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3 ways work wellness programs help boost employee retention

On average, about half of the world's population will spend about one-third of their life at work, according to the World Health Organization. Depending on the work environment, this can have positive or negative outcomes on one's health and well-being. A full-time employee will spend about 24% of their time on the clock each week. So, with much of our time being spent in the workplace, it makes sense that employees set importance on who they work for and the benefits and opportunities that the workplace provides.

If your goal is increasing employee retention and boosting employee engagement, take a look at what you offer. It may be time to introduce a workplace wellness program for your employees. Researchers found that companies that offer employee wellness activities and prioritize employee well-being saw significant gains in productivity and loyalty among workers.

Introducing programs and services to improve employee wellness not only boosts productivity, but improves performance, and keeps your employees with the company longer, which positively impacts your bottom line. Dedicated employees are an asset to your company, so focus on what you can do to keep them with your team longer.

Here’s how employers can utilize their workplace wellness programs as a part of their employee retention strategy.

Show that you care

Show your employees that you care about more than just the bottom line. When an employee is healthy and feeling their best mentally and physically, they’ll feel happier in the workplace and it shows up in their performance and dedication to the company. Wellness programs that actually address the needs of the employees and provides genuine support, strengthen the partnership between employee and employer.

Everyone wants to feel appreciated and valued in the workplace. So taking the time out and creating resources that are aimed to support the well-being of an employee encourages them to go above and beyond for the company, and hold themselves accountable for entrusted tasks.

Build trust

Wellness programs build trust between employer and employee and help motivate and engage them on a professional and personal level. Trust is the key to employee loyalty and retention. Work relationships have a strong influence on employee health, happiness and job satisfaction. If there is no trust in the partnership between the two, then the company suffers. Employees who don’t have supportive connections in the workplace are much more likely to feel disconnected from their jobs and become disengaged in their work altogether. If leaders disregard the importance of connecting with employees, they lose the benefit of a dedicated, long-term team.

Wellness programs can help fix this problem by offering employees opportunities for social connection. Whether it’s through desk meditation, yoga, walking clubs, group fitness classes or interoffice wellness challenges together, employees are more likely to feel engaged once they are able to connect with their peers and leadership on a deeper level.

A well researched and custom wellness plan also allow companies to dig deeper into what works best for the growth of the company and staff development. You'll need to communicate with your team in order to know which activities and services support them best, in doing so, you open a line of communication to better understand your employees as individuals and what they need and want as a member of your workforce. Listening and acting on what you've heard is the best and easiest way to establish trust and loyalty.

Commit to a healthier culture

A commitment to health doesn't always mean physical and tangible experiences. Mental and emotional health should also be considered. If an employee is feeling stressed or displays high levels of anxiety, they become unhappy and underperform. Create a workplace culture that attracts, retains, and develops talent. A healthier office environment means more time, interest, and ability to connect to the corporate values and ideals being established.

Employees feel committed to the cause when work feels more like a community and less like a factory. Employee wellness programs help foster that sense of community in the workplace. Wellness practices help bring teammates together through challenges, activities and healthy workplace habits. Employers are also able to demonstrate their support towards employees by offering wellness solutions and educational opportunities. Investing in an employee’s well-being is investing in the happiness and longevity of their professional careers.

When implemented properly, wellness can play a vital role in your employee engagement strategy. Nurturing and protecting a positive, peaceful environment, while supporting professional and personal development is an important practice that cultivates healthy habits and leads to increased happiness in the workplace. When engagement and happiness are on the rise in the workplace, so will productivity and performance.

If you want your team to stick around for the long haul, improve their physical and mental well-being through wellness programs. Employers will benefit from building upon the relationship between wellness and engagement. A happy and healthy employee will be your best employee! Give us a call and let's talk about how your company can benefit from a wellness program.