Wellness Programs and Employee Support Services
What Is an Employee Wellness Program?
As most employers know, a happy employee is a more productive employee. Wellness programs and employee support services include resources for learning about nutrition and diet, physical activities, and ways to manage and lower stress levels. The primary goal of wellness programs and employee support services is to take proactive measures to significantly lower medical care costs and improve employee quality of life.
In general, employee assistance programs (EAPs) offer access to employee needs, such as counseling and referrals, to obtain help with mental or emotional concerns. These services’ benefits include enhanced employee motivation and fewer risks of employees calling out sick. When your staff feels healthy and appreciated, their performance improves.
What Are the Benefits of Employee Wellness Programs?
Providing resources to your employees not only improves their lives but can also improve the company’s overall health. Some possible benefits of implementing an employee wellness program include:
- Better productivity. Healthier and happier employees generally are more productive than those who are unwell.
- Higher employee morale. Providing employees with resources that improve their quality of life results in happier employees who come to work in better moods and thus make the environment more productive and pleasant.
- Improved recruitment and retention. Potential candidates will be more attracted to companies that offer health benefits and wellness programs when they are looking for an employer. Workplaces that offer these incentives also retain their employees at a higher rate than those who don’t.
- Reduced absenteeism. Workplaces that offer comprehensive wellness programs usually experience less absenteeism, as employees are healthier, get sick less often, and experience less stress, enabling them to attend work more regularly.
- Increased company morale. Supplying opportunities for employees to interact with one another outside the workplace or with team members outside of their department can help improve morale and bonds. This can increase employee satisfaction with their work, as having a positive relationship with coworkers can help improve teamwork and happiness.
What Can My Wellness Program Include?
Supporting your employees through employee assistance services or a wellness program can offer benefits such as:
- Alcohol or drug abuse referrals
- Financial and legal advice
- Mental health and financial counseling services
- Healthy lunches and snacks
- Fitness activities
By doing this, you are on an ideal path to help invest in the health and security of your employees so they can create and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Wellness programs are as varied as the companies that utilize them. The overall goal, however, is to support your employees by giving them access to additional resources outside of their employment that enrich their experience at work and outside of it, allowing them to lead healthy, productive lives.
How Do Wellness Programs Reduce Risk?
Companies in Corona, Temescal Valley, and the surrounding cities can reduce employee risks by promoting healthier lifestyles for their entire team.
Finding outlets for stress and learning proper diet and exercise techniques can help reduce illness and, ultimately, provide less expensive benefits packages for employees. Although health benefits packages are still offered, this supplemental program can help reduce health care costs.
Increasing your employees’ health and wellness may lead to fewer workplace injuries or mistakes, as proper health and limited stress can improve focus and cause employees to be more attentive to regulatory guidelines. Excellent risk management is a vital element of any successful company.
How Much Do Wellness Programs and Employee Support Services Cost?
Every company has different needs, concerns, and employees, so an exact cost estimate can only be provided by inputting details about what you desire from these programs. Pricing will also depend on the size of your company and the changes you are looking to implement. For example, the cost will vary if you are interested in providing your team with healthy snacks at no charge to employees.
Wellness programs focus more on education and implementation, while employee assistance services provide access to counselors, advisors, and other referrals so that employees can get much-needed help.
If you are considering creating a wellness program or employee support services, consider the nature of your company and your employees so that you choose the best option that will suit both your needs and those of your employees.
If your business is considering adding one or both of these services to your benefits plan, please schedule an appointment with a team member to discuss your recommended plan and payment.
Want to Learn More?
Our team of professionals is happy to assist with any questions or concerns your business may have about starting a wellness program and providing employee support services or other services. Building a healthy, reliable team is an excellent step in growing employee value. Please call our Corona office at (951) 368-0700 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a meeting with one of our experts.