Where ambition drives deep, it’s vital for it to be equally smooth and healthy. The route to your success lies in a healthy mind of body that’s not walking on one tightrope. Here’s what corporate wellness means and why it’s important for modern age workspaces.
What’s a corporate wellness program?
Corporate wellness programs are specially constructed programs for the wellbeing of employees by internalizing an organizational culture of health. These wellness programs are a new age approach to improving the workspace of one’s mind, all while increasing productivity, optimizing human resources investment and stimulating employee engagement.
Why are corporate wellness programs necessary?
Employees spend majority of the time in their office and maintaining that work life balance can often grow challenging. Hence the main role of workplace wellness programs is to improve the healthcare of its employees and create a better, healthier state of mind for maximum focus and productivity. They help educate on the importance of forming healthy habits and sticking to wellness goals. Chronic diseases are also prevented, alleviating stress-related problems like anxiety and depression which are most common among employees. Building a suitable corporate wellness program takes time, but embedding that culture of introspection and health leads to a myriad of benefits for the future.
What does corporate wellness mean for the market?
Corporate wellness has been in roaming for some time now. Johnson & Johnsons’ Live for Life program was started in 1979 and was considered groundbreaking since it offered its employees on-site behavior modification tools and awareness on various stress-based topics.
Ever since, corporate wellness programs have shaped into essential norms for many US-based companies. Plenty of reports over time have suggested that combining the right wellness and mindfulness practices into workspaces can provide numerable benefits to both the company and it’s workers. A report sponsored by U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and produced by The RAND Corporation found that over 80% of companies in the US with over fifty employees offered some sort of corporate wellness benefit. Another recent report by German psychologist Sabine Sonnentag showed that wellness programs boost productivity, reduce stress, and increase employee engagement and communication.
With plenty of room for innovation and a general acceleration of the modern workplace, the industry has seen a major growth spurt over the past five years. Now in 2019, the growing demand for corporate wellness and more established players are pushing the market forward with a significant pace – allowing efficient and profitable means of building wellness amongst employees.
What future opportunities do corporate wellness programs hold?
Secured Privacy
A recent article by Kaiser Health News (KHN) raised concerns about the privacy of employee health data collected through participation in workplace wellness programs. It isn’t just a mere problem of who knows what about who, but the amount of data being collected everywhere through wellness surveys, wearable devices, gym records and lab tests are valuable personal information that needs to be kept in check. Companies need to be transparent with their workers, letting them know who has access to their health records and data. Conversely, employers also need to make sure the access is under responsible hands capable of maintaining data security and privacy.
Personalized Care
Different people require different solutions to their problems. Artifical Intelligence (AI) has now entered the scenario which has hugely affected the way wellness programs work. They’ve customized and tailored according to relevancy for each employee, distinguishing every individual to their respective situations. By leveraging data, wellness programs will also be able to create a better user experience based on the employee’s preferences and wellness goals.
Addressing and Accepting
In a recent Gallup survey, 44% of employees reported feelings of burnout at work. Are we surprised, though? Modern lifestyles and it’s ever fastening pace take a toll much easier on us than any time before. Mental burnouts affect every part of the industry be it marketing, financing or engaging. It’s gotten important for employers to take charge of addressing these issues so they can work towards helping their employees. People will accept and admit help only when that culture is curated around them. Companies need to take note of that.
Financial Fitness
Corporate Insight’s 2018 Employee Financial Wellness Survey found 14% of employees had access to programs or resources provided by their employer to help them improve their financial well-being. Financial sickness doesn’t only keep people up at night but also shows in their workspace and personality. Companies should incorporate a financial wellness program to their wellness regime and encourage budgeting, emergency savings, debt elimination and retirement planning.
From the time involved in finding the right wellbeing solution to the money required to implement, communicate, and craft effectiveness, the investment in a corporate wellbeing solution is a significant step towards better opportunities in the future.
