Why We Need to Move Corporate Wellness Away from the Box Ticking Exercise It Currently Is
Why We Need to Move Corporate Wellness Away from the Box Ticking Exercise It Currently Is
Corporate wellness programs have become increasingly popular in recent years, as businesses have come to realise the importance of employee health and well-being - and the impact it can have on business growth.
However, many of these programs are little more than box-ticking exercises, with little to no impact on employee health or productivity.
Instead, modern corporate wellness programmes should drive behavioural change from the ground up - something workout plans / wellness incentives simply won't do.
There are a number of reasons why corporate wellness programs often fail to live up to their potential.
First, many programs are designed by people who have little or no understanding of the challenges and needs of employees. As a result, the programs are often poorly tailored to the needs of the workforce, and employees are not motivated to participate.
Second, many corporate wellness programs focus on short-term goals, such as reducing absenteeism or increasing employee satisfaction. While these are important goals, they are not sufficient to create a truly healthy and productive workforce. A long-term focus on employee longevity is essential to achieving lasting results.
Finally, many corporate wellness programs are not integrated into the overall business strategy. As a result, they are often seen as an add-on, rather than an essential part of the business. This can lead to a lack of support from management and employees, and ultimately to the failure of the programme.
To move corporate wellness away from the box ticking exercise it currently is, businesses need to take a holistic approach to employee health and well-being.
This means focusing on behavioural change, as this is the number one driver in terms of deep health; we need to build a solid foundation before progressing to more complex modalities, and it all starts with healthy habits.
Here are some specific steps that businesses can take to improve their corporate wellness programs:
Get employee input: The first step is to get input from employees about their health and well-being needs. Once you have a good understanding of employee needs, you can begin to design programs that are tailored to those needs (we have the AWC roadmap specifically for this).
Make it easy to participate: One of the biggest barriers to participation in corporate wellness programs is convenience. Reduce all friction and make the whole process as simple and easy to start as possible.
Offer a variety of options: A one-size-fits-all approach simply won't cut it. Instead, empower your team with a set of tools that will enable long-term, lasting results.
Accountability: It's important to have accountability measures in place to ensure your team remain focused and motivated - this is the number one driver in terms of getting quality results!
By taking these steps, you can create a corporate wellness programs that's effective and sustainable.
These programs can help to improve employee health and well-being, which can lead to increased productivity day-to-day, decreased absenteeism, and accelerated business growth.
