Eight Ways to Build Wellness into Your Business | hioscar Blog | Oscar
Eight Ways to Build Wellness into Your Business
Wellness programs have had a place in large companies for more than a decade.
Workplace WellnessTips for Small Businesses
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By Ryan VanElslander (opens in new tab), Regional Sales Director at Zenefits (opens in new tab), a Cigna + Oscar partner. Zenefits curates content for managing the modern workforce, empowering businesses to put employees first. We're bringing you some of their articles about the latest news, information, trends, and community.*
Wellness programs have had a place in large companies for more than a decade. Typically, they are well-intentioned programs to lower the cost of insurance for companies that get their people to engage in preventative care. The goal? Counter the chronic issues behind the most costly medical intervention. Filled with corporate fun runs, fitness trackers, weight loss challenges, and counsel on how to quit smoking, they caught our imagination. And they’ve failed.
They missed a more insidious wellness issue that is taking a toll on America and its businesses: stress, burnout, and disengagement. The World Health Organization has labeled workplace stress (opens in new tab) one of the preeminent problems of the 21st century and is one of the leading causes of employee burnout and disengagement. Stress and burnout is a huge — and growing — issue in the workforce. The American Institute of Stress estimates that every day 1 million U.S. employees miss work because of stress, and over 40% of workers quit a job because of the amount of stress they feel in that job. This issue is a costly problem, estimated to be nearly $300B annually. And that was before COVID.
Gallup, who’s been studying engagement trends for over two decades, recently reported the most significant drop in engaged employees since they started tracking employee engagement in 2000. The vast majority of US workers —69%— are either “disengaged”or “actively disengaged.” Yikes.
As a sales director for Zenefits, I speak to dozens of CEOs, CFOs, and HR professionals each month and see consistent trends between the groups thriving and those merely surviving. While great products and innovative ideas play a significant factor, how leaders treat and invest in their employees remains consistent with flourishing companies, even during these challenging times.
Employers that have learned to address these significant pillars of wellness are healthier too, even amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. In environments with the right connection, tools, content, and resources, people feel heard, valued and cared for. In turn, they are more engaged, productive and make a stronger impact on customer satisfaction.
Following are a few themes and tips for creating a culture of wellness that I’ve seen from companies who get it right.
Eight tips to build healthier behaviors across your organization
1. Lead with empathy.
Everything has changed, both at work and home, recognize that with your team. The best leaders are genuinely concerned for their team members and want them to succeed. While empathy is and has always been an important trait, it is even more vital in challenging times. If your people don’t feel you care about them now, you’ll lose their trust, which not only adds to their stress level but disengages them further from doing their jobs.
Read the rest of the tips for creating a culture of wellness in the original article (opens in new tab) on Zenefits.com.
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