Wellness – the state of being in good health.
Well-being – the state of being comfortable, healthy and happy
In the past several years, Corporate Wellness has moved beyond traditional wellness in order to help employers connect culture, well-being, employee engagement and communications together for higher performance.
Companies are moving away from vendor centered programs such as flu shots, bio-metrical screenings etc… and into employee centered programs and strategies, personalizing the journey for employee’s vs implementing specific activities. In the past, wellness generally applied to the physical body. Wellness programs focused on disease management, health assessments and other efforts to target high risk individuals within an organization. These programs tend to be siloed or one-off initiatives that basically tells the employees exactly what actions to take. These programs result in low participation, ineffective outcomes and rarely lead to lasting behavior changes.
Well-being expands the view of wellness to focus on more than just the physical body, but also encompasses an employee’s mental and emotional state as well as their financial, productivity and ability to perform their job at the peak of their capabilities. Well-being programs are designed with the knowledge that employees’ physical, mental and emotional states are all interconnected and will have an impact of work performance. In other words, the physical and mental well-being of an employee are key factors in determining productivity, retention, healthcare costs and profits.
High performing companies know they must create a culture that engages and promotes well-being. By focusing on the physical, emotional, financial and social connectivity of an employee well-being, companies can begin to maximize their business results by attracting, retaining and engaging their workforce.
Here are 10 Well-being initiatives to consider:
On-Site Fitness Programs
Flexible Work Arrangements
Financial Education
Retirement Coaching
Improve Training
Incentive Based Trips
Sense of Purpose and Contribution
Impromptu Physical Activities
Sleep / Nap policies
Access to Health Food
Trey Davis Risk Architect- Benefits
