How Do Employee Wellness Programs Work?

The health and wellness of employees should be a top priority for your organization regardless of its size or sector. Many studies have shown that work environments with better employee health and wellness benefit from reduced absences, increased productivity, lower turnover and greater profits.

With these benefits in mind, your company should ensure it has ample understanding of how to improve and maintain employees’ health and wellness. This includes composing and implementing employee wellness programs.

What Are Employee Wellness Programs?

Wellness programs at your workplace provide your employees with opportunities to improve their health and wellness through voluntary behavioral changes in their lifestyles. These programs may also often be offered to employees’ family members, including spouses and dependents. Although all employee wellness programs may be unique, they may often include the following goals:

• Improved fitness
• Weight loss
• Chronic health condition management
• Quitting smoking
• Preventing or addressing substance abuse
• Improved mental health
• Better stress management

How Can Employers Cultivate Good Employee Wellness Programs?

Like many employee benefits, employee wellness programs should be tailored to suit the needs and preferences of your workforce. Distributing surveys, hosting focus groups and conducting health risk assessments can help you understand what areas may be of the greatest value to your employees and organization as a whole.

When composing your employee wellness programs, creating a supportive and positive environment can help ensure these initiatives are being used to their full potential. Employees should be encouraged to participate in programs, and your organization should be sure to recognize any wellness-related achievements. Offering various incentives, such as gift cards and other perks, may help motivate employees to get involved and make the necessary effort to improve their health.

Once you’ve identified your ideal employee wellness programs, you should establish a formal leadership team for these initiatives. These teams may often be led by human resources personnel, but other employees from all over your organization may also have considerable interest in being involved. It’s especially important to include a diverse group of employees from all parts of your company to take part in the ongoing development and regular reevaluation of wellness programs.

We’re Here to Help

With over 40 years of experience helping businesses optimize their employee benefits portfolios and improve their workplaces, the dedicated staff at Lyceum Insurance Services is well-equipped to help your organization do the same. We will draw on our extensive knowledge and resources to analyze your situation, identify potential areas for improvement and procure optimal solutions.

Visit our website or call 301-840-6624 to learn more about employee wellness programs today.

This blog is intended for informational and educational use only. It is not exhaustive and should not be construed as legal advice. Please contact your insurance professional for further information.