An optimal wellness program for employees triggers high energy levels and performance. Employee wellbeing can work wonders for a company’s management.
Table of Contents
What is Employee Wellbeing?
It refers to initiatives for the benefit of the health of the employees.
These initiatives must target not just physical health but also mental health.
What is Employee Engagement?
Employee engagement is the fundamental concept that describes the level of dedication, enthusiasm that an employee feels based on trust, integrity and two way communication between employee and its organisation.
What are the Benefits of Wellness Programs for Employee Engagement
Modern-day organisations are aware of the strong correlation between employee wellbeing and employee engagement, and are therefore actively incorporating it to drive into their company culture. Needless to say, an engaged workforce is a productive workforce, and companies that employ these initiatives witness around 27% improved work performance by their employees. A wellness program for employees must target multiple goals.
Objectives of Wellness Programs for Employee Engagement
The target is to benefit in the following areas:
- Emotional Wellness. Benefits of wellness are immense when the emotional state of employees is targeted.
- Mental Wellness. In most white-collar jobs, optimal mental health is important for prime performance.
- Physical Wellness. Employee wellbeing physically seeps into all aspects of their life. A healthy physical body is needed to harbour a healthy mind for a better employee engagement.
What is a Workplace Wellness Program
A wellness program for employees is an initiative set by HR leaders and managers to benefit employee wellbeing.
For the benefit of wellness, it is important for employers to design safe and comfortable environments, where employees feel free to communicate about their mental wellness and seek support.
Essential Activities for a Wellness Program for Employee Engagement
It is critical for organisations to build and maintain a supportive company culture by highlighting key employee wellbeing goals. Some of these goals are listed below –
- Physical Wellbeing goals
Physical health has a phenomenal impact on employee wellbeing and how we feel at any given point of time. Optimum fitness can uplift our energies, moods and lead to improved productivity. Physical wellness programs such as yoga, meditation, provision of gym membership, etc have already been a part of many company initiatives for a long time. New-age organisations need to take a few steps ahead by providing more tools to their people to stay physically fit.
For instance, various organisations are encouraging employees to lay down their personal fitness goals and also helping them achieve it. Benefits of wellness are reaped by innovative apps which track the daily steps of each employee. One could set up a wellness program for employees which exchanges points in return of the number of steps walked/run.
Also, companies are introducing various fitness challenges and programs, where employees can monitor their health in real-time, and gain access to different fitness practices accordingly. Companies are also tying up with leading healthcare institutions to offer employee wellbeing packages, free access to healthcare facilities and fitness professionals, etc.
- Mental wellness goals
A recent report from McKinsey that surveyed employees from all across the globe has stated that 62% of workers consider mental health issues as their key challenge. Unfortunately, many people hesitate to discuss these issues at work due to the stigma attached, and this silently deteriorates employee wellbeing.
Many companies have already taken the leap by creating exclusive forums where employees are encouraged to share their mental health stories with others in the organisation. Industry-leading experts are being invited to conduct sessions on topics such as stress, mindset, purpose, etc. These experts impart valuable lessons and tips to effectively increase employee wellbeing. Few innovative companies are also exploring out-of-the-box ideas and are inviting comedians to conduct a wellness program for employees like laughter sessions to engage one and all in the organisation.
Also, there are many who are employing advanced technologies such as AR and VR to create mental health exercises for employees to de-stress at work. Gauging how your people are feeling and experiencing their lives can make a great deal of difference in employee wellbeing.
- Financial wellbeing goals
The Covid-19 pandemic has been financially tough for many people. With uncertainty around jobs and finances looming over, stress and anxiety have dug deep holes into their wellbeing. Poor employee wellbeing leads to people that tend to look for new job opportunities.
During such unprecedented times, it is the duty of every organisation to help people feel financially secure and protected. Create a different wellness program for employees, such as employee savings plans, special discounts, financial rewards, etc, which must be designed to offer some financial relief to people. Many companies are organising exclusive financial education sessions, where leading financial advisors are being invited to assist employees in tackling their finances and planning for their futures effectively. This boosts employee wellbeing.
- Rewards & Recognition
Recognizing employees for their efforts and achievements can go a long way in boosting their morale and self-esteem. As per a recent survey, 70% of employees state that recognition at work makes them happier at home.
It is important for companies to make recognition a strong part of their culture, in order to nurture the social and emotional aspects of employee wellness. Peer-to-peer recognition must also be encouraged, as it gives a distinct sense of victory and joy, where one feels truly appreciated for putting in hard work. Social recognition improves employee wellbeing and hence employee engagement.
Takeaways:
In the absence of suitable employee wellbeing goals, one is likely to experience boredom and fatigue at work, which often leads to poor employee engagement. As the Covid-19 pandemic induced a flurry of negative emotions such as stress, worry, and anxiety across the global workforce, the need for an effective wellness program for employees is imperative as it ensures that people are happy, healthy, and engaged at work.
