Corporate wellness is about investment in employees’ health. Most corporations are slow to realize the connection between employees’ work performance and ultimately company profitability to employees’ health.
General Motors is about to go bankrupt and being reduced to junk bond status largely due to the expenses it has to pay for the health care of its employees. If GM does not have to pay for health care cost, it would not have to shut down 12 automobile manufacturing plants and lay of 30,000 workers.
Most corporations do not realize that work is an extension of mental function, which is related to mental or brain health. The brain cells that receive all the proper nutrition they need; omega-3, Vitamin B, minerals, glucose and protein, will enhance creativity, mental performance.
This ultimately improves work results and company profitability. Healthy employees reduce company health care cost, are more positive in outlook and have better relationship both at work and at home.
An effective corporate wellness program should have the following:
1) Free Access to Information
No corporation can force its employee to make positive changes if the employees don’t want to. Here lies the power of information. With free access to information offering useful health tips, employees will have better knowledge of health issues and ways to prevent them. With such knowledge, employees are more likely to make proactive positive changes.
The free information could be delivered via website resources on a regular basis. Conducting nutrition talks and healthy cooking demonstrations are great ways for employees to learn about taking care of their health.
A 2006 study from the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program in the US of 150,270 adults, 409,389 youth from low-income family with young children and low-income youth show 91.5% improvement in dietary intake when educated about healthy eating
2) Proper Nutrition
Instead of stocking the office pantry and fridge with soft drinks, juices, coffee and biscuits, provide the following healthy food choices:
- Assortment of fresh fruits for fiber and antioxidants to boost immune system
- Healthy shake and energy bars for boosting energy
- Green or herbal teas for antioxidants and fat burning.
3) Exercise
Discourage sitting for too long hours at a stretch. Encourage employees to move every hour. A short break of 5 min will boost the productivity and performance in the long run. Develop exercise programs for individual to stretch at his own workstation. Have group exercise right after work near the workplace to make it convenient for employees to work out regularly.
4) Health Program
An effective corporate wellness program can also help employee to lower their overall body weight, cholesterol level, blood pressure level or other areas of health concern. Develop suitable health parameters (BMI, cholesterol level, blood pressure level, blood glucose) to track and monitor and reward employees for improvement in those parameters.
When a person improves his health, it is not just a change in the cholesterol number, blood pressure or body weight. It changes his whole life with improve mental alertness, boost his energy, improve relationships, outlook of life and most importantly his self-image and self-confidence.
Find out more about how I can help your company develop tailored wellness program that suit your company needs and objectives. Contact me and we can discuss and explore further.
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