If you are not yet offering wellness programs for employees, now is a great time to do so. With the new year around the corner, your organization can start 2021 on a great footing for your team by supporting their wellness during the coronavirus pandemic (and beyond). Here are trends that you are likely to see in the coming year to improve the health and satisfaction of employees, which can improve a company’s productivity.
The pandemic has brought to light the fragility of mental and emotional health. A recent poll found that almost half of Americans (45%) felt their mental health was affected by the pandemic. The effect was described as “major” by 19% of respondents. Many people struggle with isolation while working from home, as well as other challenges, such as worries about losing their jobs and getting the virus.
A corporate wellness program that encourages open, upfront communication about mental health is a great start. To help both remote and on-site employees understand what benefits come with their jobs, send out a newsletter from HR that includes the relevant policies, as well as links to helpful resources. Easily handle admin tasks like this one using Talcura’s software suite.
Certain conditions, such as diabetes, make people more susceptible to serious symptoms if they get COVID-19. Given this information, it makes sense that health management programs focusing on managing chronic diseases will be important to offer employees.
This type of initiative puts individuals in control of their health and encourages healthier eating and fitness habits, even during a pandemic. As the employer, you can role model a healthy lifestyle to inspire employees, along with encouraging managers to do the same. Partaking in the programs you recommend can help you look more genuine and caring, which can build loyalty within the company.
Now is the time for employers to reassess their existing corporate wellness offerings to see if they meet employees’ changing needs during the pandemic. If there were incentive programs already in place, look at whether they still make sense given the existing social distancing guidelines. Do they need to be restructured so that workers can safely participate?
If you are investing in corporate wellbeing but not seeing the desired outcomes or active participation, it is likely an indication that the initiatives need updating or replacement with more suitable ones. For example, rather than holding work competitions that focus on individuals, create virtual group events using Zoom. The coworker interactions can combat feelings of loneliness that are stifling workplace productivity.
Meeting your employees’ needs is more important than ever during the pandemic. It is a time unlike any other, with more attention needed on mental, emotional, and physical health than before.
By using the suggestions above, you can begin to create better corporate wellbeing programs to benefit employees, especially those working from home. Doing so has the potential to drive employee engagement and boost business productivity.
