When trying to boost employee health, retention, and morale, you may consider adding health and wellness programs to your company. With more and more companies offering competitive benefits packages and wellness program initiatives, is it worth considering them? RTR Consulting discusses the various types of health and wellness programs you can implement to benefit your employees and discusses how they may add value to your company.
What types of programs can you implement?
There are various programs you can implement to promote employee health and wellness. Depending on the size of your company, you may be limited by what, and how many, programs you can begin. There are inexpensive – and even free – options you can add to enhance employee wellness. Don’t let the word “program” intimidate you or lead you to believe that you will have to develop a lofty budget to show your employees that you care about their health.
What are the costs associated with the programs?
Inexpensive or free solutions. Encouraging employee health does not have to be elaborate or expensive. It can be as simple as providing employees with a list of healthier options to eat nearby work, coordinating after-work exercise sessions with coworkers, holding walking meetings, or meeting at local farmers’ markets on the weekends. Adding healthier options to the break room doesn’t have to be costly if you replace vending machines with a selection of fruits and vegetables and make them periodically available. You can also do something as simple as exchanging healthy recipes during breaks or having employee workout challenges to keep employee health a priority.
Investments in company culture. There are options that cost a little more and will be considered a long-term investment to boost employee health and wellness. These include offering comprehensive, competitive benefits packages where employees have a wider network of options to address their health. You can also look into gym membership discounts or weekly exercise sessions after work hours for your staff. Some companies invest in standing desks or exercise balls for their employees to substitute chairs, benefitting employees who work 9-to-5 jobs that require sitting for long periods of time. This can be another costly endeavor depending on how large your staff is but may be worth looking into depending on your budget.
How do they add value to your company?
When potential candidates are searching for jobs, one of their considerations may be company culture. Though this may not carry the utmost importance for every candidate, it can be an important factor if an individual has other job offers on the table. Health and wellness programs can add value to your company because improving health has become a crucial point of discussion in our society. With more companies paying attention to their employees’ health, offering health and wellness programs or initiatives can give you an advantage. These programs can give employees something to look forward to, boost morale by keeping employees engaged, and promote retention by offering them a little something extra.
RTR Consulting has more than 20 years devoted to developing effective and efficient Human Resources policies, procedures, and best practices for small to medium-sized businesses. Contact us today to learn more about if incorporating health and wellness programs is beneficial for your business.