Workplace Wellness: Your New Employee Health Plan

It seems like every week there's some new corporate trend or buzz word people are excited about. One week everybody is working towards "transparency" in the work place, the next people are clamoring to "synergize" the office. Workplace Wellness seems to be the newest corporate practice, but don't mistake it for a passing trend.rnWorkplace wellness in its most basic definition is a combination of programs and activities created to help maintain the health of employees, and in some cases, their families. These wellness programs could consist of educational seminars and fitness programs, or it could simply be an extremely comprehensive insurance plan that includes preventative health care treatments. Since the definition is so broad some companies aren't even sure how to start a wellness program at their office. Here are some tips on how to get your wellness program up and running Know What You Want The best way to figure out which wellness programs would benefit your office is to ask your employees. Send out a company-wide e-mail asking for suggestions or programs they'd be interested in. You could also visit a pro-workplace wellness website and see if they have pre written questionnaires you could distribute to your employees. Provide Healthy Food Options When your employees break for lunch, how many of them do you see returning with greasy fast food? Eating well is a very important part of workplace wellness, and if you provide your employees with healthy lunch options they'll be eating well and also be ready to work even harder. Try setting aside a few days a week where you provide healthy lunches for your workers. A salad bar is a great and cheap way to get your workers eating well. Check with Your Health Care Provider If your company is linked to an employee insurance program get in touch with your provider and inform them of your plans to implement a workplace wellness program for your staff. Some insurance companies offer lower premiums to companies who have wellness plans for their employees. The companies who do offer discounts normally have guidelines businesses need to follow in order to qualify, so it's always best to check with your providers before you start programs. Program Ideas After speaking with your employees and insurance provider, you probably have a good idea of what your business' workplace wellness program will be like. If you need more ideas, here are some small things you can do to get your program started: -Replace your vending machine snacks with healthy snacks, think less cookies and candy and more granola and trail mix. -Issue pedometers to your staff, and offer a prize to the employee who takes the most steps over the week. -Do a presentation on fast food and other popular lunch destinations for your employees. Give them the facts on the true nutritional values of their favorite fast food treats, and then educate them on healthy alternatives they could eat for lunch. If your do a PowerPoint presentation or print out pamphlets, your employees could easily share the information with their families. -Get in contact with your insurance company and ask them to provide risk-assessments for your employees. These in-depth questionnaires about eating habits, physical activities, and family health history could help your employees take steps to prevent against possible health problems.