s offerings will be a win-all. While the company gains more efficient workers and can save money over time, employees get support to remain happy and healthy. Although there are specific challenges, many businesses discover that the advantages exceed the expenses, if any. Businesses may improve the workplace by supporting staff members in caring for themselves.

Expense To Profit has worked with many of our previous and current clientele to implement a wellness program that is a win-win for employers and employees. If interested, please book a call, and we will work with you to set up one.