Top 5 On-The-Job Health & Wellness Tips

Taking steps to maintain and improve the health and well being of your employees only makes sense. In today's economy especially, employers should take steps to guarantee their employees take fewer sick days and achieve their best. According to recent studies on health trends, for each $1 an employer spends on wellness, they realize a $3 to $6 return on their investment. Adding these 5 simple tips to the benefits you offer your employees will boost their morale as well as improve their health.

1.Supply hand sanitizer. Using hand sanitizer after touching telephones, keyboards, copiers, doorknobs or even the water cooler can decrease the risk of picking up germs and spreading them throughout the department. As an employer, you may want to install hand sanitizer dispensers and encourage their use among your employees. If this is not feasible, you may want to provide individual hand sanitizer bottles to each employee.

2.Provide online health risk assessments. On your company website, supply a secure link for employees to assess their health risks and find helpful resources. If you don't have a company website, consider providing pamphlets with this information. This can shrink health care costs as at-risk employees discover early warning signs. Health risk assessments can be used in conjunction with weight loss and smoking cessation programs.

3.Offer discounted or free gym memberships. In order to help employees stay (or get) in tip-top shape, providing an incentive to become more active will help them feel better and decrease their number of sick days. Contact a local gym and work out a deal where your employees can work out at least 2 to 3 times a week.

4.Offer healthy lunches/snacks. If you have a cafeteria or snack room, be sure there are healthy choices available. Providing a nutritional guide highlighting your offerings will be useful to helping employees make wise choices.

5.Organize walking groups. If possible, mark off a route where your employees can walk at breaks or lunch and promote the group in your company newsletter or on your website.

Showing your employees that your company cares about their health and well being can boost their morale and increase employee retention. Promoting a healthy workplace may ensure your employees use fewer sick days and work at a higher performance level. Help your employees achieve a healthier lifestyle and they're likely to work more productively and increase your bottom line.