The Types of Employee Wellness Programs That Can Help Land You Top Talent
Many organizations have adopted employee wellness programs to recruit top talent and keep them motivated and productive while reducing employee turnover.
The ultimate goal of different types of employee wellness programs is to promote general well-being while also having fun. Your wellness program ideas will rapidly lose steam if you can’t get your employees involved. So have some fun with your projects, test out some fresh ideas, and discover what your team appreciates the most.
Employers can incorporate various types of employee wellness programs into their workplace and into the lives of their workers in a number of ways. These recommendations for workplace wellness programs help enrich your business culture and promote general wellness, whether it’s on-site healthcare or healthy snack alternatives in the office.
What are Employee Wellness Programs?
Workplace wellness refers to any activity or organizational plan to promote healthy behaviors in the workplace and improve well-being outcomes.
There is no formal definition for the multitude of types of wellness programs. However, it usually refers to a set of efforts inside a business aimed at encouraging workers and their spouses and dependents to live healthier lifestyles. If executed with the right intentions, various projects might qualify as an employee wellness program and focus on multiple aspects or dimensions of well-being.
Types of Employee Wellness Programs that Attract Talent
“Wellness” is often linked to health-focused exercise and diets, restricting its use to only physical well-being. Well-being, at its core, is the product of intricate interactions across numerous aspects that, when cultivated in balance, improve health and quality of life. Wellness programs that target and promote an all-encompassing sense of well-being are the most effective.
Here are eight types of employee wellness programs to get you started:
Flu Shots
One of the different types of wellness programs that you may not have come across before is a flu shot event. Employees’ physical well-being is the primary focus of flu shot clinics. According to the CDC, the seasonal flu costs the U.S. roughly $10.4 billion in direct expenses, hospitalizations, and outpatient visits for adults. Employers’ indirect costs of missed productivity and sick leave are also considerable. More firms are seeking to start flu vaccination clinics as part of their employee benefits. Nurses come to the office and provide flu vaccinations during these clinics, typically established as a one-day event.
Wellness Excursions
The different types of employee wellness programs aren’t limited to on-site activities. While many businesses provide exercise incentives, health perks, and wellness reimbursements, a great idea is to take the experience out of the office. Companies can arrange for optional wellness trips for their workers as part of their health efforts, with the objective of getting them away from their desks for a little time. This might be anything from a one-hour tennis instruction to playing in a trampoline park. These wellness experiences are broad in order to appeal to a wide spectrum of individuals, and are, above all, entertaining.
Fitness Challenges
Workplace wellness challenges, such as health and fitness challenges, are helpful in encouraging healthy lives among your employees. We’ve created and implemented workplace wellness challenges to encourage employees to do their own exercises and drink more water at work. Each team was eligible to win a health-related reward at the end of the month if they kept track of their progress.
On-site Clinics
One of the most effective types of employee wellness programs that yields the best ROI involves setting up an on-site clinic. Typically, a healthcare provider will arrange 5- to 30-minute appointments to handle acute, preventive, and chronic care requirements — everything from vaccines to medication help — by transforming conference rooms into private medical clinics.
For instance, our pop-up clinics at Eden Health bring our collaborative care model to your workplace, allowing your staff to stay healthy while still being productive.
Financial Counseling/Planning
Financial wellness programs are quickly becoming one of the most sought-after types of wellness programs for corporations. Many companies use the aid of financial specialists to give counseling or financial planning to their employees in order to provide them with tailored support. These sessions can be one-on-one or in a group setting.
Yoga Lessons
Yoga is an excellent stress reliever. Team members at startups and public relations firms are frequently faced with tight schedules and yoga is a great method to bring self-care into the workplace, so that team members don’t have to worry about taking time off.
Smoking Cessation Programs
It’s no secret that employees who smoke cost their companies more money than non-smokers, due to health concerns. Some businesses have discovered that offering smoking cessation programs to their employees is in their best interests, both morally and financially.
Healthy Food Alternatives
Free meals have long been a favored incentive among employees. However, while companies have long stocked up on donuts and chips, employee wellness programs focus on healthier alternatives. Organizations are deciding to fill their kitchens with more nutritional snacks to keep their employees full without feeling sluggish.
Bring Wellness to Your Employees’ Lives
Remember that our total well-being entails a healthy work/life balance and that different types of employee wellness programs can all work together to help employees reach their objectives. Request a demo today to discover more about how Eden’s collaborative care approach can help you manage all areas of your employees’ wellness.
