Workplace Wellness is not an Oxymoron!
So many articles, posts, blogs, and chatter about Employee Engagement – Well-Being – and W
orkplace Wellness- does it really matter?
Bad News
Actually, it matters more than many employers care to realize or invest in and the result is crushing a company’s bottom line with increased costs related to health care, absenteeism, turnover, disability, pre-mature death payouts, loss productivity, and a decay of the work environment.
Good News
Collaborative research by the Institute for Health and Productivity Studies at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Transamerica Center for Health Studies developed an Employer Guide of evidence based practices that employers can replicate at minimal cost based on real-world examples. These health promotion programs have indicated significant positive health impacts for the workforce and workplace based on pre-post evaluation assessments and take into account both individual and organizational risk factors.
Risk Factors
Company wellness programs often fail due to being one-sided. Programs focusing only on employee risk factors do not make allowances for organizational factors such as employee input, engagement, and leadership support. Comprehensive programs achieve both a ROI and a VOI as they build a culture of health and blend the individual-level health promotion goals with the organization’s goals and are supported by leadership buy-in.
| Individual | Organizational |
|---|---|
| Physical Activity | Leadership Commitment |
| Nutrition | Leadership Support |
| Weight Management | Strategic Communications |
| Stress Management | Employee Engagement |
| Smoking Cessation | Smart Incentives |
| Sleep Management | Tailoring Programs |
| Social Connections | Environmental Support |
| Alcohol Management | Benefit Plan Design |
| Diabetes Management | Measurement and Evaluation |
Health Promotion Programs
In order for workplace wellness to thrive in organizations human resource personnel, senior management, and all level stakeholders must become aware of the many facets of Health & Wellness and develop health promotion programs based on evidence-based practices. This BLOG will continue to discuss the individual and organizational risk factors over the next few months…..stay tuned.
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