Health and Wellness in the Workplace
Health and Wellness in the Workplace
Health and wellness in the workplace is crucial to business success. Healthy employees are more productive and they cost less. The quality of health is intimately connected to the quality of life. Companies that promote healthy lifestyle habits for employees to improve their health, often take the success of the company to heart and are likely to be absent less often for health related reasons. Employers are now offering a wide range of wellness initiatives; such as health risk screenings and assessments, healthy food choices in cafeterias and vending machines; weigh management programs on-site at employers' expense, subsidized or discounted off-site fitness courses, smoking cessation programs, on-site massage therapy and health fairs.
There can be several benefits received as a result of a wellness program. A positive work balance promotes healthy lifestyle behavior. Healthy habits appear very attractive when partnered with incentives and rewards. Incentives and rewards are motivating factors used to encourage employees to practice healthy behaviors. Holding health-related activities in the workplace improves employee moral, decreases absenteeism and shows that the employer is investing in the improvement of the employees' quality of life. Healthy lifestyles should begin with a behavior change program. Awareness; employees must recognize that behavior changes will provide benefits and help avoid detrimental conditions later. Commitment; encourage employees to make a commitment to change and turn a "should do" into a "must do." Skill-Building is necessary to develop and maintain the healthy behavior change. Once employees have the knowledge, they more likely to meet their commitment. Maintenance requires a
conscience effort and employees can learn to deal with any obstacles they may be faced with plus the ability to manage any lapses in said commitment. Stress management is vital to prevent burnout
Health and wellness in the workplace is crucial to business success. Healthy employees are more productive and they cost less. The quality of health is intimately connected to the quality of life. Companies that promote healthy lifestyle habits for employees to improve their health, often take the success of the company to heart and are likely to be absent less often for health related reasons. Employers are now offering a wide range of wellness initiatives; such as health risk screenings and assessments, healthy food choices in cafeterias and vending machines; weigh management programs on-site at employers' expense, subsidized or discounted off-site fitness courses, smoking cessation programs, on-site massage therapy and health fairs.
There can be several benefits received as a result of a wellness program. A positive work balance promotes healthy lifestyle behavior. Healthy habits appear very attractive when partnered with incentives and rewards. Incentives and rewards are motivating factors used to encourage employees to practice healthy behaviors. Holding health-related activities in the workplace improves employee moral, decreases absenteeism and shows that the employer is investing in the improvement of the employees' quality of life. Healthy lifestyles should begin with a behavior change program. Awareness; employees must recognize that behavior changes will provide benefits and help avoid detrimental conditions later. Commitment; encourage employees to make a commitment to change and turn a "should do" into a "must do." Skill-Building is necessary to develop and maintain the healthy behavior change. Once employees have the knowledge, they more likely to meet their commitment. Maintenance requires a
conscience effort and employees can learn to deal with any obstacles they may be faced with plus the ability to manage any lapses in said commitment. Stress management is vital to prevent burnout
References: Investing in the health and well-being of your employees- Association for Worksite. (1998). Retrieved December 29, 2006 from: http://www.prosante.com/En/Services/HealthWorkplace.html Stress Management Mind Tools Retrieved December 30, 2006 from: http://www.mindtools.com/stress/Defenses/RelaxationTechniques.htm Retrieved December 30, 2006 from: http://www.workplace.samhsa.gov/WPResearch/healthnwelfare/WPHealthpromo.html Fortune 's 100 Best Companies to Work for (2007). Retrieve January 17, 2007 from: