Healthy employees can often lead to a happier working environment. Plus, it is just a smart way to operate your business. Read on to learn about the benefits of good health in terms of your company and how to encourage employees to lead a healthy lifestyle.
Why Is Fostering Good Health in the Workplace Good for Business?
Business insurance can be expensive, especially when you throw in the needed health care coverage for employees. In fact, research shows that employers believe that poor health habits of their employees are one of the primary challenges of maintaining affordable health coverage.
Ways to Encourage Wellness at Work
Since poor health habits of employees seem to be a nationwide problem for employers, companies may want to consider ways that they can foster workplace wellness. This helps employees maintain their help, but it also helps businesses keep insurance costs down. Here are a few ways you, as a business owner or manager, can improve the health of employees and co-workers:
- Hold a Walking Meeting – When a meeting needs to be held, rather than having everyone sit down in the conference room, consider having the meeting while walking. It is hard to get employees on board with something when they don't see managers practicing what they preach. By holding walking meetings, managers are participating as well. It is a great way to also get a breath of fresh air (assuming you hold the walking meeting outside).
- Avoid Weight Loss Competitions – Sure, it is fine to have a weight loss program, but you should never encourage competitions among employees regarding who can lose the most weight. It is a good idea to provide awards for those who reach their goals, but you need to be considerate of the fact that some may not need to lose weight or possibly struggle with an eating disorder. You could provide awards for those who maintain a healthy weight for a certain period of time or who opt for healthier foods and beverages.
- Bring in the Doctor – Many employees fail to make appointments for preventative care and sometimes even sick visits because they don't want to miss the time from work. This is not good on them or your business as a whole. Therefore, you may want to consider having an on-site health clinic or doctor's office that will allow employees to schedule appointments without having to take a day or half a day off. Research suggests that this can help reduce medical costs and increase productivity.
By making your employees' health a concern, you will be able to reduce your business insurance costs while keeping your employees healthy, strong and productive for your company. In the end, it is a win-win situation. Talk to your business insurance agent regarding programs that they may have available to you for free or for a nominal fee.
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