You have probably heard of wellness or worksite wellness programs. But what exactly is wellness, what are worksite wellness programs, and are they even beneficial?
When most people hear the terms health and wellness, they typically think of exercise and eating healthy. That is great, but there is much more to it. The terms health and wellness are often used interchangeably. Health is the absence of illness and injury, whereas wellness is an active process towards a fulfilling life with a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being. I like to think of wellness as a balance through a holistic approach. There are many dimensions of wellness with some of the primary areas focusing on physical, social, financial, spiritual, and emotional.
Employee wellness programs are implemented by employers to help prevent chronic disease and improve the health and well-being among their employees. Some programs can include education, weight management programs, medical screenings, and wellness seminars. Wellness programs are relatively new and becoming more popular than ever.
There is now a massive amount of research and data backing up the benefits of worksite wellness programs. Here are just some of the amazing benefits of bringing wellness into the workplace:
- Reduce healthcare costs
- Improve health behavior change
- Reduce health risks
- Improve productivity
- Decrease absenteeism
- Improve employee moral
- Increase employee engagement
- Reduce stress
- Have healthier & happier employees