Before you sit down to do your regularly scheduled cost-cutting review of company expenses, please read “Leave Well Enough Alone! – The Case For Continuing With Wellness Programs”, a great article recently published at Daily HR Tips, one of our favorite blogs. The piece has some excellent points:
In fact, wellness classes have proven to be one of the best investments for the training dollar of all training classes. As health insurance premiums are rising exponentially every year, costs are rapidly rising to the point where employers have to find new ways to reduce their health expenses. Wellness Programs have shown incredible returns and remarkable results. Health costs for those companies using Employee Wellness Programs are significantly reduced.
Here are five good business reasons why companies should continue with (or start) wellness programs:
1. Decreased Health Insurance Costs
2. Improve Work Place Morale
3. Reduced Absenteeism
4. Increased Productivity
5. Reduced Sick Leave
“Everyone needs to keep costs down, but sometimes the important benefits far outweigh the costs. Wellness programs for your employees are a great investment in your most important assest: your people,” says hireVision’s Tina Hamilton. Small and mid-sized businesses may not be able offer the extensive wellness programs that large corporations do, she says, but even the more modest ones are beneficial. Some ideas for useful and inexpensive health initiatives include:
- Keep and update a wellness bulletin board in your break room or employee lounge
- Sponsor fun-focused company nutrition or health challenges
- Arrange for employee discounts at local gyms or sporting goods stores
- Sponsor an employee healthy recipe “happy hour”
- Invite registered dietitians or personal trainers to speak about wellness with interested staffers
- Support employees in smoking cessation & weight loss programs
- Start a company walking club
For more ideas on promoting wellness from The New York State Physical Activity Coalition, click here.
Tags: benefits, Daily HR Tips, Employee Relations, employee wellness programs, Human Resources, New York State Physical Activity Coalition, Tina Hamilton
