How employers can improve employee health

More and more employers are seeing the importance of caring about the health of their employees. Savvy business owners see that their workforce is the most valuable asset that they have so it pays to make sure that their employees are as healthy as possible. However, employee health can be a complex issue with many factors affecting it that occur outside of the workplace. Employers should be careful that they present any employee health programs in a way so that they are not discriminating against anyone but offering their employees a chance to improve their health.

Studies have shown that at work health programs can be highly successful for the employees that use them. The bottom line is that employers can benefits from lower health care costs, less absenteeism and higher productivity while their employees benefit from a higher quality of life. This makes it a win-win for everyone. Here is what you need to know about how employers can improve employee health-
- Set it up as a competition-One of the best ways to get your employees involved into the employee wellness program is by adding in some competition. Many people love the idea of competing for better health but some small incentives can get a lot more participation. There are studies that indicate if you add the element of competition the employees that participate are much more likely to achieve their goals. Keep in mind that the competition doesn't have to mean a hefty prize simply winning can be motivation enough. Most of all, you should not make the competition complicated since that can actually be a discouragement for participation. Some businesses have even entered a competition with other businesses to increase the level of competitiveness. Whatever type of competition that you add to your employee wellness program you want to make sure that it is fun to be involved.
- Help promote healthy eating-Another effective way that employers can help improve employee health is by facilitating healthier eating at their place of work. One of the easiest steps is to have the vending machines changed out from soda, candy, and chips to more healthy eating options and bottles of water. If your business offers an employee cafeteria it is also important to make sure that there are healthy options there, as well. A registered dietician can review the menu of your cafeteria and make suggestions as to how to make the menu healthier for your employees. You should also make sure that if your business has a culture of unhealthy eating that it is changed too. Meeting donuts and soda can be replaced by healthier options and birthdays and successes can be celebrated with non-food rewards. Keep in mind that your employees won't go hungry or miss the extra treats that can add on the pounds.
- Offer a variety of rewards-One of the most effective ways to motivate your employees to work toward achieving their health goals is by offering some rewards. The basic premise of "what's in it for me" also works well in an employee health setting. You should keep in mind that you don't need to offer money as a reward. There is a variety of different incentives that can get your employees working toward better health. The idea is to choose rewards that will be of interest to your employees. If you fail to offer the right type of rewards you will quickly see diminishing interest in any employee health program.
- Make the best health insurance possible to your employees-There is no denying that health insurance costs are rising and becoming difficult for many employers to maintain. However, studies show that businesses that offer health insurance by and large have much healthier staffs which helps to offset the cost of the health insurance.