How to help your employees achieve better health

Successful business owners realize that their workforce is their most valuable asset. Because of the importance of the people who work for them, business owners are now realizing that it is in their best interest to encourage and safeguard the health of their employees. Helping your employees be healthier can also improve your bottom line.However, if you are new to the world of employee health you may be wondering where to start. The good news is that there are many different things employers can do to help their staff be healthier. Here is what you need to know about how to help your employees achieve better health-

- Have a sick day policy-Employers can start with one of the simplest ways to improve employee health. Having a sick day policy lets your employees stay home when they are sick. The main reason behind this is when one of your employees comes to work sick they often infect everyone around them. This can be catastrophic for smaller businesses or businesses where the employees work in close contact with each other. To avoid having major outbreaks among your staff institute a sick day policy and enforce it. If an employee comes to work sick then he or she needs to be sent home. It's not only better for them but for all the employees, as well.
- Put a employee wellness program in place-There is as many types of employee wellness programs are there are types of companies. This means that you can find the employee wellness program that addresses the needs and interests of your employees. Many business owners have the mistaken assumption that a employees wellness program is to costly to put into place and will do little good. However, studies have shown that when an employee wellness program is properly implemented it not only is cost effective but it can bring about significant health changes for your employees. This in turn can lower health insurance premiums, reduce the number of sick days that are used, and increase overall productivity.
- Offer health screenings-One of the easiest ways to improve employee health is by offering health screenings. These health screenings can find potential problems long before they become major. This means both easier and cheaper treatment for the employee that is involved. Again, when employee's health problems are detected early this means less sick time is used and less health insurance. This can only contribute in a positive way to the company's bottom line. Best of all many health screenings can be done free through community resources. You can offer a variety of health screenings at different times throughout the year. These health screenings can include but are not limited to screenings for: high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and other chronic diseases, as well as immunizations and nutritional guidance and counseling.
- Keep the office clean-Many times the flu and even the common cold are spread easily throughout a workforce that shares equipment. This risk can be significantly reduced by making sure that the office, restrooms, and the lunchroom are kept clean. In order to prevent germs from jumping from employee to employee you need to make sure that the highest standards of cleanliness are maintained. If you have a cleaner you need to make sure that they are using anti bacterial cleaning solutions. You should also make sure that all doorknobs, telephones, keyboards or any other shared office equipment are cleaned thoroughly and frequently. Finally, you can help to keep things cleaner by offering antibacterial wipes and tissues where your employees can see them and frequently use them.