The benefits of employee wellness programs to workers are apparent. Promoting physical and mental fitness can improve people’s personal lives, helping them avoid illness and enjoy life to the fullest, but what’s in it for employers?
Many entrepreneurs are conscientious individuals who want to improve the world. However, only the most successful ones can afford to be altruistic. Subsidizing a meaningful employee wellness program can be a significant expense and negatively impact cash flow. If you want to create a culture of health in your organization but believe the risk-reward ratio is disadvantageous, reconsider. This initiative has at least six payoffs.
1. Earning Free Press
Launching an employee wellness program is an honorable excuse to talk up your company and highlight your brand’s values. Having friends from the media helps, but connections are less vital in the age of social media. You can write your own press release, publish it on your site, and share the piece on social networking platforms.
Attending local and online industry events is a tried-and-true strategy for building relationships with journalists. Rub elbows with reporters to discuss your wellness program’s impact on your employees and organization. If you have relationships with online publication editors and bloggers, contact them. They’re constantly looking for interesting stories for their audiences, so they’re open for pitches. Remember — you’re asking a favor, so avoid requesting promotional write-ups when you’re not sponsoring them.
Signing up for online journalistic services such as Help A B2B Writer and Help a Report Out is worth doing, too. You share your expert insights with journalists in your chosen domain, and they repay you with brand mentions and backlinks to your site. Healthcare, insurance, fitness, business and human resources are appropriate niches to discuss your corporate wellness program.
Applying for awards with free applications is another avenue worth taking. Reputable employee wellness award-giving bodies include:
- American Heart Association
- Business Group on Health
- Healthiest Employers
- Ragan
- The Health Project
- Wellness Council of America
Winning an award can generate massive publicity for your business, but making the shortlist is still desirable recognition.
Influencer and podcaster collaborations can do wonders for your company, too. Trading your time to help internet celebrities create content for free promotion can gain you more business. Exposing their followers and listeners to your brand can boost your social media figures and help build your organization’s credibility.
2. Bolstering Recruitment
Any experienced hiring manager knows attracting top talent takes more than handsome pay. The most sought-after job seekers look at the whole package and accept the most appealing offer. If your closest competitors have decent wellness initiatives, that’s all the more reason to develop an enticing program. Otherwise, you will lose out.
Health consciousness is a virtue of younger generations. Many young adults have a terrible financial diet because of fitness- and nutrition-related expenses. About 38% of millennials and 43% of Gen Zers spend beyond their means just to be healthier.
If you wish to have a fighting chance to lure the best workers away from competition, budget for employee wellness. Incorporating sustainability — another millennial and Gen Z virtue — into your program will make your recruitment package even more irresistible. Sponsoring outdoor trips, financing health-focused cooking classes and serving farm-to-table meals are excellent ideas to win over the brightest younger talent.
3. Minimizing Sick Days and Absenteeism
Higher profits are some of the benefits of employee wellness programs for employers because fewer missed work days translate into greater productivity. A wellness program and paid sick leave serve different purposes, but they go hand in hand. The former complements the latter to boost your staff’s morale and job satisfaction.
4. Reducing Health Plan Premiums
Inflation and health care utilization are the two main factors in premium hikes. You have no control over the first, so make every effort to influence the second to steer your annual cost trend in a favorable direction.
Access to primary care services may increase doctor visit frequency because people often put off checkups for financial reasons. Still, investing in your team’s physical and mental fitness should give your employees fewer reasons to see a physician. Utilization dips are enough to stunt premium growth, even if health care prices increase.
5. Keeping Voluntary Turnover Rates Low
Combating burnout is one of the most underrated benefits of employee wellness programs for leadership. Such an initiative can discourage your top performers from leaving, as more than 40% of the workers who joined the Great Resignation cited undesirable benefits as a reason for quitting. They noted paid time off and health insurance as examples.
Offering no or poor health-related benefits will cost you money when the talent you trained jumps ship. Retaining existing employees is cheaper than recruiting new ones, so pour funds into a commendable company wellness initiative to reduce voluntary turnover. Some may still tender their resignation but will leave with a heavy heart if they love your program.
6. Maintaining a Positive Reputation
Keeping your employees happy at work can stop them from badmouthing your organization when they quit. Disgruntled employees have strong motivations to tarnish your brand. Uncomplimentary reviews of your brand can spread like wildfire on the internet and follow you forever.
You can’t satisfy all workers, even if you try. Still, taking measures to foster a culture of health in the workplace gives unhappy ex-employees a reason to think twice about speaking ill of your enterprise. On the contrary, your former staff may even recommend you to others and send referrals your way as an expression of gratitude for your admirable wellness program.
Reap the Benefits of Employee Wellness Programs for Employers
An employee wellness program is critical to maintaining happiness and health in the workplace. The above reasons prove it can be practical for your business, so adopting one should be a no-brainer.
