Corporate Wellness Programs at Our Baltimore Gyms Can Benefit Your Business
“Corporate wellness programs have come a long way in the recent years. With growing popularity, it’s safe to say that corporate wellness programs are no longer just a ‘fad,’ and they are here to stay. The percentage of companies with wellness programs is estimated to keep increasing, as organizations now realize they need some type of wellness initiative to stay current and competitive,” corporate wellness expert Alan Kohll recently asserted in Forbes.
Unfortunately, many business leaders get sidetracked by fears of upfront expenses when contemplating investing in corporate wellness programs. However, the research increasingly indicates that such programs pay for themselves — and then some. Here is a closer look at three specific ways a corporate wellness program can help your company thrive.
1. Corporate wellness programs reduce healthcare costs.
If your company is like many others, healthcare costs may seem crippling. However, you do not have to shoulder this burden alone. The president of one corporate wellness company told Forbes: “Healthcare costs are rising year after year. Employers, especially those at small companies, can simply not afford to take on this burden any longer. As a result, they are passing the costs onto their employees through higher deductibles. But healthier employees can actually help their own bottom line. Some employers are now lowering employee’s contributions with rebates if they do participate in a wellness program.”
In fact, according to the Society for Human Resources Management’s recent guide, Employee Wellness: Implementing a High Impact, ROI Strategy, a corporate wellness program is the single best way to combat skyrocketing health care expenses, second only to compensation in terms of contemporary business costs.
If you are still thinking the returns do not justify the expense, think again. Says Harvard Business Review: “Can wellness programs help employers reduce out-of-control health care costs? The answer, most emphatically, is yes.” For employees suffering from poor nutrition or hesitating to begin a new exercise regimen, access to a dietitian or personal trainer can make a life-changing (and money-saving) difference.
2. Corporate wellness programs boost productivity.
Your employees are only as productive as they are present. A simple way to boost productivity is to minimize absenteeism (and corresponding sick leave costs).
Explains BenefitsPRO: “This may seem to be common sense, but absenteeism and sick leave costs are significant, and improving the health of employees is proven to lower the rate of absenteeism. Wellness programs educate employees extensively on how to avoid illness and often provide personal health improvement strategies to engage employees on a specific level and reduce sick days for a large portion of the employee population.”
Furthermore, your employees will work better when they work out. Says wellness program experts Wellworks, “Healthy employees are more energized, focused, and efficient.”
3. Corporate wellness programs support employee loyalty and retention.
Today’s employees are looking for more than to be cogs in a wheel. Rather, they want to feel like they are part of something. By investing in your employee’s welfare with everything from subsidized gym memberships to more nutritious food offerings, you give them the incentive to invest in your business in return.
Continues BenefitsPRO: “Although difficult to put a price on, employers implementing wellness programs report a surge in employee morale and loyalty to the company. When employees feel their employer is truly interested in their best interest, they tend to be loyal, hard workers in return. Reduced turnover and recruiting costs are also part of this equation, as a happier workplace results in less turnover.”
Echoes Wellworks: “Employees who feel that their company is on their side and working hard for them will be more motivated to be involved and actively participate in that company’s success. As a sense of loyalty develops, camaraderie increases and a positive atmosphere is created, employees who participate in their company’s wellness program become more likely to stay at that company longer.”
The takeaway for today’s businesses? If you are still on the fence about whether a corporate wellness program is right for your organization, it is time to rethink your position and help your employees embrace a healthy future. Take a look at our lineup to learn more about what Brick Bodies has to offer your business and workers today.
