Workplace Wellness Benefits

Workplace wellness programs hold many benefits, some of which are measurable in dollars and cents and some of which are not. Here are some of the major benefits a workplace wellness program can have for you and your employees.

Benefits to Employees

The most measurable benefit to employees is the decreased financial burden on their families because of health related issues. Healthcare costs are lower for employees when they are healthy, they don't have to go to the doctor nearly as often resulting in less money put into their healthcare, less claims on their insurance, and therefore lower costs of premiums for those with good health. When your workplace encourages healthy living and provides a convenient time and place for fitness, nutrition, and stress management, it doesn't just affect you, but your family as well. When dad or mom is taking care of themselves, they can take better care of their family.

Other benefits of a workplace wellness program for employees include lower stress, a significant decrease in work related illness and injury, better physical health, greater job satisfaction, more mental clarity, and higher self-esteem. All of these benefits translate into a better life, more productivity and more satisfaction for your employees.

A proactive approach to healthcare can help reduce depression in the workplace, bring about a positive environment to work in, and help employees know their value to the company. The human factor that is brought in when an employee knows that they are no longer a body at a desk helps them to remain loyal to the company and gain lifetime benefits from a workplace that is focused on their health and wellness.

Benefits to Employers

Healthy employees affect your bottom line positively. The average corporation spends around $7,000 per year per employee for health insurance. You can reduce those costs dramatically by focusing and healthy lifestyle and preventive medicine. The healthier your employees are, the less medical claims they will make which means the part you pay in insurance for your employees will be reduced. This reduction can be quite large within three to four years of successfully implementing a workplace wellness program.

Absenteeism can cost employers thousands of dollars every year with sick pay without productivity, hiring temporary employees to cover vital work, and paying short term disability leaves. You can reduce absenteeism significantly with the successful implementation of a workplace wellness program focused on employee health, nutrition, stress management, and safety. When your employees are healthy, injury free, and have a satisfying work environment, they are less likely to miss work which translates into savings for you as their employer.

Workplace wellness programs have been proven to effectively lower employee turnover rate, which saves you money. It takes a lot of money to hire and train someone new and your money would be much more effectively used to promote company loyalty through a workplace wellness program. It also gives you the peace of mind to know the work is going to be done by the competent people you currently have employed. In addition to lowering turnover rates, workplace wellness programs have been proven to increase productivity rates. When your employees are at the top of their health, they can produce more and meet or exceed your demands. With good health comes mental clarity which means your employees can be more innovative, work faster, and have less stress. This translates into higher profits for your company.