Corporate wellness programs are taking over the business world by storm these days. More and more businesses are opting for these programs to improve the health-work balance in their places. They are also coming up with incentive-based initiatives to encourage more employees to participate in these programs. Accordingly, here are five of the most recent trends that are doing the rounds in the wellness market these days.
Medical Screenings
More employees are working towards improving their work and personal lifestyle choices. Those who have little or no time to visit doctors for regular checkups are now opting for lifestyle based healthy habits in the workplace via flu shots as well as biometric and cholesterol screenings. These help prevent common health related ailments like stroke, coronary disease and diabetes, etc. Companies are also increasingly offering incentives in the form of gift cards or insurance payment discounts for employees who participate in wellness programs like medical appointments and preventative screenings.
Weight Management
Many companies now offer free or discounted yoga, dance, aerobics or Zumba classes for employees. Onsite fitness centers have become a commonplace in many offices wherein employees can take some time off from work to exercise regularly. In addition to these, the snacks available in the vending machines at most offices have been replaced by healthier alternatives like fresh vegetables and fruits. Combining appropriate diet and exercise plans would enable an employee to manage his/her weight more conveniently while at work.
Workspace Redesign
Many companies are opting to redesign their workplaces in order to integrate physical fitness into every day work activities. Some of these design features include desks with exercise balls instead of chairs, treadmill workstations, and ergonomic telephone headsets, together with wobble boards, hand grippers, pedometers and even anti-fatigue mats. Some companies also integrate wireless personal trainers in their workstations to encourage employees to exercise while working.
Smoking Cessation Programs
More and more companies are removing smoking zones and are coming up with smoking cessation programs to help employees curb the habit. These programs offer employees the much needed social support, motivation and game plan they need to kick the butt for good. Some companies have also taken the extreme step of implementing a ‘no hire’ policy for smokers.
Social Media Networking
Companies are now using the social media to get in touch with and encourage more employees to join in their wellness programs. These sites are used to post updates of upcoming programs in addition to photos and success stories of previous ones in order to motivate employees to participate in them.
Summary
The trends mentioned above are only some of the newer ones in the corporate wellness industry that can be seen these days. These trends would surely improve the health and lifestyle of employees, thereby motivating them to work harder and better for their respective companies.
