If employee retention has been on your mind, you are not alone.
Creating a wellness program can help increase employee retention and productivity, help boost employee morale, and help you show your appreciation for your team’s overall health.
Emphasizing wellness in your organization can improve your office culture and become a part of a strong recruitment strategy. Continue reading to learn five tips for creating an employee wellness program in your company.
1. Think beyond physical health
Employee wellness is about more than just physical wellbeing. Your employees’ mental and emotional wellness is just as important and have just as big an impact on your team’s performance. Think of your team’s need from a holistic approach and include initiatives that promote their environmental, financial, occupational, and social wellbeing, among others.
2. Provide healthy food options
There are many ways to encourage your employees to make healthy choices while they’re in the office. A great way to start is by having an assortment of healthy snacks available to your employees in the break room, like fruits, vegetables, granola bars, and nuts (but be wary of allergies!). If you and your team have an upcoming meeting during the lunch hour, skip the sandwiches and order healthy alternatives for the group. You can also help encourage your employees to not order delivery or eat fast food by providing a fridge for them to store their homemade healthy lunches. It’s also important to encourage your employees to stay hydrated, so you can provide water bottles or make sure your water cooler is always full.
3. Encourage team activities
Organizing a company-wide sports team encourages teamwork and gives employees an exciting activity to look forward to during the workweek. A company sports team is also an excellent way to break down the silos between departments, making it an easy environment for employees to get to know each other outside the office setting. For teams with remote employees, offering online workout classes or relaxation sessions can be a good alternative. Another great perk is that a company team can be a great asset for recruitment and an easy source of social media content for your company to publish.
4. Make space for mental health
Try designating a specific room in the office as a wellness room that employees can access whenever they need a quiet moment to destress. You can also encourage employees to take breaks during the workday and get up and stretch, and make sure to reiterate the importance of family and leisure time and getting a good night’s sleep. For employees who need additional support, an Employee Assistance Program provide access to counselors to help them work through stress, depression, and anxiety, as well as work and family conflicts.
5. Involve your team
Your team probably has unique needs and accommodating those needs will help ensure the success of your wellness program. Begin by having open discussions about the importance of their overall health and letting your employees know their well-being is valuable. Open the lines of communication by conducting surveys to capture areas of interest that you may have not considered and to help you prioritize your efforts. As a bonus, your team will feel more engaged when they are included.
Bonus tip
Having regular conversations about performance with your employees contribute to their overall well-being and creates a sense of trust. It’s important to keep in mind that providing performance feedback is not something that should happen only once a year, make sure you’re meeting with your team constantly to give kudos and discuss areas of opportunity. To learn more about performance managing and coaching, join AlphaStaff’s next webinar! Click here to register.
If you have questions on how to get started, AlphaStaff can help you create a strategy that’s right for you and your employees. Consider reaching out to AlphaStaff to get your company’s wellness journey started at marketing@alphastaff.com!
