Ideas For Workplace Wellness Programs

Ideas for Workplace Wellness Programs

Habits take between 20 and 65 days of daily repetition to become the norm in a person’s life; therefore, if you’re contemplating boosting the health and wellness of your employees, you should be aware that it will require long-term programs and initiatives to ensure team members become accustomed to them and make them a permanent fixture in their working day.

But what are the best ideas for an employee wellness program? Well, in today’s piece, we take a look at some of the best workplace wellness programs.

Workplace Wellness Programs: The Magnificent Seven

Quit Smoking: Employees that smoke cost their employers more money due to the health problems than those who don’t smoke; therefore, some companies have found it their interest - and, of course, the employees’ interests - to introduce quit smoking programs. Although it is impossible to say just how many people will quit, figures released over the last few years have shown that a reduction in those who smoke (at work) can be reduced by as much as 50%.

Yoga classes: What workplace wellness program article would be complete without yoga, right? Yoga, meditation and mindfulness have been proven to have anti-stress, anti-anxiety and calming effects on those that do it; therefore, it’s highly likely that it will have the same impact on employees who partake it once or twice per week.

Healthy eating: You are what you eat. As old and boring as that phrase may seem; it’s true. Therefore, if you want a fighting fit workforce, food is always the best place to start. While it is never advisable to try and force people to eat in a more healthy fashion, you can actively encourage it by sharing recipes and making more healthy options available in work - be that in vending machines or in the canteen. Furthermore, you run ‘Foodie Friday’ every week, where a different team member brings in an array of healthy snacks for everyone to enjoy.

Naps: Who doesn’t love a nap? I certainly do. And, if people are up early and working hard, it’s common to feel drowsy in early to mid-afternoon. Rather than plying employees with coffee in an attempt to keep them awake, let them have a nap for a short period of time. A quick snooze can help to refresh and reinvigorate employees, which will help to boost their productivity and morale.

Transportation: Encouraging the use of public transport, biking or walking into work can have a plethora of positive effects not only your employees but on the environment too. Why not offer a bicycle subsidy scheme to encourage people to cycle to work? We all know that we must do all we can to save the planet, and this is just one way that you and your company can do this.

On-site fitness: Ok, so we’re not suggesting your renovate your entire office and build a state-of-the-art gym in there, but we are suggesting that you make fitness and exercise a priority. You can do this by encouraging employees to work out before, during or after work, either at your office or location gyms, by buying equipment or subsidising gym memberships. Or, you could do what my old company did, and get a personal trainer to come in twice a week to host lunchtime fitness sessions.

Wellbeing challenges: Fitness challenges within work and between employees or teams of employees are a great way to encourage inter-work relationships and boost the mental and physical health of those who work for the company. See who can walk or cycle the most, or who drinks the most water. Anything related to fitness will be a great challenge for everyone!

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