Bringing wellness services to employees to improve their quality of life, can make businesses better places to work and ensures wellness coaches with business success and a lifestyle they deserve.
We are too often seeing the devastating effects of illness, and stress every day in workplaces, and we know that we cannot fight this battle alone. People are breaking down and wellness programs need to become part of the company strategy and how they operate. We understand that health and wellbeing can sometimes be considered a ‘softer’ area of business, however, the cost of poor health can really add up.
The benefits of a corporate wellness program is that it teaches people to be healthy and well – and in turn it will help them run better lives and better businesses. Here are some reasons you can take to corporates on why a wellness program is perfect for them.
Executive programs are the most effective support for people who require behavioural and lifestyle changes that support sustained high performance and productivity. Wellness coaches can review workplace and lifestyle practices, and develop individual wellness solutions for CEOs, senior leaders and managers. Programs can support frequent travellers, injured, burnt out, and overwhelmed executives who require individual support and guidance. It can provide them with practical and useful tools for sustaining a balanced and calm work and home life.
3. Increases staffs’ performance
Talent is critical for business and an individuals’ impact flows on to business. Productivity loss due to physical inactivity equates to 1.8 working days per worker per year. (Medibank Private, 2008). Workplaces benefit from more active and engaged employees, who represent a healthy brand image. Transforming employee perception of work as a site of stress to a site of support boosts not only morale, but cultivates an environment in which employees are more energized, enthusiastic and dedicated to their work.
4. Decreases staff absenteeism and turnover
Poor health can cost the company money. Workplaces benefit from less absenteeism due to illness, injury, and stress, and provide proactive solutions to the rising cost of stress related workers’ compensation claims. Employees can be rehabilitated from injury, have obstacles and barriers to exercise removed, and benefit from the increased function of their bodies. Studies indicate that there is a 20-25% improvement in staff turnover in companies that introduce a workplace wellness program (Price Waterhouse Coopers, 2008).
There is a clear link between a healthy workforce, a healthy workplace and improved staff productivity. However, to really get a company interested, the key is to describe the difference between an unhealthy and a healthy employee, in terms of their job performance. You want to focus on ‘return on investment’ not on price. You want to get them thinking, “for what I’m going to spend, how much money am I going to make, or save, as a result of introducing this wellness program”.
At the end of the day, companies want an outcome – just focus on the benefit they’ll receive: how will this make them money or save them money and they will see why wellness coaching is perfect for their business.