Corporate Wellness Programs: Benefits and Examples

Most organizations have corporate wellness programs that focus on the well-being of employees. The thoughtfully designed programs help create healthy work environments. They also ensure a company’s goals are met, which in turn helps the organization to succeed.

Corporate wellness programs are easy to realize under the professional guidance of exercise science graduates. The experts can develop wellness activities and incorporate them into the daily life of employees to enable them to maintain a healthy life.

Are you planning to introduce corporate wellness programs in your company? This guide explains corporate wellness program benefits, examples, and how to execute it.

What is a Corporate Wellness Program?

A corporate wellness program is a program of specific activities/benefits an organization puts in place to improve or support employees’ health. As a company, you can introduce fitness programs, preventive care, or health screening activities.

These programs aim to help organizations create a good work environment and help employees remain healthy. Since most companies promote their wellness programs, you can emulate this and attract more high-skilled talent.

Some common corporate wellness programs you can introduce are gym memberships, exercise classes, health assessments, and smoking cessation programs. You can also bring wellness activities, mindfulness classes, nutrition programs, and stress management assistance.

Your organization can implement such programs using gift cards, bonuses, fitness trackers, and reduced health insurance premiums.

Examples of Corporate Wellness Programs in Action

The common examples of corporate wellness programs in action you can illuminate include:

Chesapeake Energy Corporate Wellness Programs

The leading oil and natural gas producer, Chesapeake, has some great corporate wellness programs you can copy. The company has a fitness center and ensures employees undergo physical therapy, chiropractor visits, nutritional counseling, and personal training.

Hundreds of employees of this company can also enjoy these benefits through video calls with the fitness and nutritionist staff. Apart from that, Teladoc memberships to employees allow their employees to undergo tests and treatment for common illnesses via phone or video. Being able to utilize virtual visits are convenient and easy to access. As an employee of Chesapeake Energy, you can also enjoy reduced insurance rates to attend health checks, dietitian services, or yoga.

Cisco Systems Wellness Programs

Another corporate organization with better wellness programs is Cisco Systems. Cisco Systems have counseling sessions for employees and their family members. It also has a dedicated resource site containing articles, checklists, and tips for approaching and managing different life issues. You can also get referral services like babysitters or dog walkers if you’re an employee here.

The employees can attend annual preventive exams and immunizations through its onsite health and fitness centers available in some countries. The company also allows employees to enjoy physical therapy sessions, support while traveling, and virtual health visits with doctors. If you’re an employee of Cisco, expect also to attend the mindfulness courses.

Deloitte Wellness Programs

Deloitte is another company you can enjoy working at because they’ve got good wellness programs. The company has sabbaticals, well-being challenges, mental health services, and recreational programs.

You can also have flexible work schedules, which ensure you’ve got a work-life balance. Deloitte also has your back if you’re a sports person, as they’ve different sports and activities. Plus, your financial well-being and integrating tech or taming technology are part of the programs.

Intuit Wellness Programs

Intuit also has corporate wellness programs that help create a healthy work environment. It has a fitness center where you, as an employee, can keep fit. Intuit also has a discounted weight loss program that makes it easier to achieve the desired weight.

Life coaches can also talk to employees facing difficult situations requiring third-party intervention. The cognitive behavioral therapy app is also a plus as it monitors employees’ problematic behaviors from stress and gives the best solution. Such wellness programs are available for part-time and full-time employees, proving the company is considerate to all.

Google Wellness Programs

Google has elaborate wellness programs you can include in your organization. It offers massage services that ensure all the employees don’t complain of physical complications. The fitness center is good for exercise activities, while the cooking classes at home help the employees learn to cook and eat healthy foods.

The on-site meals give everyone enough energy to carry out different tasks. Googlers can also work remotely from anywhere for specified weeks in a year. And the time off to volunteer also provides the opportunity to cool off after tiresome weeks at the job.

Exploring Corporate Wellness Program Benefits

The corporate wellness programs by the above companies benefit both the employer and employees. The employees remain with less burden as most stressful but essential services are catered for. For example, gym subscription is becoming important as human interactions reduce. But with different financial responsibilities, not all workers can afford it. So, if you include such programs, your employees will keep fit without stressing about the high costs.

