RECOGNITION, STAFF EVENTS & MORE WAYS TO FOSTER WELLNESS AMONGST EMPLOYEES
Employee wellness is defined by any workplace programs, activities, benefits, or policies that promote employee health and well-being in various areas, such as physical, mental, social, financial, environmental, personal and career development.
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What employee wellness boils down to is actively working to make your employees happy and healthy by encouraging wellness programs.
Benefits of wellness programs to employees
- Wellness Programs improve employee health behaviours
- Wellness Programs reduce health care costs
- Wellness Programs improve all-round productivity
- Wellness Programs decrease absenteeism at work
- Wellness Programs improve employee recruitment and retention
- Wellness Programs foster healthy relationships and productive networks
- Wellness Programs build and sustain high employee morale
As an employer, here are some ways to improve wellness among employees:
- Make Recognition and Praise Part of Your Company’s Culture.
One of the most desired – and easiest ways to implement – wellbeing initiatives is simply to recognize employees for their effort and achievements. A recent survey shows that 70% of employees say recognition makes them feel emotionally connected to peers while another 70% say recognition makes them happier at home. The impact of a recognition-rich culture cannot be understated.
- Throw Down Fitness Challenges.
Fitness challenges are one of the best ways to kickstart your company’s well being into gear.
Why are they so effective? Fitness challenges unlock the spirit of fun and friendly competition. Peer involvement will encourage greater participation, and inspire your team to push themselves further than they would on their own.
- Incentivize Employees to Practice Gratitude.
Studies show that gratitude is positively correlated with happiness, stronger relationships, and overall better mental wellbeing. You can make expressing gratitude an integrated cultural norm at your company by making the process of peer-to-peer recognition as easy as possible.
- Institute Flexible Work Hours for Improved Work/Life Balance.
As we mentioned in the beginning, workplace wellness isn’t just about physical health. It’s about one’s overall quality of life.
Our lives are multi-faceted. Work is important, but there are so many other things outside of work that give our lives meaning and purpose – things like family, faith, community, and hobbies.
It goes without saying that these things require our time and energy. More often than not, work obligations get in the way, and our well-being suffers as a result.
Allowing for flexible working hours does two things. It empowers employees to alter their work habits to fit their family needs or to keep working on the projects that give their lives additional meaning. This results in a more healthy work-life balance that benefits everyone.
Perhaps more importantly, it sends a signal that you trust your employees. When you enable employees to set their own schedules as long as they hit deadlines and deliver results, they feel more like partners than corporate drones – and they’ll work that much harder for you.
- Allow Remote Days to Renew Focus and Remove Distractions.
Sometimes, you just need to switch things up. If your employees work during the weekend, you can allow them to work from home or from an offsite location, if it’s feasible. Doing so allows for greater focus, and a change of scenery can inspire new ideas.
- Organize Staff Events that Encourage Team Bonding
It should come as no surprise that building lasting relationships and networks can be one of the most fulfilling aspects of our lives. And one of the best wellness strategies you can foster at work.
Recent research proves that when working in a team, friends outperform strangers. This is why creating healthy office parties and staff events is necessary, to create a less hostile working environment and motivate positivity amongst employees.
Whether it’s a career development conference, networking event, a celebration for goals met, a team-building event, birthday celebration, a holiday party or a going-away party for a colleague, ORÍKÌ Spa is the perfect location to meet your every need.
Email us at this address (ololade.akinduro@orikigroup.com) for more information on our Private Events & Staff Parties, and other Corporate Wellness Services.