Working days occupy a large part of life, therefore, it is increasingly common for employees to look for positions in which, in addition to being well paid, they can develop professionally in environments where personal and family aspects are included.
by Brother International Corporation
For this reason, corporate wellness programs have become popular in companies, which encourage the commitment of their employees through recognition and motivation.
Having a team committed to the company directly influences the increase in productivity and therefore in the growth of the business. In addition, an organization determined to integrate corporate well-being will achieve a healthy work environment, free of work stress, as well as more involved, creative and satisfied workers.
These programs cover not only strictly labor aspects, but also aim to improve the safety and health of people, promoting healthy habits inside and outside the company.
Dr. Graciela Dixon*, owner of Project Wellness, a company dedicated to providing information related to comprehensive health, points out that health promotion is an investment in the most important asset of companies, employees. Therefore, those companies that want to attract and keep the best talent must have leaders who understand the connection between worker satisfaction and health, which affects the efficiency of the business model."
Below, the expert shares five strategies to promote employee well-being:
- Offer opportunities for growth and professional development: For employees it is of great importance to join companies that provide them with opportunities for personal and professional growth. Develop training plans and include training within the activities of the company, promotes learning in teams so that they become great professionals, thus taking advantage of their full potential for the identification of new opportunities and the achievement of business goals.
- Promote healthy habits: A good corporate wellness plan makes sure to give staff tools so they can improve their habits inside and outside the company. For example, a simple way to promote regular physical exercise is to organize group activities outside of working hours. Likewise, to promote healthy eating, vending machines for packaged products can be replaced by those that offer healthy products or fresh fruits. Finally, to promote stress management, there are interesting initiatives that include yoga workshops, mindfulness or time management, among others.
- Adapt a pleasant working environment: If it has been decided to return to the office in person, this is the place where employees will spend a good part of their working day. Therefore, implementing adequate biosecurity measures, having good lighting, providing ergonomic furniture and guaranteeing small breaks for disconnection, will make this space a healthy, safe and pleasant environment to develop creativity and increase productivity.
- Promote work flexibility: Currently, in addition to the economic benefits that companies can offer them, employees seek a better quality of life. Consider flexible entry and exit schedules according to the needs of each employee, or teleworking, favor the emotional well-being of the team. These actions not only benefit the company economically, but also improve its image, making it a more attractive place to work.
- Communicate effectively with the team: It is important that the staff feels heard, so that their requests or needs will be understood, which increases their satisfaction and, therefore, improves the work environment. Dr. Gabriela Dixon* recommends establishing honest and open communication channels in which employees feel comfortable and safe to communicate their thoughts and initiatives, which will allow "people to add better ideas, be more efficient and better face day-to-day situations."
