According to the 2017 SANOFI Canada healthcare survey, only 51% of employers offer wellness programs and just 31% plan to invest more in health and wellness. However, employees in work environments that encourage health and wellness are more satisfied, more positive about their benefits and even more willing to help control costs.
Wellness programs include policies that facilitate and promote employee health such as offering healthy foods and snacks, providing flu shots, discounts for gym memberships or fitness classes, organizing health-related challenges or goals and much more.
These programs can improve the health and happiness of your employees, while providing great value and benefits to YOU as the employer!
How Employees Benefit
– Enjoy the benefits of a healthier lifestyle, such as reduced risk of injury, illness and chronic disease
– Greater access to health tools and resources that are relevant to them and their families
– Practical advice from health professionals to better understand their current and potential health risks
How Employers Benefit
– A healthier workforce can reduce costs associated with absenteeism caused by stress, anxiety, sickness or mental health issues. Healthier employees tend to submit fewer health care claims as well.
– Healthy employees are more productive and efficient since they are not distracted by physical aches and pains or mental health
– Improve employee attraction, retention and engagement through fostering a positive and healthy work environment
Getting Started
To create a wellness program, a great starting place is a Health Risk Assessment (HRA). An HRA helps identify which wellness programs will be most valuable based on workplace demographics, employee health risks and lifestyle. For example, if an HRA reports most employees aren’t exercising, wellness programs to encourage more physical activity such as a “walking club” or discounted gym memberships might provide the biggest impact.
To explore Health and Wellness ideas more fully for your company, please reach out to a member of your Arbutus Financial team.