Whether you’re an HR manager looking to boost employee wellness, or a CEO looking for ways to give your team an edge, workplace wellness initiatives are a great place to start.
But implementing a program isn’t as simple as creating one. There are concrete steps you need to put in place to ensure your program is effective.
First, you have to take measurements or an evaluation of your starting place, set a goal for your program, and figure out how you’re going to get people to participate.
Many companies find a way to make a successful program and we can help. Read on to learn more.
Start with a Baseline
Before you offer a wellness incentive to your employees, first offer a baseline screening.
A good screening will test for their health risks as well as assess basic biometric readings like blood pressure, weight, and body/fat content.
Depending on the kind of program you offer, different measures may be needed. Make sure you store all essential employee health information in HIPAA-compliant files.
Set a Goal for the Program
Every great health program needs a goal. Consider whether you are trying to increase the physical and mental well-being of your employees, improve their efficiency on the job, or lower your healthcare costs as a business. A great wellness initiative will accomplish all three goals. But, they only work if you can get people to participate.
Encourage Employee Participation in Workplace Wellness Initiatives
In order to get your employees to participate in your wellness program, you need to offer something they want. The best way to start is to ask your employees what kinds of activities they’re interested in participating in, and do some research into which ones would be the most practical for your business and beneficial for the team.
Every single one of your employees will have different motivations and desires that propel them towards participation. Don’t make your wellness initiative a one-size-fits-all solution. Find ways to make it work for everyone.
Consider All Workplace Wellness Initiatives
A basic wellness program may include health fairs and screenings, a walking club, lunch and learn meetings and activity incentives. Also consider introducing or encouraging a wearable component that logs an employee’s steps or heart rate using a sensor they wear on their wrist.
You can enhance your current wellness program with sports medicine techniques offered by Work-Fit to give your employees the opportunity to learn movement patterns, stretches, job conditioning techniques and other strategies that will decrease the strain on their bodies.
If you don’t have a wellness program yet, Work-Fit can build and customize one for you, too.
Offer a Wellness Incentive
A competition component or financial benefit added to your initiatives is sure to get a lot of your employees involved. Consider what kind of prizes and incentives you are willing to give away to encourage participation.
Consider Measuring Your Results
While it’s nice to simply put a program in place, having measured results of your initiative helps you make adjustments to maximize employee participation and the program’s success. Once you start a wellness program and measure your results, you’ll be able to grow in the right direction.
How Work-Fit Can Help
Work-Fit has helped numerous businesses set up wellness programs that lower their employee healthcare costs, encourage healthy team morale, and reduce instances of workplace injuries.
Let our team of wellness and sports medicine professionals design a personalized plan for your business. Contact us today.
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