Benefits of Corporate Wellness

Most people spend more hours atwork than anywhere else in addition to the time they spend commuting each day.In fact, the typical American works approximately 47 hours a week which is atleast 164 hours more than the average 20 years ago. Given these statistics, itis easy to see why maintaining a healthy work / life balance is becomingincreasingly important. Corporate wellness programs important tools toestablish this balance. Programs that emphasize the benefits of corporatewellness can be implemented in a variety of ways. However, they all share acommon goal – to promote the well-being of their employees, employers andorganization in general. Many companies are starting to realize the tremendousbenefits of corporate wellness.

One of the primary benefits ofcorporate wellness involves a reduction in the rates of illness and injuriesamong employees. Unhealthy employees experience a wide range of work-relatedinjuries such as muscle strain, carpal tunnel syndrome, stress fractures orback pain. These individuals are also susceptible to developing complicationssuch as diabetes, heart disease or a stroke. Employees without the opportunityto participate in corporate wellness programs may develop serious illnesses.Consequently, they could find themselves on long-term disability for anextended period of time or be forced to discontinue working entirely.

In addition to preventingillnesses amongst employees, corporate wellness programs also lead to areduction in employee absenteeism. Employees who are stressed, unhealthy oroverworked tend to become sick much more often than healthy employees. Whenprograms that focus on the benefits of corporate wellness are implemented, thisrate can be drastically reduced. For example, Coors Brewing Company experienceda remarkable 18% decrease in employee absenteeism after implementing a corporatewellness program within their workplace.

Another benefit of corporatewellness programming is a reduction in the cost of healthcare. When employeesare healthy and less stressed they tend to rely less on costly programs such asdisability insurance and sick leave. Companies will notice a significantdecrease in healthcare costs once they incorporate wellness programs into theirworkplace. For example, after implementing a fitness program in which only 60%of the employees participated, Coca-Cola was able to save $500 per employeeevery year.

Increased productivity isanother benefit of corporate wellness. Employees who are happy and healthy tendto produce a greater volume of work at a higher quality than unhealthyemployees. Employers need to realize that implementing programs that lowerfitness and stress levels will increase the overall output of their employees.

Corporate wellness programsalso contribute to the enhanced retention of key employees. Companies thatimplement wellness programs normally experience a much lower rate of employeeturnover. Recruiting, marketing and advertising for vacant positions are verycostly, not to mention time-consuming. If your employees are happy and healthyand enjoy working at your company, you will be able to focus more time andenergy on actually getting the job done.