Have you been hearing your friend talk about her job and all the cool benefits it has? Between the yoga classes, the healthy cooking classes, and the extra PTO she won for a weight loss challenge, you’re just not convinced she’s even working. The fact of the matter is, tons of companies in the U.S. are offering these kinds of benefits to employees through comprehensive wellness programs, and yours should be, too. Wellness programs cover things like healthy eating, physical activity, emotional health, prevention, healthy habit forming, and workplace community. There are a great many benefits to these programs for both the employee and employer. Whether your employer hasn’t implemented one because of budget constraints, a lack of resources, or a misconception of its effectiveness, there’s probably room to revisit the conversation and address some of these concerns. It’s up to the employer to define the company’s wellness culture, but you can play a part in getting the ball rolling. Wellness efforts don’t have to be wildly expensive or terribly time-consuming, they simply need to have a purpose, organization, and most importantly, the boss’ support. This list will help give you the tools you need to start a conversation with your boss about why your company should have a brilliant wellness program.
Show Examples of Other Companies’ Success
Start by offering up examples of other companies that have incorporated wellness programs and how successful those companies have been. One study looked at the stock market performance of 45 companies that earned high marks for health and wellness and found that those companies actually outperformed hundreds of the largest U.S. companies. Whether your company is publicly traded or not, a wellness program plays a contributing role in overall corporate success. If it’s working for Fitbit and Google, who’s to say it wouldn’t work for your organization, too?
Discuss All the Reasons It Would Increase Productivity
Wellness programs contribute to employees’ attention, memory, willingness to go above and beyond, and overall performance, all of which play a role in increased productivity. Because bosses like to see numbers, you can lead with a few statistics:
- A Quantum Workplace study revealed that the level of importance that employers place on wellness actually affects how employees work.
- In fact, when employees felt that their employer cared about their wellness, they were 38% more engaged at work and 18% more likely to go above and beyond.
- And according to a Gallup study, engaged employees are 27% more likely to describe their work performance as excellent.
Engaged employees are great at getting stuff done. Can you remember a project you were really excited to work on at your job? Now think back, did you get that one done a lot quicker and more enthusiastically than some other projects you’ve worked on? When we feel good about something, it’s only natural that better performance follows. And in the case of wellness and productivity, research is revealing a high correlation that employers would be wise to leverage.
Highlight the Value of Camaraderie
Everyone wants a united workforce, and wellness programs help make that happen. Working out, participating in social challenges, and working towards goals with coworkers in a non-work-related atmosphere is a great way to help foster strong relationships. And those relationships play a role in productivity, collaboration, happiness, accountability, and more!
Being able to communicate with a coworker about non-work things is one of the biggest benefits of this type of friendship. And no, you’re brief exchange about the nasty weather with someone who also happens to be getting a coffee in the kitchen doesn’t count. Meaningful conversations are what matter, and wellness programs create the perfect atmosphere to help employees make those beneficial connections.
Note The Opportunity For More Metrics
The boss no doubt loves numbers, and the right wellness program can give you just that. By implementing a wellness program through a cohesive wellness portal, employers can view data on wellness progress, trends, outcomes, and more. This data can be used for a number of purposes:
- To encourage employees participating in the program
- To entice employees who aren’t yet participating
- To share with investors who want to see what you’re up to
This data also makes for great content which you can publish to your company’s website and use to attract potential clients, employees, referral partners, and more.
Metrics also help with goal setting. Goals are important for every business decision, which is why some wellness portals can help track and measure outcomes and turn them into visually appealing reports. Whether your company’s goal is easily measurable like fewer absences or more abstract like increased happiness, performance metrics and surveys can help track and report on your progress.
Talk About Lower Turnover
Wellness programs are just one more incentive to help keep talented workers from finding employment elsewhere. The Quantum Workplace study tells us that employees are 17% less likely to quit within a 12-month period when they feel their employer cares about their wellness. Employees want health and wellness benefits, it’s not just increased pay and PTO that’s going to keep them sticking around.
Make Sure They Know About the Money Savings
Of course, companies can benefit financially from increased productivity and a more united workforce, but there are some very direct monetary benefits to wellness programs, too — healthcare costs.
Wellness programs often encompass things that benefit physical health such as fitness classes, healthy eating challenges, smoking cessation help, and more. These things all contribute to a healthier workforce, and a healthier workforce means a number of healthcare cost savings, such as reduced medical and pharmacy claims and lower insurance premiums. Going back to metrics available for wellness programs, healthcare savings is another one that can be easily measured and reported on.
Now It’s Time to Pitch This Brilliant Wellness Program
Do you feel ready to talk to the boss? As you can see from our list, the reasons to adopt a brilliant wellness program are fluid, the benefits all pour into one another, and the overall results of a quality program are undeniably positive. Whether your boss is concerned about the cost or the value of implementing such a program, they may start to rethink those concerns once they hear you explain the points above.
Contact MediKeeper to see a demo of our solution, or learn more about the benefits of a wellness program and portal and how both can be incorporated into your organization. Request a demo – we look forward to showing you how to use our portal for your corporate wellness program.
