Four Ways To Improve Employee Health and Wellness

Posted 12/2/16
A new year is almost upon us and you shouldn’t just be making resolutions about your own health and well-being. Now is the time to establish some goals for employees that go beyond the office. Focusing on their health and wellness can be a benefit to everyone involved.

Here are a few ways to get started in improving the health and wellness of your employees:

1. Access the needs of employees.
   According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute, most employees who join wellness programs do so to learn more about their own health risks. Helping these workers learn more about the importance of coming up with healthy habits and giving them tools in implementing those habits is the first step in finding success.

2. Don’t overcomplicate the process.
   For some people changing lifelong habits is difficult. Make it easier for everyone involved by providing easy to understand steps. Help establish goals and monitor success along the way. Depending on your budget and level of commitment, wearable technology that monitors movement, sleep and calorie intake can make the process even easier.

3. Be an inspiration.
   Don’t just talk the talk when it comes to making these changes. Provide encouragement along the way. Set goals and benchmarks for everyone participating and recognize successes. Acknowledge failure, but nurture, don’t lecture. Some people are motivated by money. Again, depending on your budget and how serious you are about making the changes, should be your guide in what type of reward system you establish. Instead of money, reward goals being reached with a day off, a late start time or an early release for a day.

4. Create a welcoming environment.
   Replace junk food and sugary drinks in the vending machine with healthier options. Instead of celebrating birthdays and work anniversaries with cake and cookies, share a fruit salad or vegetable tray.

These are just a few ways to help everyone on your team get fit in the new year. The process is far from easy, but the reward is worth the wait. The more people involved and working together, the more likely success will be long-lasting.

Kevin Hunsperger was born in Missouri in 1973.  He graduated from Southeast Missouri State University and immediately began his journalist career in Florence, AL at WOWL.  Kevin is currently a morning anchor and reporter at WSIL-TV in Carterville, IL.  Kevin is a blog-author, podcast host and keynote speaker.  He donates his time and talent to organizations that are important to him as the co-chairman of the Southern Illinois Men’s Conference, Hospice of Southern Illinois, and The Boy Scouts of America.