employee wellness programs Archives

What are employee wellness initiatives? (Plus, 5 key initiatives for your team)

by Sam Johnson | Oct 13, 2023 | Blog

What are employee wellness initiatives? Wellness initiatives can give your benefits plan a powerful boost. Here are 5 key initiatives to try for your team.

Eighty-seven percent of employees consider health and wellness benefits when choosing an employer, according to a study by recruiting website Zippia. Adding wellness initiatives programs to your benefits package can provide your company an advantage in attracting talent over your competitors.

Here’s what to know about employee wellness initiatives as well as 5 key initiatives that your team can implement to improve the employee experience.

What are employee wellness initiatives?

Employee wellness initiatives are benefits programs that a company provides its employees. The purpose of these solutions is to promote the health and wellbeing of all the members of the office. Not only do companies see improvements in their workers mental and physical health, they often will see positive returns on their productivity and quality of work as well. In addition to cultivating a better work environment, according to the same Zippia study, 72% of employers saw a reduction in their healthcare costs after implementing these programs.

These wellness programs can come in many different forms. Here are 5 key wellness initiatives to help your team succeed.

1. Fitness classes and health education

Encouraging your employees to exercise can positively impact both their physical and mental health. Fitness benefits can also appeal to all manner of employees, whether they enjoy complex lifting courses or low-impact aerobics. Providing stipends for these classes offers a cost-saving alternative to building an on-site gym or health club.

2. Schedule flexibility

In the post-COVID-19 workforce, flex-time is one of the most requested employee benefits. Employees want the ability to set their schedule for when to come into the office and when to work from home. The flexibility has the added benefit of reducing stress and anxiety in the workplace which will help increase productivity in the long run. Flexibility also provides added benefits for working parents trying to balance work and childcare duties.

3. Health screenings

Common reasons that people don’t go to the doctor include a fear of what a routine checkup might cost, a feeling of embarrassment or they lack access to the proper resources. All of these issues can be alleviated by providing onsite health screenings. Screenings only take 15-20 minutes of people’s time and to increase participation, can be provided during work hours.

Some employees may be dissuaded or nervous in volunteering in a program like this. Common incentives for participation include cash bonuses, reducing contributions towards health insurance and providing a flexible spending account.

4. Wellness goals

Declaring a shared goal that employees work on together while encouraging others to participate and excel in the programs helps raise the participation percentage of the benefits and can double as team-bonding exercises as well.

These goals can be carried out individually or workers can form teams and try to achieve them together. Some common challenges that workplaces have thought up are meditation, drinking more water, keeping a gratitude journal and walking/biking to work.

5. Financial wellness programs

Only 42% of employees rate their financial wellness as good or excellent, according to a report by Bank of America. But 76% of employees feel that it’s their employer’s responsibility to help them bridge the gaps in their financial wellbeing.

In response, many companies have started to provide financial wellness programs that assist clients with their budgets and guide them on a path towards financial security. When it comes to financial wellness programs, the best path forward is to provide a comprehensive one. Personal finance comes with unique issues for each of your employees and requires holistic answers for employees of all ages and financial backgrounds.

Give your team best-in-class employee financial wellness initiatives like Best Money Moves.

Best Money Moves is a mobile-first financial wellness solution designed to help dial down employees’ most top-of-mind financial stresses. As an easy-to-use financial well-being solution, Best Money Moves offers comprehensive support toward any money-related goal. With 1:1 money coaching, budgeting tools and other resources, our AI platform is designed to help bolster employee financial wellbeing.

Whether paying off debt or securing a mortgage, Best Money Moves can guide employees through the most difficult financial times and topics. We have robust benefits options for employers, regardless of their benefits budget.

Our dedicated resources, partner offerings and 900+ article library make Best Money Moves a leading benefit in bettering employee financial wellness.

To learn more about Best Money Moves Financial Wellness Platform, let’s schedule a call. Contact us and we’ll reach out to you soon.

How Employee Health and Wellness Programs Help Build Resiliency

by LizStevens | Oct 14, 2020 | Blog

How employee health and wellness programs help build resiliency on an individual and organizational level to better navigate economic uncertainty.

An astounding 75 percent of U.S. employees are struggling at work because of anxiety caused by COVID-19 and other recent events, according to a survey by TELUS International.

