Why Wellness?
There are a number of reasons why Workplace Health Promotion Programs are beneficial.
1. Improved Morale – When the organizational culture begins to change as a result of your health promotion efforts, you and your employees may actually start to see and feel a new level of energy within the employer. Ultimately, one of the most ambitious goals of any broad-based health promotion program is to attempt to influence the attitudes and actions of the organization’s most valuable resource — its employees.
2. Reduced Turnover – As we all know, employee replacement costs can be quite high for any kind of employer. The effort and expense associated with running employment ads, reading applications, checking references, interviewing qualified candidates, hiring and training a new employee can be a serious burden on any employer. In light of the challenges that high employee turnover pose, many corporations are looking to health promotion programs as an additional perk that can help to prevent employees from jumping ship.
3. Increased Recruitment Potential – In the midst of a very tight labor market, corporations are forced to pull out the stops in order to recruit new talent. In some instances, health promotion can prove to be a very valuable tool in sealing the deal.
4. Reduced Absenteeism – When an employee misses work in a employer setting, the entire organization is forced to absorb his/her responsibilities. Even in the event of the occasional absence caused by things like colds and the flu, work can back-up and tensions can build. Even worse is a long-term absence caused by a major health event that requires hospitalization and/or rehabilitation. By preventing certain types of illness caused by poor lifestyle habits, health promotion programs can play an important role in decreasing absenteeism.
5. Health Care Cost Containment – Most corporations don’t start a health promotion program with cost containment in mind. However, cost containment for certain health problems should be considered a viable goal by many corporations.
6. Improved employee Health Status – One of the greatest advantages of a well-designed health promotion initiative is the promise of improved health. There is a growing body of evidence that suggests well-designed health promotion initiatives can successfully impact such behaviors as tobacco use, high-risk alcohol use, and more.
