If you’re considering a corporate wellness programme for your company, you only need to look at the facts to make your decision. Wellness programmes lead to cost savings, happier employees and a more productive workforce – fact. So with the wellbeing of your employees and your business in the balance, how do you implement and maintain a corporate wellness programme that works?
Firstly, let’s take a closer look at some of those lovely facts. 50-75% of all money spent on health-plan costs are lifestyle, or behaviourally, driven, from conditions such as obesity, hypertension, stress and smoking. Your company can impact or mitigate the cost of insurance by reducing the lifestyle-driven portion of the expense. For example, Johnson & Johnson saved $250 million dollars through their corporate wellness programme between 2002 and 2008, returning $2.71 for every dollar invested.
So what are the challenges that you face when trying to implement a corporate wellness programme? The first is knowing exactly what to do. You may be unsure of regulations, and wary of “encouraging” employees to quit smoking, or begin exercising and improving their diets. Your organisation may not have the resources to successfully manage such a programme, or you may be uncertain of the investment and resources needed to implement it; how is the budget going to stretch to this? Who is going to manage the programme?
There are your challenges, but here are your solutions! Wellness means taking complete responsibility of the items you have control over like obesity, hypertension, stress and smoking, and so the art is in getting your employees to voluntarily participate and take control. You need to get employees motivated and involved in the process; otherwise your programme will not succeed.
Working with an expert can help you to navigate this challenge, and companies who have done this before can offer you a framework for activities and strategies that work, and don’t cost the earth. When done right, corporate wellness programmes save you money, and make your employees happier and more productive. All you need to do is choose the right partner to implement the programme and help get your staff motivated.
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