Some of the programs also encourage socialization and great relationships between employees. For example, the onsite fitness centers provide the best opportunity for employees to interact beyond work. The programs also help reduce stress on employees, and have a relaxed mind that can deliver good results. And some also help the staff feel energized and ready to conquer the challenges at work.

Additionally, the programs enable the organization to realize the potential of each employee, which can help identify hidden skills and talent. The company will also have better employee-employer relations as the workers feel valued and can freely express themselves. Also, the company becomes a competitive employer, with most people wishing to work for them.

Corporate Wellness Program Benefits

The corporate wellness program benefits both the workers and the company. Let’s discuss each below.

Corporate Wellness Programs Benefits to Employees

If you have the right corporate wellness program, your employees will benefit in the following ways:

Improved Job Satisfaction

Your employees will be more satisfied if you have the right corporate wellness programs. A satisfied employee gets a good salary and is happy with the work environment. Job satisfaction also boosts employees’ work morale, making them happier without stress. They will also not have excuses for not coming to work as your company provides most of the essential needs.

If you have satisfied employees, they will be much more open and honest with you about things you need to achieve your goals. It’s also easier to manage satisfied workers as they have high attention levels and are willing to take risks to realize set goals. Furthermore, such employees are highly creative as they engage in different beneficial activities that make them grateful.

Better Physical and Mental Health

Wellness programs are also good for your employees’ physical and mental health. If your employees utilize the health assessment programs, they will remain fit and healthy. Having your employees attend gym sessions, yoga, or physical therapy also ensures they remain in the right physical and mental state.

Additionally, the organization’s workers can attend counseling and beneficial courses like mindfulness and cooking classes. Such sessions are therapeutic for human beings and help relieve stress and tension. As you know, a mentally and physically fit individual is in the right state to execute various company goals which see it grow.

A Healthier Work Environment

Having a wellness program in your organization also promotes a healthy work environment. Some of the activities encourage the workers to interact and share beneficial tips. Frequent interactive sessions also promote teamwork which can allow employees to develop helpful initiatives to grow one another.

It’s also easier for the employees to encourage one another in difficult times if they meet and interact through the wellness programs. An outside work wellness activity facilitates team bonding and improves collaboration and communication. A healthy work environment increases productivity and morale, which is the best attitude for an organization to move ahead.

A Feeling of Being Valued by the Organization

If your organization has wellness programs, expect your employees to feel valued. Your employees will know you care about their health, finances, and mental state. They will also be grateful for the reduced cost of expenses and understand you want the best for them.

Valued employees meet set goals faster and easier. Job satisfaction also reduces turnover, as most people wish to work in such an environment.

The Opportunity to Receive Rewards After Achieving Goals

It’s a norm for the best-performing employees to receive awards after meeting set goals. So if you’ve got the right wellness programs that encourage your workers to be themselves and give their all, it prepares them for awards. You can have departmental goals and set aside rewards for the best-performing team in different disciplines.

Then narrow the competition to individual employees like the employee of the year and award the best talent. Alternatively, you can introduce sporting activities, and the winners get rewards. After giving out, the awards encourage everyone to work hard with the same spirit they had in the field.

Corporate Wellness Benefits to Employers

As the employer, expect the corporate wellness programs also benefit you. The ways you can enjoy having wellness programs include:

Lower Employee Turnover

Expect your company to have low turnover if the employees feel satisfied and valued. A healthy work-life balance encourages employees to appreciate the position they hold.

If your organization experiences low turnover, it’ll have a good reputation amongst job seekers. It also reduces the cost of hiring, training, and running the business. Your customers will also enjoy working with you as the workers have the right attitude that keeps them returning. You also get to retain experienced employees for long, making progress easier.

Reduced Sick Days, Disability Costs, and Workers’ Compensation Costs

Motivated and satisfied employees are more likely to enjoy coming into work. The wellness program also ensures every worker is physically fit, reducing sick days.

Your organization may not also foot high disability and workers’ compensation costs often. This is because the wellness program caters to that, and the employees are less likely to get involved in a work related accident as they have teachings to prevent this.

Improvements in Employee Productivity

High employee productivity means your business will meet its set goals faster. It’s also possible to meet customer needs in time, improving trust. Your revenue will also increase, and collaboration levels will be higher.

