Corporate Wellness Programs || programs

Corporate Wellness Programs

Workplace wellness is any workplace health promotion activity or organizational policy designed to support healthy workplace behavior and improve health outcomes. Known as 'corporate wellness' outside the US In the US, wellness in the workplace often includes activities such as health education, health screenings, weight management programs, on-site fitness programs or facilities. A recently published article in Forbes magazine states that, according to the American Psychological Association, five elements must be considered in the workplace in order for it to be a healthy work environment. These five elements are the balance between work and personal life, health and safety, growth and development of employees, recognition and participation of employees.

[2]workplace wellness programs can be classified as primary, secondary, or tertiary prevention efforts, or an employer can implement programs that have elements of multiple types of prevention.

 [3]Primary prevention programs generally target a fairly healthy population of employees and encourage them to engage more frequently in health behaviors that promote continued good health. Examples of primary prevention programs include managing stress and exercise and promoting healthy eating. Secondary prevention programs are aimed at reducing behavior that is considered a risk factor for poor health. Examples of such programs include smoking cessation programs and screening tests for high blood pressure or other risk factors related to cardiovascular disease. Tertiary health programs address existing health problems and aim to help control or reduce symptoms, or help slow the progression of a disease or condition. Such programs can encourage employees to better adhere to specific medications or self-managed care guidelines.

People's lifestyles in the workforce are important both for their own health and for their employer's productivity. Companies often subsidize these programs in the hope that they will save them money in the long run by improving health, morale, and productivity, although there is some controversy over the evidence of return on investment levels

 [4]The controversy is based on a large and growing body of evidence that shows that much of what has been claimed as a result has been fabricated, while in fact industry practices violate clinical guidelines and can be detrimental to employees.

 [5]This evidence refers specifically to job exams and crash diet contests.

Non-controversial examples of organizational workplace wellness policies include allowing flexible hours for exercise, providing cooking and eating areas on-site, offering healthy food options at vending machines, holding "walk-and-talk" meetings, and offer financial and other incentives for participation. . 

[6]In recent years, workplace wellness has expanded from individual health promotion interventions to create an overall healthier environment, including, for example, building standards and interior design. to promote physical activity. This expansion is largely due to the creation of greater leadership access and support by leaders of participating companies.

The following information is from the 2016 Kaiser Family Foundation Summary of Findings to provide updated information on employer-sponsored health benefits, the Kaiser Family Foundation (Kaiser) and the Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET) conduct a annual private survey and non-federal public employers with three or more workers.

Many employers offer wellness or health promotion programs to help employees improve their health and avoid unhealthy behaviors. Both small and large companies offer a program in at least one of these areas: quitting smoking; weight control; Behavioral or lifestyle coaching. 46% of small companies and 83% of large companies offer these. 3% percent of small businesses and 16% of large companies reported that they collected health information from employees through portable devices such as Fitbit or Apple Watch. 42% of large companies with one of these health and wellness programs offered employees a financial incentive to participate or complete the program. Among the largest companies with an incentive to complete wellness programs, incentives include: lower premium contributions or cost sharing (34% of companies); cash, contributions to savings accounts related to health or merchandise (76% of companies); some other type of incentive (14% of companies). Some companies separate financial incentives for different programs, and others have incentives that require participation in more than one type of program (for example, completing an evaluation and participating in a health promotion activity).

There are several types of wellness programs offered by companies. Biometric screening programs can help identify cardiovascular risk factors in clients. Larger companies or companies tend to facilitate more incidences of biometric detection programs. This may be due in part to the amount of leadership support fostered by company leaders and then received by employees.

 [7]Also, putting more emphasis on creating a more personalized experience is a major workplace wellness trend for 2019.

#01:-Yoga classes

Company offers its team members yoga classes twice a week, which, weather permitting, moves to their rooftop with stunning views of the ocean and the Vancouver Mountains. The most important requirement for practicing yoga is the space to do it, and many companies are using their conference or break rooms to provide yoga classes for team members throughout the workday.

What makes this wellness program great?

Yoga and meditation are extremely effective stress relief. Team members at startups or public relations agencies often have to deal with tight deadlines and overtime. Yoga is an effective way to incorporate self-care into the job, so team members don't have to feel guilty about neglecting work.

#02:-Smoking cessation programs

It's no secret that, on average, team members who smoke cigarettes cost their employers more money because of health problems compared to nonsmokers. Some workplaces have found it in their best interest, both ethically and financially, to offer smoking cessation programs to their team members.

Union Pacific offers a smoking cessation program consisting of lifestyle training, as well as pharmacological assistance, for its team members. His program has helped reduce the number of his team members who smoke from 40% in the 1990s to 17% in 2007.

What makes this wellness program great?

Union Pacific understands that pharmaceuticals alone may not work for all team members. Incorporating training for team members trying to quit can make the difference between success and failure.

#03:-Healthy lunch and snacks.

