Companies that only focus on their employees’ health and wellness during periodic times of the year, such as at a health and wellness fair, are not providing the best environment for their employees. What happens after you offer a health and wellness fair that offers free screenings for blood pressure, heart attack risk, or cholesterol? Is your break room still filled with donuts, pastries, and salty snacks? Rather than focusing on health and wellness only a few days per year, it is more beneficial to provide an employee wellness program that focuses on health and wellness year-round.
Simple Steps to Take
· Implement healthy snacks – Offer plenty of healthy snacks in the break room, including fresh fruits and low fat dairy. Try to also offer plenty of water for your employees to drink. If your resources allow, provide education for your employees regarding the benefits of healthy food and drinking plenty of water daily in order to stay healthy.
· Decrease stress – It can be difficult to lower the stress of everyone in the office, but if the overall environment is low in stress, it will pass along to your employees. Encourage an open door policy with all of your managers, discourage the use of overtime -- especially in physically taxing jobs, and always offer support to employees wherever it is needed.
· Offer health clinics – Giving your employees the opportunity to have their health screened during work is a great way to keep them knowledgeable about what they need to do to improve their health. All too often employees get so caught up in their daily lives that they forget to take care of themselves. Hosting simple screenings at the office can bring their health back to the forefront of their minds, allowing them to remain healthy and happy long-term.
Supporting your employees by offering health clinics in combination with a positive health environment can help to keep them in optimal health, which benefits your employees, as well as your company. Healthy employees are more productive, miss less work, and are happier in general.