Employers aren’t blind to the unprecedented levels of stress employees are feeling. In fact, as the pandemic drags on, 85 percent of them are increasingly concerned about their employees’ health and wellness needs, according to research by Unum.

Another report by Principal found roughly 30 percent of employers plan to adapt benefits offerings to provide better mental health and wellness programs, childcare support, healthcare benefits and financial wellness programs to support employees through times of uncertainty.

“COVID-19 has fundamentally reshaped the benefits landscape,” says Kara Hoogensen, senior vice president of U.S. Insurance Solutions for Principal. “Employees and employers alike are recognizing the need for coverage that protects the health and well-being of both individuals and their families. This has brought new meaning to benefits that may have previously fallen lower on an employee’s priority list, such as income protection, life insurance and mental health programs.”

How Employee Health and Wellness Programs Build Resiliency

According to the research by TELUS International, since working from home during the pandemic, almost four in five employees have found it challenging to “shut off” from work in the evenings. Forty percent of workers aren’t getting enough sleep and 13 percent are hardly sleeping at all. Over 35 percent of employees reported feeling less healthy physically and 45 percent said they feel less healthy mentally. But just 40 percent of employees feel empowered to let someone at their company know when they aren’t feeling physically or mentally well, and that’s a problem.

Employees who aren’t feeling well struggle to focus, aren’t as engaged or collaborative, take more time off and are less satisfied with their jobs, ultimately taking a toll on an organization’s productivity and retention. Nearly 80 percent of employees would consider quitting their current position for a job that focused more on employee mental health.

Flexible Schedules Build Resiliency and Better Health Outcomes

Nearly 90 percent of employees agreed having more flexibility in their work schedule would positively impact their health, 49 percent said health care benefits that include therapy and counseling would make a difference, 43 percent would like thoughtful one on one check-ins from their employer and 37 percent thought virtual workshops about health and wellness or yoga and meditation classes would make them feel like their mental health is being prioritized.

Prioritizing Employee Health and Wellness is a Win-Win

Prioritizing employee health and wellness is mutually beneficial. Through health and wellness programs employees have the opportunity to improve their physical, mental and financial health, lower their stress levels and learn how to better manage the various struggles they may face in the future. This absolutely carries over to their performance at work. The result is a company culture that is healthier, more supportive and more resilient to challenges on all fronts.

Coronavirus 2020: Supporting Employees During COVID-19

by LizStevens | Apr 21, 2020 | Blog

Coronavirus 2020: supporting employees during COVID-19. Employees are stressed out, disengaged and it’s hard to maintain productivity amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

Employees are less engaged, less productive and less positive about their careers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a survey by Eagle Hill Consulting.

More than 40 percent of workers are experiencing burnout, a term used to describe prolonged and intense stress, and over 35 percent of employees don’t think their organization is doing anything to help.

It’s up to employers to re-engage workers and reduce employee burnout, but it won’t be easy. According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), more than 60 percent of employers have had a difficult time maintaining employee morale during the coronavirus pandemic.

Coronavirus 2020: Supporting Employees During COVID-19 Pandemic

How to Tell If an Employee Is at Risk of Burnout

When evaluating employees for risk of burnout look for the most common symptoms:

Exhaustion
Frustration
Forgetfulness
Anxiety
Inability to keep up with daily tasks

Parents are particularly at risk of burnout during the coronavirus pandemic. Sixty percent of working mothers and fathers already experience burnout. School closings due to COVID-19 have many parents juggling roles as workers, teachers and caregivers all at the same time, heightening their risk of burning out.

What’s Causing Employee Burnout?

Workers responding to a survey by Eagle Hill Consulting said these are the things that are making them feel burnt out:

Workload
Lack of work-life balance
Lack of communication, feedback and support
Time pressures
Performance expectations

Flexibility is critical in a crisis. Monitor workloads, consider extensions and check-in on employees frequently to limit burnout and boost morale during the coronavirus pandemic.

How Employers Are Battling Burnout

These are the most common ways employers are managing burnout during the coronavirus pandemic according to Eagle Hill Consulting:

34 percent of organizations are increasing flexibility
26 percent are improving communication
20 percent are providing mental and physical wellness resources
19 percent are changing goals and targets based on the situation today
18 percent are making workloads more manageable

Most organizations have had to make some changes to continue operating throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Employers who are flexible, communicative and understanding of the challenges employees are facing can limit burnout and maintain a positive work environment.