Let’s talk about how wellness programs improve employee retention.
Many companies today are struggling to retain employees which means a lot of work from the human resources department spending more time with final exit interviews, clearances, and the like. In addition to that, a lot of time will be spent looking for a replacement and another set of expenses during the rehiring process.
There are a lot of factors affecting the decision of an employee to leave their current role and seek new opportunities. One of the main reasons according to various studies is the absence of a nurturing work environment that could lead to dissatisfaction and a lack of drive among employees.
If you think about it, most top-level managers will say that people are being hired to do their job and they shouldn’t complain if it is hard, but this is an old way of doing things. Today, most employees are aware of the term benefits, work environment, and culture. Over time, the work environment dynamics and expectations from both employees and employers have changed and are still continuously changing.
Why should wellness be an integral part of a company’s growth and development?
Many big tech companies like Apple would always highlight what kind of an environment they have established and they envisioned for their employees. According to studies, 47% of Apple employees would not leave Apple if they were offered a job for more money while 68% are excited to go to work each day.
As a company, growth, and development should not just be for the company, the employees should experience it too. Providing the employees wellness programs to help them improve themselves is just one way of doing it and it works, not just for the employees but also for the company.
In order to keep employee motivation and happiness high, well-being at work needs to be included and promoted as per the company’s culture. Otherwise, there will be a significant impact on employees’ retention and productivity if they feel that they don’t value and care for their wellbeing.
Employees can determine when the company values them enough and wants to keep them for good or when there’s nothing but apathy. They can also sense when connections are simply transactional and not relational. In short, yes, employees do care about salary but most companies don’t realize that salary is just one part of the equation when it comes to retention which leads us to the next topic.
How to Improve Employee Retention?
As stated above, not everything is about salary. When an employee is just simply being compensated for his or her output and the aspirations and growth are neglected, most workers begin to feel they are not needed and not valued. This will then lead to lost productivity and dedication in their job and the beginning of their journey to start looking for an opportunity for a better and more cultivating environment.
Here are some wellness programs that increase employees’ satisfaction:
- Relaxation, meditation, and stress management webinar or activities
- Requiring coffee and lunch breaks
- Healthy food available in the office
- Fitness webinars, challenges, or activities
- Flexible work hours
- Safe and clean workspaces
- Career, skill, interpersonal training, and workshops
- Career growth opportunities
- Financial incentives or rewards
- Team-building activities
- Social club activities
The Genuine Care
Every employee has his or her expectations and the same goes for the employer. But one of the most basic needs that employers should provide is genuine care. For many people, this basic need is even more important than the salary for many reasons.
When wellness programs provided to employees cater to their holistic needs, it provides a lot of reasons for them to stay dedicated and committed to the company. If we compare it to the healthcare world, the care that the healthcare professionals are providing to their patients is usually the reason why patients do come back whenever they need help. Experience is always the best teacher and the same goes for many things.
Wellness program at the workplace is a win-win strategy for employers to show that they care for their employees who take care of the day-to-day job to ensure revenue and continued service to customers. The absence or lack of wellness programs feels like having a hospital without nurses, eventually, patients will leave and seek for a better hospital that can cater to their needs and get the care they needed.
The Role of Wellness in Employee Retention
Wellness is not an overnight job and it takes a lot of hard work for it to be successful. But according to research, companies who include wellness as part of employee benefits create a better working environment for everyone and a lot of positive impacts.
Action speaks louder than words
When wellness is offered to employees, making sure it happens is the key. Always remember that words without action are meaningless. You might present the most meaningful speech that you wholeheartedly meant but without actual practice, it will end up as plan failure. When employees are aware that they are being valued and that they matter, they show their appreciation by loyalty and commitment. A holistic corporate wellness program that supports employees’ overall well-being will go a long way. Employees feel healthier, more involved, more satisfied and more committed to their company.
