101: WORKPLACE WELLNESS
More and more, we're seeing that wellness programs to keep employees healthier add up to dollars and cents in terms of less absenteeism, greater productivity and fewer long-term healthcare costs – not to mention happier people around the water cooler (with fewer health gripes, anyway). Working more wellness into your firm doesn't have to come with a lot of expense or involve large changes all at once. Here are three ways to encourage healthy habits at work.
Do away with doctor's notes in an effort to get fewer people to come to work while sick. Alison Green of Money.USNews.com says companies should drop policies that require a note after a certain amount of sick time. “It's insulting to employees … This policy drives up healthcare costs by pushing people into medical offices when they just need rest and over-the-counter medicine, and it encourages people to come to work sick, since that's often easier than getting a medical appointment on short notice,” she writes.
Offer education. Think staff brown-bag lunches where you invite in a local health expert to discuss or demonstrate an aspect of wellness. A nutritionist could discuss healthy meals; a yoga teacher could do a quick class and discuss benefits, for example. “Keep sessions entertaining but informative, and offer incentives for employees who attend,” suggests Lauren Lastowka of Inc.com.
Help them get the tools they need. Kathryn Mayer of BenefitsPro.com tells of one company that bought employees Fitbits to track their fitness and sold them to employees for half the cost. “It even offered payroll deduction so employees could pay just a few bucks per month to pay for the device,” Mayer said. Discounted gym memberships, reimbursement to enter a 5K race … all these things can add up and pose a financial barrier to wellness, according to Mayer.
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