All these are possible after the wellness programs create a collaborative team that’s motivated, satisfied, and feels valued. Improved employee productivity also encourages a positive culture that helps everyone forge ahead.

Ability to Offer an Attractive Benefit During Employee Recruitment

Having wellness programs can also help your organization to offer attractive benefits during recruitment. With an attractive benefit, you’ll get high-qualified professionals that can meet set goals faster. The attractive benefits make your organization a dream employer for most job seekers.

Trends in Corporate Wellness Programs

Even though you should introduce corporate wellness programs, it’s best to watch out for the trends to avoid being backward. The wellness program trends come because of changing employee demands and lifestyles.

The current trends to incorporate into your wellness program include:

An expansion in the Mental Health Components of Corporate Wellness Programs

This ensures all the mental issues employees can encounter are well taken care of. Most employers expect to expand the employee’s mental health components to help them cope with different life challenges.

An Increase in Benefits to Assist with Stress Management

Also, expect to see more firms increase their share contribution to stress management. Stress management benefits can help workers handle work-related stress and have them in perfect mind to deliver. According to a study, most employees experience work-related stress due to fatigue, anxiety, and physical problems.

Growth in the Availability of Telemedicine via Corporate Wellness Programs

As technological advancements increase, more employers want to introduce telemedicine in their wellness programs. A telemedicine program can help your employees receive medical assistance from anywhere without visiting a hospital.

A rise in Offering Corporate Wellness Programs through Digital Delivery Mechanisms

Most organizations are striving to offer different wellness programs through digital platforms. Your organization can create software that helps everyone access programs like health education and stress management tips. You can have a customized app that lets your staff access vital programs digitally.

Inclusion of More Financial Wellness Services

More and more organizations are helping employees manage and reduce financial burdens through financial planning assistance. A financial wellness service can help you reduce employee absenteeism and improve productivity.

How to Start a Wellness Program

If you want to start a wellness program, follow the below steps:

Conduct an Initial Assessment

You must first assess what to introduce or the benefits your employees might love from the program. Ask your employees what they lack and would love to have within the organization. You can also evaluate the corporate culture and review group health plans.

Gain the Management Buy-in and Support for the Program

For the wellness program to be successful, you must engage the management to help execute and support it. Sell the wellness program idea to your management and let them understand it before time. Then request the team to help execute and implement the program with fewer challenges.

Creating a Wellness Committee

The wellness committee should include employees from all levels to garner employee support for the program and assist in the program’s development.

Establishing Goals for the Program

When starting the wellness program, have goals you want to achieve. It can be your wish to have a fit, healthy team of employees.

Developing a Budget for the Program

A budget for the program makes its implementation faster. Look at everything you may need and the number of employees you expect to benefit from the wellness program. Then set aside a budget that doesn’t affect your other projects. You can work with a financial advisor to achieve this.

Selecting and Designing the Individual Components of the Program

You can do this based on the assessment and budget. Each component of the program makes the implementation and its adaptation less involved. It also becomes easy to understand the program.

Selecting Rewards the Program Will Offer

Choose the rewards the wellness program intends to offer. The rewards will attract employees to the program and could lead to employee retention.

Communicating the Program to Employees

At this stage, you must let all employees know about the new wellness program. Explain to them its benefits and how to access it.

Evaluating the Program

It’s also advisable to evaluate the program against its goals and make adjustments as necessary. This will ensure it meets your expectations and is within your company culture. The evaluation also provides a chance to introduce the trends.

Tips for Important Considerations During Program Creation Process

The following tips may help you when creating your wellness program:

• Consider the specific problems the program will address.
• Focus on the most cost-effective program components.
• Ensure that the program protects employees’ privacy.
• Ensuring that the organization complies with all legal restrictions related to the program.
• Establishing specific metrics to measure the success of the program.

Conclusion

Introduce the best corporate wellness programs in your organization and retain top-notch employees. Workplace wellness programs may help increase employees’ productivity, revenue, and customer relations. It also makes employees feel valued, satisfied, and in the right mental and physical state.

So, is your organization utilizing corporate wellness programs? If not, you can be the change they need. Further your studies by enrolling in an exercise science education program. With a master’s or degree certificate in exercise science, you can advise your management on the best corporate wellness programs and meet all your set goals.