There are a number of ways to help your workforce feel great at work and outside of work. A lot of these methods are shown to be effective for boosting morale and increase productivity. In some cases, even help with team building and collaboration. One client came to me asking for a wellness program to supplement their existing ergonomics. This turned out to work very effectively with their current program that offered ergonomics classes and ergonomic assessments for their hybrid employees. The idea was to bolster physical activity, encourage scheduled breaks, have various wellness-based programs, celebrate wins related to health, and foster a sense of company community.
1. Physical Movement/Activity Initiatives
Encouraging physical activity helps maintain both mental and physical health. The program may include such features such as virtual fitness classes that can be completed in the office or at home if there is a hybrid condition. Also step challenges are great for promoting movement. Lastly outdoor group activities can be a great team builder as well as encouragement for movement during breaks and scheduled work events.
2. Encouraging Breaks & Stretching Sessions
Promoting taking quick and frequent micro-breaks to stretch, relax vision, and hydrate recharges employees helping them assume greater productivity and focus. It also reduces the amount of strain and tension in muscles onset by prolonged sitting.
3. Health and wellness Programs
An employee health and wellness program should keep in mind what employees prefer as options for keeping healthy and find value from. If you survey your employees, it would be the best way to approach deciding on the offerings. This will drive engagement and boost morale. Keep an open mind, as stress management and smoking cessation programs are just as important as exercise classes. Each person is on their own wellness journey and rather than diverting this, encouraging going beyond the foundation that each employee has built, the employer now provides services that go beyond the foundational elements that enhance their health and wellbeing.
4. Celebrating Health Related Milestones
Celebrating health related wins is beneficial towards maintaining motivation and keeping on course. A great program can utilize software to help employees track health related challenges using their Apple Watch or Smart Phone and offer rewards for participation and achievement. Competition between coworkers bolsters camaraderie and engagement making everything a win-win!
5. Fostering A Healthy Community
One of the program goals should be to encourage employees to work together and help each other with accountability both onsite and outside of work. A healthy and collaborative workforce is built on trust and doing activities that help boost the most important thing in life, which is health, is a great way to build a sense of community within your workforce.
If you want to foster health and wellness in your business, call Ergobility today to speak to a specialist about this.
