Corporate wellness programs are designed to create happier and healthier employees, these various programs are considered to be an important part of increasing productivity, reducing absenteeism and cutting down on the cost of employee health care. It is felt that when employees are stress free and at the peak of health that the quality of work increases. Corporate wellness programs come in many guises; they include in-house fitness centers as well as wellness education.
Perhaps the most common corporate wellness programs are those which are conducted through the auspices of the human resources department. All employees are urged to lead a happy and healthy lifestyle both in the workplace and the home. Managers are supportive of and encourage their staff to engage in sports and other outdoor leisure activities, the people who are responsible for the programs often provide the employees with healthy options for food and beverages by taking out the vending machines that dispense candy and sugar laced soft drinks and replace them with spring water dispensers and healthier snack choices.
There are many cases where the job is extremely stressful and as a result high turnover has a negative effect on productivity. These companies will often sponsor employee’s assistance programs which offer no-cost counseling and support services. These services can be telephone counseling, anger management as well as stress reduction such as massage therapy and if found to be necessary; drug and alcohol rehab clinics. These assistance programs work well as it has been found that employees with problems would rather turn to a counselor than their manager.
Supplemental health coverage is often offered to employees, this cover includes wellness plans such as access to alternative medicine, chiropractic care, weight loss programs and nutrition programs. These and other similar programs are rarely covered under the basic employee health plans but they are available and they are quite inexpensive and can easy be provided by the employer.
On the job fitness centers are gaining in popularity as are free memberships to local gyms. With the long hours that many people are expected to put in along with the stresses associated with trying to manage their own personal lives, it is hard to find the time to keep the body fit through exercise. Programs such as this allow the employee to access exercise opportunities during the work day, thus encouraging a healthier lifestyle.
Dr. Sanjay Jain is a well known author and speaker who conducts seminars with a focus on corporate wellness, health and self-development. Please feel free to contact Dr. Jain for further information.
