Today marks the start of National Employee Wellness Month. Thirty full days dedicated to celebrating happy, healthy company cultures everywhere and promoting the benefits of a thriving employee wellness plan. And what better time to celebrate wellness than the month of June? Warm weather and long, sun-filled days are perfect for getting outside and being active.
This holiday is also a great time to showcase how companies can create cultures that foster health and well-being while lowering the cost of healthcare coverage and improving business results.
In a 2015 workplace study, researchers found that when employees believe their employer cares about their health and well-being, they are 38 percent more engaged in their work. What’s more, the study found that 28 percent of employees were more likely to recommend their workplace and 18 percent more likely to go the extra mile for the organization if healthy workplace practices were top-of-mind.
While it may be important to have an ongoing employee wellness plan in place, it doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult to implement. In fact, sometimes the most simple activities prove to be the most effective. And better yet, it’s never too late to start!
Here are five fun and low-cost ways your organization can start promoting wellness today:
1. Sign up for a Mud Run.
Find an event in your region and get a team of your most adventurous (or curious) employees together to participate. This also doubles as an excellent team-bonding activity!
2. Go on Wellness Walk & Talks.
Encourage your team to take their 1:1 meetings out of the office and opt for a walk-and-talk style conversation instead. Not only are you getting things done, but you’re also getting some fresh air and taking a break from the often sedentary office setting. We try to make this a frequent activity at Fond!
3. Add a Step Challenge to Your Employee Wellness Plan.
Has your office ever participated in a team or company-wide step challenge? With today’s technology, this is an easy addition to any employee wellness plan! And you don’t even need to own a wearable device. Whether you’re an iOS or Android user, there’s an app for that. As with any successful challenge, don’t forget to reward your top participants!
4. Plan a Healthy Foods Potluck.
You don’t need to leave the office to promote health and wellness amongst your workforce. By asking everyone to bring a healthy lunchtime dish to share, or even a salad topping so everyone can create their own bowl of veggies and greens, you’re inspiring them to eat healthy (and maybe even try something new). Check out how our customer Hawaii National Bank incorporated healthy eating into their employee wellness plan.
5. Sweat it Out in Class.
What better way to revitalize and re-energizing your team from the outside in than doing a group workout class. Whether you have the budget to pay for a private group fitness class with a studio like Orange Theory or CorePower Yoga, or you need something to satisfy a smaller budget like hiring a professional to come in lead a lunchtime group exercise, you’re encouraging wellness throughout your organization.
It’s incredible what can happen when you prioritize wellness, in and out of the office. Now get out there and start incorporating employee health and well-being into your unique office environment!