Promotion of health and well-being
Wellness programs are designed to help and not harm anyone. Making sure that when promoting health and wellness activities and challenges, do something that is not just about physical health and nutrition. Try incorporating a holistic approach that includes mental and general health. Supporting your employees by providing good health insurance, especially for those who have medical issues will be one of the key reasons to retain employees. Without getting help for their wellness needs, employees lose their motivation to work, feeling exhausted and unable to execute challenging tasks which will then result in them searching for a better work environment where they can develop and feel nurtured.
Boost employee morale, loyalty and better working relationship
Loyalty is always earned, never demanded nor being asked for. Whatever relationship you have this has been a thing that will never change and the same goes for the employee-employer relationship. By providing wellness, it helps the entire staff get what they need and will make them understand what they never thought they needed. According to research, employers that promote corporate wellness programs are appreciated by their employees. Employees feel satisfied and proud to be part of the company and are most likely to advocate it as a good place to work. Apart from the loyalty, it also boosts employee morale and it gives them the confidence that they are not just part of the company, they are literally the company thus promoting retention.
Increase employee satisfaction
Implemented wellness programs that meet the needs of the employees increase their satisfaction. This can draw them closer to the company and most of the time, employees don’t see a reason to leave a place where they are content and nurtured by a caring hand. When it comes to customer service, satisfaction is the key to retaining them to be a continued avid fan of the company and the same is with the employer-employee relationship. As a company, it pays to always remember that your employees should be treated as customers even though they are being given salary for their work or output because at the end of the day if your staff leaves, your business is also at stake.
Reduced stress and anxiety
In the midst of a busy workspace, the increasing amount of pressure and worry comes along and this is normal. But having a positive culture within the workplace can help both employees and employers to be in a calm state even when situations are hard. Providing corporate wellness programs that strengthen physical, mental, and emotional health help the employees cope with stress better and discover their center and flow. Amid employees’ busy schedules, providing them with some haven can help improve work performance and employee retention.
Promoting teamwork
Wellness programs are known to be a very good way not just to practice teamwork but stresses the importance of a healthy and positive competitive culture. By having programs that are designed for teams to execute and reach a common goal, it will bring out the best in everyone and they will be able to know their colleagues on a different level. This will then lead to them having an understanding of the other people and will bring them closer to each other as much as possible. Personal differences cannot be taken out of the equation yet it helps build a professional relationship. Wellness programs don’t aim for everyone to be the best of friends when executing team activities although it can be an additional bonus, yet it promotes teamwork which definitely is healthy for everyone. By having this, most employees feel comfortable within their environment that when they need anything work-wise, someone will always be available to help, listen and give suggestions. This is what you call a positive workplace.
Reduced healthcare expenses
Employee wellness programs are good ways to counter the adverse effects of work-related stress and weariness, with resources such as healthy lifestyle coaching, stress management, weight management programs, and physical fitness activities. Having healthcare programs make employees feel cared for and valued, which has a direct effect on their satisfaction.
Investment in employees
The one thing wellness programs do is to show them that as a company, you are not just valuing them as your employees, but you’re invested in them. By having wellness programs implemented, employees will likely appreciate the care that the company provides and will then result in invested employees meaning they will perform better and you don’t just get their loyalty, they will become the face of the company. Word of mouth spreads fast and if your employees are happy, they will likely talk about it to their friends and family. Your employees are your best asset, they are the investment you will never regret.
Retaining employees is one of the hardest things to do for many companies. As previously mentioned, there are so many factors affecting it but there is no perfect company. The only secret to try and achieve what Apple did is to ensure you don’t just provide and throw in things that you think your staff will or might need. Invest time in understanding their needs, complaints and suggestions. By doing so, you will be able to implement programs or solutions that will help better their situation and your company.
Wellness programs are one of the key elements in retaining your employees but it has to be done by people who have the knowledge and experience in managing corporate wellness programs and how to implement it. If you want to know more about wellness, feel free to reach out to Safe Hands for information.