Some companies are providing amazing take-home pay and benefits packages to help with their employee’s financial wellness. As for others, it’s all about readjusting the responsibilities and streamlining the processes to reduce employee stress and improve their overall mental health. But financial and mental problems aren’t the only ones interfering with productivity and performance.
Physical wellness is also imperative for employees’ overall health. Ignoring physically unhealthy workers can be the root of high absenteeism and inefficiency in the workplace. That costs your business money, from workers’ compensation to sick time. If your company isn’t making physical wellness a priority, this is the time to do so. Find out below how.
1. Add good incentives
Many companies are offering wellness programs to improve the productivity and morale of employees. If planned and executed properly, such programs can also deal with presenteeism and absenteeism in the workforce. Surveys also suggest that participants do confirm that their productivity has improved. However, not all employees are interested in participating in such programs. To encourage everyone to take part in your wellness program, add some incentives for the employees. It can be as grand as discounts on their insurance premiums or as simple as small gift cards.
2. Offer fitness classes
Another cool way to promote physical wellness in your workforce is by offering fitness classes. You can opt to partner with a nearby gym or hire a trainer for your team. Take note, though, that providing such exercise classes can be expensive. With that in mind, find fitness establishments that are willing to provide one to two classes every week. You can also ask your employees about what specific classes they would love to take. Some of the most office-friendly options to choose from are Zumba, kickboxing, tai chi, yoga, and Pilates, and barre. If you don’t have the space in your office for these activities, a local gym would be an amazing venue.
3. Design active spaces
Creating active spaces in your office is an easy way to promote physical health to your employees. There are plenty of activity-based working areas you can build to encourage better productivity for your workforce. You can design community lounges where your creators and entrepreneurs can move around, be comfortable, and stay social. Design it as a space for work and play by keeping it welcoming and well-lit.
For more fun, active spaces, you can build gaming zones where your employees can play during their breaks or after work. Keep it vibrant and fresh. Such an active area can open up more productive and creative avenues for your team. Outdoor areas such as patios and terraces are also perfect for contributing to improved physical wellness. They don’t just provide access to physical workspaces but also to greenery, sunlight, and fresh air, which are all crucial for overall health. Add comfortable seating and work desks too!
4. Encourage medical care
Access to healthcare services is another helpful way to promote physical wellness. For instance, you can support or sponsor preventive care check-ups from a local hospital or clinic. You can also promote different types of physical therapy, which is ideal for employees suffering from body pains.
You can visit a chiropractor. Chiropractic treatment is for relieving headaches, neck pain, and back pain, which are common for office workers. If you have athletic individuals in your team, there are professional performance and training programs that you can look into. You can either pay for their membership or provide them with gift cards for limited sessions.
5. Provide healthy snacks
It’s a general fact that most working professionals rarely eat healthy when they’re in the office. Some opt for fast-food burgers for lunch with some sodas and other sweets. For such reason, many companies have been offering free nutritious lunches to their employees to promote healthy living. But let’s face it, providing free healthy meals can be a bit expensive, especially if you’re a small business. If this is a costly option for you, offering healthy snacks can already be a huge help.
You can provide simple snacks such as granola bars and sandwiches with water to encourage a healthy workspace. These simple substitutes can reduce your employees’ consumption of junk food or unhealthy beverages like sodas.
With these simple strategies, you can help your employees become physically healthy. Look deeper into your team’s health needs and build your wellness programs and plans around them. Promoting healthy living isn’t beneficial only for your people but also for the growth of your company. It’s a win-win situation.
