Whether you own your business or manage a team within a larger one, you’re always trying to find ways to help your employees produce more. Financial incentives are the obvious answer. Workforce optimization is another. But a recent study suggests that a healthier workforce is a more productive workforce. The study finds that workers participating in a workplace wellness program increased their productivity by 5%. This is a tangible benefit that’s a win/win for employer and employee alike. So, if healthier workers are more productive workers, what can your company do to help?
Accenture, the consulting goliath, takes a traditional but generous approach to their program. They offer confidential assistance for mental health and substance abuse issues, gym and fitness discounts, and a free online fitness program. This is a good, solid offering that adds some nice-to-haves to their otherwise great benefit package. Their bet? They’ll offset the cost of the program with increased productivity and talent retention. So, one way to do wellness is to find out what is important to your workers health-wise and develop an offering around those things. Many companies take this approach and have had a lot of success with it.
But you can get creative too.
How about an on-site masseuse? Seventh Generation stacks this perk on top of a top-shelf wellness package that includes unlimited sick days and free Vermont apples. In need of direction? Mission Continues provides employees a life and health coach. Companies are catching on to the notion that it pays to try something different to get healthier.
Creative or traditional, your wellness program should be thoughtful, prioritize employee health over profit, and generally make your employees lives better.
Health is Bigger than Business
With all of the talk about increased productivity, it’s easy to forget that we’re talking about healthier people. That in and of itself is a good thing. A healthier workforce isn’t great because of the increased productivity. Its a happy byproduct, sure, but it’s a small part of a larger narrative. A healthier workforce is great because you, the manager, care about your employees. We spend a good chunk of our lives at work together. Your company is a unique tribe rallied together trying to make an impact in your industry. The fact that they’re willing to work with you toward those goals is reason enough to make health a priority.