The productivity of an employee workforce is determined by how healthy they are. If an employee is suffering from any type of ill health, be it physical, mental, or both, their ability to work will be compromised.
Illness in the workplace can lead to various consequences. These include:
- Lost productivity
- Disruption of operations
- Employee absence
- Reduction in customer service
- The need for sick pay
- The need to hire a replacement
Needless to say, the absence of an employee due to sickness can have financial repercussions, and there can be logistical problems too.
Business owners are now waking up to the fact that the health and wellbeing of their employees is important. In some cases, provisions are being made in workplaces across the country (and around the world) for employees to ensure their short and long-term health needs are met. These are sometimes instigated by a wellness programme.
The Benefits Of Employee Wellness
When employee wellness is at the heart of the business, the following benefits can be expected.
Better financial health
Productivity will increase in the workplace and this will usually equate to more profits. There will also be less need to use a temping agency to replace an absent employee, and there will be little need to start the hiring process again if the current workforce is working to its fullest potential.
Increased morale
Knowing that they are being cared for by their employer can have a positive effect on the employee. This can lead to greater productivity, as well as a higher employee retention rate within the business.
Reduced stress
Many businesses are offering yoga and other meditative practices to their employees. These can be highly effective, especially in jobs where stress levels are likely to be high. Google, Yahoo, and HBO are just some of the big companies that promote employee meditation, and the upshot has been the improved mental health and wellbeing of their employees.
Better employee health
This is the obvious benefit for employees and employers alike. Employees will clearly be glad to be happier and healthier, and employers won’t have to worry about damage to their reputation or their profits.
What Can Businesses Do To Improve Employee Wellness?
When a business owner understands the need to provide some form of a wellness programme, the following could be included.
Arrange for a wellness assessment
This can be arranged through our team of health professionals at Soza Health. We can offer health screenings to employees on a confidential basis, give them advice and a personalised action plan detailing the changes they might need to make in their lifestyle, and make recommendations to the business owner on changes that might need to be made on a corporate level.
Provide an on-site fitness centre
Not every business owner will have the space or the finances to provide something fully stocked. However, for those that can, their employees will benefit from the fitness equipment available. For those businesses that can’t provide the same, they could still rent or buy smaller pieces of fitness equipment, or provide their employees with a gym membership.
Encourage alternative methods of transportation
Many employees will arrive at work feeling stressed after their daily commute. To prevent this, employers could encourage their employees to use public transport, perhaps by reimbursing their travel tickets. Or they could follow the example of Facebook and initiate a bike-share programme. This is just one way to encourage more exercise.
Provide healthy lunches
When healthy lunches are provided, the employee won’t be tempted to opt for the unhealthier option, be that something they have prepared for themselves or something they might buy from the local fast-food establishment. There will be less temptation to skip lunch too. The employer could hire a catering team at their business, or they could make use of the many delivery services that offer healthy lunches.
Offer counselling support
Stress-related problems can occur in and out of the workplace and they can have an adverse effect on the employee’s mental health. To counter these issues, employees can benefit from the counselling services that are available. Some counsellors will have the means to operate on the business premises, while others will be available through Skype or Zoom calls. Counselling sessions can offer employees stress relief, as talking to somebody else can be incredibly therapeutic.
Provide yoga and mediation sessions
We have already discussed this, but it’s worth repeating. Yoga and meditation are two ways to provide stress relief, and because a session can be carried out relatively quickly, the employee won’t need to be away from their desk very long. Of course, while yoga will need a dedicated space, employees can remain at their desks for a meditation. There is some advice at Headspace on how to go about this.
What Else Can An Employer Do?
We have discussed the actions an employer can take to incorporate wellness into the workplace, but there is more they can do. For example, they should:
- Find ways to reduce the need for overtime
- Monitor the workloads of employees and reduce the amount of work if needed
- Bring elements of fun in the workplace. Here are some ideas.
- Deal with instances of workplace bullying
- Be available for their employees should problems arise
- Treat their employees fairly and respectfully
By taking such steps, the workplace will be improved, and there will be a reduced risk to the employee’s health and wellbeing.
Get In Touch
As we touched upon earlier, Soza Touch can support the wellness needs of both employers and employees in the workplace. With health screenings and personalised action plans, we can promote health and wellness in your business, and drive down drive down absenteeism and presenteeism (where staff are in work but not working to their full capacity due to suboptimal health).
To learn more about what we can do for you and/or your business, get in touch with us today, and browse the services that we have highlighted on our website.