With just 30 minutes to lunch, many team members may feel like they have to eat fast food when buying their lunch. Bandwidth offers a 90-minute fitness lunch to your team members - enough time to play a sport, hit the gym, or head home for a healthy home-cooked lunch. Again, Google sets the bar high with its cafes, offering lunches and snacks for team members throughout the day. Services have recently appeared that will offer healthy snacks to your office, such as Natural Source and Mindful Snacks.

What makes this wellness program great?

A lunch and snack program will appeal to all members of your team as everyone has to eat! Promoting healthy eating in the workplace benefits everyone in the office. Community and healthy eating programs encourage interaction between people from different teams, and the cafeteria offers one of those places where a large and diverse workforce can mingle and connect.

#04:-Naps

What does a nap after lunch sound like? Professional or not, there is no argument that a good nap always leaves one completely refreshed. That's why innovative companies like Zappos, Facebook, and Asana offer specialized nap rooms for employees looking to get a little afternoon rest. Due to flexible work schedules, employees can take a quick nap and return to their projects with renewed energy.

What makes this wellness program great?

While having a dedicated nap room is not technically a "program", naps have clinically proven benefits when it comes to productivity. We all felt that calm afternoon after lunch. But we're not saying to let Steve from the accounting department hibernate under your desk. We are telling you to allow employees to recharge in the way that suits them best. Perhaps you're allowing employees more time to go for a walk or have a quiet area for staff members to read. The idea is not to be as rigid in the way employees spend their free time. Everyone is energized in different ways and discovering what they are can improve mental well-being and productivity.

#05:-Wellbeing challenges

Workplace challenges related to wellness, from health challenges to fitness challenges, are effective in promoting healthy lifestyles within your workforce. At Rise, we design and execute workplace wellness challenges that encouraged our team members to participate in workouts of their choice and drink more water in the office. By tracking their progress, their team would be eligible to win a health related award at the end of the month.

What makes this wellness program great?

Our monthly fitness and water challenges were successful in promoting regular physical exercise and daily hydration among our people. It has become a central part of our company culture, motivating our teams to achieve goals, interact with colleagues, and improve their wellness habits.

#06:-Wellness adventures

Like many companies, Zappos offers fitness grants, health benefits, and wellness rebates. According to your wellness coordinators, physical activity is important but should not be mandatory. As part of their wellness efforts, the Zappos team schedules optional wellness adventures for their employees with the goal of getting away from their desks for a while. This could seem like an hour-long golf lesson or even a laser tag. Wellness adventures are kept wide to appeal to a wide range of people, and most importantly, focus on having fun.

What makes this wellness program great?

Organizing wellness adventures is a lot of fun for everyone. Remember, not everyone can participate in all physically active events. Scheduling a wide range of monthly events can allow those who exercise elsewhere or are not very active to come together. It attracts more people because it focuses on fun first rather than exercise.

#07:-On-site gyms

This could be considered the grandfather of all examples of corporate wellness programs. Not everyone can provide their team members with a 72,000-square-foot gym, but Chesapeake Energy considers it a fully justified expense to recruit and retain healthy team members. The gym offers team members an Olympic-size pool, a climbing wall, and access to personal trainers.

What makes this wellness program great?

The gym is just one part of the company's ‘Living Well’ program, which offers cash incentives for team members who participate and meet their goals in various areas of the program. Chesapeake Energy clearly cares about the well-being of its team members and has given them as much support as possible to help them achieve their goals.

#08:-Employee assistance programs

Well-being not only means taking care of the body but also the mind. Accenture provides confidential support for issues like stress, substance abuse, depression, and anxiety. Accenture knows that a large amount of work-related stress can be addressed outside of the workplace through guided support programs, thereby providing access to programs, such as financial assistance, for all of its employees. Employees are also rewarded for setting and achieving wellness goals.

What makes this wellness program great?

Employees who need extra assistance outside the workplace get the help they need to perform at their best. Companies like Accenture realize that support for their employees should not end once they leave the building. By providing additional support initiatives, organizations can communicate a certain level of empathy and support to their people, increasing satisfaction and trust between employer and employee.

#09:-Transit options

Encouraging alternative methods of transportation, such as bike sharing or public transportation incentives, are beneficial to the workplace and the future of the environment. The Facebook campus in Palo Alto offers a shared bike program for team members to bike to places around the campus instead of driving. At Rise, we encourage our team members to take public transportation by reimbursing employees for their transit passes.

What makes this wellness program great?

This type of program will appeal to current and potential employees who value environmental responsibility.

#10:-Paramedical services

Google offers paramedical services, such as massage therapy, to its team members while they are at work. In fact, Google employs a massage program manager, as one of 35 massage therapists employed in its offices in the United States. Massage therapists also go through an interview process at the company, where they demonstrate their skills (which sounds great to the interviewer).

What makes this wellness program great?

There is a reason why Google is consistently rated one of the best workplaces in the world. Going beyond what team members expect from their employer is a great way to encourage mutual effort. A relaxed and calm team member is a pleasure to have you in the workplace, which is probably the main reason why Google offers the service.