10 Steps to creating an effective employee wellness program

Planning and creating an effective employee wellness program is an essential step in improving the health and productivity of employees and potentially reducing the overall cost of employer-provided health care. Also when a company starts focusing on employee wellness, employees become more engaged in their workplace. All these factors then add up to higher levels of productivity that can generate additional business revenues. Here, you will find 10 steps to take towards a creating an effective employee wellness program for your workplace:

Put wellness above everything else

Creating an effective employee wellness program is vital to meeting the needs of the people who spend their time and energy working at a business. A 2010 executive study ranked employee wellness above energy costs and real estate as a top corporate concern.

Encourage everyone to participate

Promote a wellness program by using social media to invite, share and draw participants, and create community. Keeping people interested is critical.

Avoid formalities

As a team, members can ensure everyone is meeting their goal, so the group reaches their benchmark. Employees participation in teams are more than 600 percent more likely to sustain engagement over time.

Cooperation and teamwork

As a team, members can ensure everyone is meeting their goals, so the group reaches their benchmark. Employees participating in teams are more than 600 percent more likely to sustain engagement over time.

Competition, with incentives

Competition can be motivating, especially when there is a prize worth winning. Implement a points system with incentives for rewards. Help employees reach their health and fitness.

Make it fun

While creating an effective employee wellness program, keep the needs of everyone in mind. Wellness is not only about dieting and exercise. Make improvements to physical, spiritual and emotional wellness as well. Reducing stress is as important as losing weight.

Track progress

Don’t stop by merely registering people for a wellness program. Allow employees to track and compare their progress over time. Set goals and continue to track team progress.

Refocus on the “ROI”

Measuring the success of creating an effective employee wellness program shouldn’t be calculated by insurance premium savings. Shift focus to the healthy lifestyle change, stress levels and other healthy habits that have been created due to the program

Some companies get it

Methodologies and technologies are continually evolving. Look past these tools and realize the human importance of the engagement of happy employees to the success of a business.

CircleCare is a workplace wellness app that exists to help business to extract the benefits of employee engagement and well-being.