Components of an employee wellness program

One of the major ways that employers are using to help their employees become healthier is putting an employee wellness program in place. It is important to understand that there is no "one size fits all" type of employee wellness program. Employers will need to do extensive research to determine what type of employee wellness program will best benefit and most importantly interest their workforce. Once they have the information they need to put together an employee wellness program there are several different components they can choose from. Here are some of the most common components of an employee wellness program-

- Exercise and fitness-One of the most popular and widely used components of an employee wellness program is the exercise and fitness programs that are available. Most employees are interested in getting more physically fit. This makes this type of program very accepted among most workforces. There are many different ways that you can institute this type of program into your business. Some businesses have been able to offer onsite gyms that range from some exercise bikes and weights in an unused conference room to a fully equipped and staffed state of the art on site gym complete with showers, changing rooms, and sometimes even a pool. Each business will need to determine what type of actions they can take when setting up an onsite gym. If a gym within your business is not an option you may want to consider offering discounted gym passes for employees who are a part of the employee wellness program. You can also set up contests inside the business that have employees logging the number of steps they take with company pedometers, riding bikes between buildings, or even setting up walking paths around he building. If none of these options will work you may want to consider making sure stair wells are lighted safely and painted to be attractive and then encourage employees to use the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Nutrition and weight loss-Another popular component of employee wellness programs has to do with nutrition and weight loss. While weight loss is almost always popular employers should not overlook adding a nutrition component to their weight loss program as well. Many employees are not just looking to lose weight but also improve their nutrition. Onsite classes in cooking and nutrition can be popular and beneficial. Weight loss programs have been shown to be highly successful in a business setting, as well. Employers can also help to make changes in the company culture by offering more nutritious food in the company cafeteria, switching out vending machines to more nutritious snacks and bottled water, and holding business meetings without treats or more healthy snacks then traditional donuts and soda.In addition, setting up weight loss support can also be a valuable part of any weight loss program. Whether employees help each other, meet with weight loss counselors, or a combination of both, this can help your employees to lose weight and get healthier through your employee wellness program.
- Smoking cessation-This type of program has been shown to be very popular and widely used in employee wellness programs. Smoking cessation programs can allow employees to quit smoking in a controlled environment. This can be done in a number of different ways and employers should carefully research what the options are before making smoking cessation a part of the employee wellness program. Keep in mind that while you will not get a 100% reduction in smoking among your employees who smoke there can be a significant reduction in the numbers that do that will in turn make all of your employees healthier.