Best Ways to Promote Employee Wellness

Encourage a healthier workplace and help your employees meet their health goals by implementing a wellness program. Better health means fewer absences, which affects your company’s bottom line. Integrating wellness practices and making it easier for employees to care for their health also creates a sense of community at work, and that’s always good for business.

There are all kinds of options to consider, from health-oriented gifts for employees to on-site fitness programs. Keep reading for more ways to promote employee wellness at your business:

Provide Free Water

Even if you have a drink machine with bottled water as an option, offering free water to employees can help them meet their hydration goals. A pitcher filled and refilled throughout the day with cold water can work well for small offices. For larger businesses, your best bet may be to invest in a water cooler.

If water is free and easily accessible, some employees may choose it over sugary soft drinks or coffee. Give your employees a company logo water bottle to encourage them to stay hydrated and reduce the use of single-use plastics in the workplace.

Keep Healthy Snacks On-Site

Promote better nutrition by providing free healthy snacks to your staff. If you have vending machines filled with chips and candy, you could swap out the undesirable snacks for healthier choices, such as fat-free pretzels and fresh fruit. Keep a vegetable tray in the fridge with a low-fat dip to make it more appealing. Cottage cheese and yogurt are also snack options to consider for the workplace.

You could also provide your employees with logo coolers so they’ll be more likely to pack lunch instead of opting for fast food or takeout. Often, it’s easier to eat healthier when you pack your own meal instead of buying it on the go.

Make Wellness Information Easily Accessible

Keep the break room stocked with health, fitness, and nutrition magazines and pamphlets, so employees can learn more about staying healthy. Even a workplace newsletter with health tips can go a long way toward encouraging employees to take good care of their health. If your company uses social media, create posts about health and wellness. Small steps like these can go a long way toward changing employee health habits for the better.

Participate in Team Activities

There are all kinds of health-conscious activities that you and your employees can participate in. Doing so not only creates camaraderie and fosters team spirit, but it also provides a way to exercise that’s fun and engaging. Your staff could participate in a walk for a health-related charity, such as the American Heart Association. Outfit your team in custom work polo shirts for the event to represent your company.

Another option is to create a company sports team, such as a softball team or kickball team. Local companies can play against one another while raising money for a charity organization. As with walk-a-thons and other events, competitive team sports can strengthen your employees’ team spirit while encouraging them to be active.

Cover Gym Memberships or Offer a Discount

A gym membership can be a great motivator when it comes to getting enough exercise. Offer your staff free memberships to a local gym or offer a discount on the membership price. Check with gyms in your area to see if they can offer any special group deals to you as a business owner. Give the employees who sign up custom company work T-shirts that they can wear to the gym. It’s a way to say thanks for signing up, but it also gets your business name out there when they wear the shirt in public.

Offer Annual On-Site Health Screenings

There are mobile healthcare providers that will come to your workplace and perform wellness screenings for your employees. Providing such services at work once or twice a year gives employees a convenient way to get vital health screenings done. There are various options when booking this type of service; for example, tests offered might include things like BMI, blood pressure, and cholesterol among others.

Encourage Meditation With a Free App Subscription

Meditation is proven to have a positive effect on the mind and body. Make it easier for your employees to meditate by giving them a subscription to a meditation app they can use on their smartphone or tablet. There are lots of apps from which to choose that have silent and guided meditations, breathing exercises, nature sounds, and other soothing features. You can also take meditation breaks at work, for example, you could offer a five-minute meditation before the start of the workday or at lunchtime. Provide each employee with a custom promotional towel to sit on if they prefer the traditional method of sitting on the floor to meditate.

These are just some ideas for encouraging wellness at your workplace. Talk to your staff about working together to create a healthier environment for the entire team. They may have input or ideas that you haven’t considered. It can be easier to adopt healthier lifestyle habits in a supportive team environment, and the wellness habits learned at work can serve your staff for a lifetime.