Your work atmosphere can have a significant impact on your career and your health. Family-owned businesses may strive for a warm atmosphere and treat employees as part of their extended family, promoting employee loyalty. Some larger corporations also strive to create a welcoming atmosphere to encourage employee retention.
Large corporations can fall into the trap of setting rigid expectations because of the number of employees managers oversee. Managers may also prioritize their advancement and claim credit for their subordinate’s ideas or belittle employees, creating workplace incivility. Workplace incivility produces negative thoughts, prompting employees to look for other jobs. Corporations can use wellness programs to promote a positive work environment and empower employees.
What are wellness programs, and what is their purpose?
Wellness programs are initiatives supporting employee health. They may focus on the employees’ financial, physical, mental, intellectual, or social health. Since there are multiple benefits employers may emphasize, corporations may implement various wellness programs, and some employers may offer various wellness programs. Any program that promotes employee well-being qualifies as a wellness program.
Corporations that want to create wellness initiatives can start by identifying their objectives and reviewing wellness program examples. Perhaps most of the employees work at desks and spend a lot of time looking at computer screens. An effective wellness program that promotes physical health could encourage physical exercise and taking a break from screen time. Offering short yoga classes or starting a walking club could effectively support employees’ physical health.
Employers may offer seasonal wellness programs by hosting a flu shot clinic, enabling employees to get their flu shot without taking time off work. Employers can also promote offsite wellness activities, such as providing paid leave to visit another location for a health screening or flu shot. Employers can also opt to reimburse employees for fitness memberships or classes.
Wellness programs promoting financial health could include seminars on retirement savings plans and tips for reducing personal expenses. In addition, employers can support intellectual and career health by paying the tuition fees for college courses or certificate programs that expand employees’ skills and career opportunities.
Employers can promote mental health by including coverage for the therapy in their health insurance plans. These wellness programs empower employees by enabling them to take control of their finances, careers, and mental health, ensuring they have the resources and credentials required to achieve personal goals or qualify for a promotion.
How can wellness programs promote social health?
Socially healthy people adapt to social changes, such as the introduction of new people. Employees that have positive social interactions at work are both happier and healthier. These positive interactions ensure they look forward to going to work, with promotes productivity and employee retention.
Wellness programs that focus on social health can include seasonal parties, such as Halloween and Christmas parties. Employers can also promote social interaction by creating work clubs. For example, hosting a book club or photography club is a great way to encourage employees from all departments to interact and discover common interests.
Social wellness programs can include gaming programs. Employees who are avid gamers may enjoy setting up gaming tournaments or playing video games against each other as a way of alleviating stress. Engaging in preferred activities empowers employees to focus on their interests and demonstrate their skills and knowledge.
Gamers can also bond watching gaming tournaments, such as League of Legends (LOL) worlds. LOL worlds is an annual world championship featuring the best LOL players from around the globe. A social wellness program for gaming enthusiasts could involve creating championship brackets and letting gaming enthusiasts pick which teams they think will advance. In addition, the program could include meetings to watch each round of competition.
Employees feel empowered when they achieve goals, enjoy opportunities to focus on their interests or have a chance to use their skills and knowledge. Social programs support employees’ physical, financial, intellectual, career, mental, and social health and promote healthy work environments.
