No matter the job, maintaining an employee’s well-being should be a top priority, not just for the individual, but for the company employing them.
Enter the world of corporate wellness programs – a way for companies to incorporate health and well-being into their workplace environment, and provide workers with tools for adopting a healthier lifestyle on their own.
Fit the force
While many employees develop wellness plans independently, it can often be difficult for them to find time and credible advice to consider.
Wellness Collective, a Westerville-based corporate wellness provider, is one company putting workers’ health first – both mental and physical. A wellness program, like those offered through Wellness Collective is typically paid for by the employer and caters to specific careers and employee positions.
For office jobs, having a program designed to get workers moving and prevent sitting for longer periods of time, may be one of the goals. On the other hand, for careers that entail heavy lifting and constant physical labor, a company may incorporate yoga and other physical recovery activities into its plan.
While physical activity is important, and can be a main focus of many wellness programs, it is equally as important for workplace wellness initiatives to provide workers with knowledge of a healthy diet.
When it comes to dieting and nutrition, being able to learn which foods are right for you is an important step, and can allow an employee to continue following a healthy lifestyle, even outside of program guidance.
Jobs that are more physical-labor focused may require employees to consume more calories, while a sedimentary job may call for less. Regardless of the recommended intake, consuming whole foods such as produce and lean meats and avoiding processed products is always a great first step.
No matter the career, a healthy mental state should always be prioritized. Depending on the wellness program a job incorporates, a diet based on greens, fish, nuts and other organic and natural foods may be a good option.
Katy Tombaugh, the founder of Wellness Collective, is happy to see a change in attitude towards the mental health side of workplace health, not just the individual’s physical well-being.
“There has been a really positive shift in the sense that it’s not just physical health, you’re more than just our numbers,” Tombaugh says. “It’s more like, ‘How do we help the whole person? Are we giving them access to better mental health resources? Are we talking about mental health?’”
Weighing the options
While an individual-based approach to personal wellness could be best for bettering yourself as an individual, corporate wellness plans offer different benefits.
One positive aspect is collectively improved wellness of the workplace. Undertaking one’s own health journey may be beneficial, but if other co-workers in their workplace aren’t well, that can affect work performance and the well-being of the entire office.
Time management is another benefit of corporate wellness programs to consider. While some employees may have time in their day to cook healthy meals and stay active, many can find it hard to fit healthy habits into their day.
Many corporate wellness programs offer workout classes and other events that take place during the workday, making it easier to accomplish those wellness goals.
Tombaugh recalls a conversation she overheard between employees; one of them said they did not want to come into work on a particular day, but they didn’t want to miss their Pilates workout.
“If we talk about presenteeism and absenteeism, how do you get people coming to work? How do you retain great people? These are things that employers care about,” Tombaugh says. “If you have fun and healthy things for people to do, you’re attracting them to come into the office.”
Wil Steigerwald is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
