Start a Summer Wellness Plan with These Tips

 

Summer is the perfect time to implement a wellness plan, especially if your organization doesn’t currently have one in place. In recent years, companies have begun taking employee wellness more seriously, especially as a method to combat the rising cost of healthcare and lost productivity due to health issues. However, many businesses have limited experience in the area, making it difficult to figure out exactly what needs to be done to ensure success. To help you design a program that is more likely to engage and excite employees, here are some tips for getting started.

Make the Message Personal

A summer wellness program is likely going to be associated with a particular message, functioning as a tagline for the initiative, and choosing the right message is critical. Statements that promote feelings of guilt or shame, or those that make workers feel pressured to join aren’t always very effective, and standard platitudes generally don’t do much when you’re hoping to inspire the masses.

Instead, you need to select a message that helps them see how the program benefits them in a way that actually speaks to them. You need them to see how activities like eating right and exercising assist them in reaching their goals. Otherwise, if you just relate it to the concept of better health, you’re not likely to get much attention.

Get the Leadership Team Involved

Your employees aren’t going to be inclined to participate if upper management isn’t actively showing support for the wellness program. Having top-level management, including the CEO, take part in the program shows they aren’t just tossing it out there to see if it sticks; they actually think it provides value to their lives too. By having leaders take part, and even share their results, the rest of your workforce may feel more comfortable with jumping in, and that can increase participation levels and lead to stronger results for everyone.

Make Healthy Sleep Habits a Priority

Getting enough sleep is a cornerstone of health, and Americans are some of the most sleep-deprived workers in the world. Failing to get enough shut-eye can lead to significantly increased risk for certain health issues including mental health conditions, heart disease, and diabetes. Productivity can also suffer, and safety issues are often more prevalent. Adding a “healthy sleep” component to the program can help workers learn better habits and encourage them to be more aware of the amount of time they dedicate to sleep.

Go Beyond 10,000 Steps

The idea of getting in at least 10,000 steps a day is fairly well known, and it only scratches the surface of what it takes to improve overall wellness. Make sure your program includes additional points like stress reduction, meditation, and even personal finance. By including methods to improve the whole person, more employees are likely to find value in at least part of the program, and that can help your initiative achieve success.

If you are interested in learning more about workplace wellness or would like to find a wellness specialist to join your team, The Advance Group can help. Contact us to discuss your goals today.

 

 

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