Fit Wellness into your Workplace
In today’s competitive business landscape, it is important to assess how best to use your resources to meet the challenge of recruiting, retaining and engaging employees; while managing absenteeism, employee turnover, and an aging workforce. Studies confirm that workplace wellness programs are effective at reducing sick leave, improving employee health, boosting morale and increasing productivity.
What is Workplace Wellness?
Looking after the wellness of your employees does not have to solely focus on safety and injury prevention. Recently, businesses have introduced programs that are designed to assist employees to choose healthier behaviours, like being more physically active or quitting smoking. The programs focus on increasing knowledge and opportunities to learn new skills, to make it easier for employees to make healthier choices.
Why Wellness Programs are Important
Workplace wellness programs are an important business strategy. Not only are they essential for improving employee health and wellbeing, but they also reflect a business’s reputation as a socially responsible employer. Workplace wellness programs attract new talent, and help retain and engage current employees.
In fact, the 2007-2008 Towers Perrin Global Workforce Study showed that the most powerful influencer of employee engagement was found to be “the knowledge that senior management is sincerely interested in my well-being” (1).
Where to Find Help
If you would like to offer this type of program to your employees, but feel like you do not have the time or resources to dedicate to it, help is available. The Canadian Cancer Society, BC and Yukon Division, in partnership with Healthy Families BC, have joined together to provide a helping hand.
WellnessFits is a free comprehensive workplace wellness program that can offer you the resources and support you need to create a healthy workplace program. Resources include online tools and information on healthy eating, physical activity, healthy minds, being tobacco-free, and sun and UV awareness. There are also opportunities to address the specific needs of your business via phone, email and on-site visits.
Seven Tips to get you Started
There are many easy ways to get started with creating a healthier workplace. Here are a few quick tips to get started today:
- Provide your employees with a refrigerator and lunch room or area.
- Serve healthy alternatives at your company lunches, meetings and celebrations.
- Look into your local Chamber of Commerce group health insurance plan which is designed for small businesses and guarantees coverage amounts for businesses with three or more employees.
- Promote taking the stairs at work.
- Promote local community events and recreation facilities such as fun runs, parks and gyms.
- Have an ergonomics expert asses your employee’s work areas.
- Organize a pedometer challenge to encourage people to increase the number of steps they take in a day.
Reference:
1. Towers Perrin. 2007. The Evolving Global Workforce: Insights, Strategies and Solutions. 2007-2008
About The Author
WellnessFits
WellnessFits is delivered by a trusted partnership of the Canadian Cancer Society, BC and Yukon and the Province of British Columbia’s Healthy Families BC initiative. Together, we are pleased to offer WellnessFits to improve employee health and to reduce the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases.
Visit wellnessfits.ca or call 1-855-939-9355 and ask us about receiving a free workplace wellness starter kit.
Learn More About
Growing a Business Human Resources benefitshealthhealth and safetyrecruitmentwellness
