As businesses continue to navigate the challenges of the modern workplace, many are turning to health and wellness programs to increase employee productivity, reduce healthcare costs, and grow their business. In this post, I will discuss how custom health and wellness programs can significantly impact these three areas.
Most health and wellness programs only focus on fitness and nutrition and not productivity or business growth for small business owners. Incorporating fitness and nutrition programs in a small business MIGHT decrease a few employees' waist sizes but not stress or frustration between employees. There's no focus on increasing production and employee engagement or helping sales teams identify their ideal best client faster and more efficiently than before.
If small business owners are not getting the most out of a business health and wellness program, then they are missing out on opportunities to improve their bottom line and create a more sustainable work environment. The average business health and wellness programs focus more on physical health which can reduce healthcare costs but does not focus at all on employee engagement, production or business growth.
A health and wellness program that is best suited for small business owners needs to ensure its effectiveness, efficiency and alignment with the goals of the organization. The consultation should focus on the following 5 key areas:
1) Current Status: Where the business is currently at with employee satisfaction and business growth.
2) Needs Assessment: A comprehensive evaluation to determine the specific health and wellness needs of your employees, business, and preferences.
3) Goal Setting: Establishing clear and measurable goals aligned with your business objectives. These goals could include improving employee fitness, reducing stress levels, promoting healthy eating habits, or enhancing work-life balance.
4) The business's “Why”: the program must align with and support the business purpose.
5) Sustainability: Identifying what the business is willing to do to ensure the long-term sustainability of the program and how it can be integrated into the company's culture and policies.
"Businesses need to consider how the foundation of their business will be supported and reinforced through their chosen health and wellness program."
At the end of the consultation, a custom program should be created for the business to reach all of its goals. Businesses that incorporate custom health and wellness programs rather than standard programs get more value from them and achieve tangible improvements faster.
With a doctorate in Holistic Health and a bachelor's degree in Economics, I am able to focus on the health and wellness of small businesses. I focus on the "mind" or processes and procedures, the "body" or micro and macro production, and the "energy" or camaraderie, flow, and alignment between employees and management. When any of these areas are neglected in a business, the employees and profits suffer.
A small business health and wellness program should consist of a number of ongoing classes, activities and meetings that are consistent with the business purpose and goals.
There are three classes that I offer in my health and wellness programs that focus on all 3 parts of a business.
Health Foundations 101
The Health Foundations 101 class is perfect for helping employees become healthier and more productive. It focuses on the body and energy part of a business and includes 11 1-hour classes that business owners offer to their employees 1 time a week for 11 weeks. It covers 9 foundations of health (fitness and nutrition are two of the foundations), and includes optional weekly incentives between classes to increase employee engagement.
The class also comes with monthly health and wellness incentives that senior management can implement throughout the year. Monthly incentives can motivate employees to take positive steps toward their health and wellness. When employees are proactive in these areas, productivity increases, healthcare costs decrease, and business growth increases. Businesses can choose to offer this class as a part of their onboarding program as well as annual training.
5 Health Elements
The 5 Health Elements class is perfect for the mind and energy part of a business. This 7-hour class is broken up over 3 days and is best for senior management and sales teams. It's all about finding the best fit for all employees and clients. It teaches senior management how to identify characteristics needed for specific positions and retain the best employees.
This class teaches sales teams how to identify specific characteristics in their best clients, how to build stronger relationships with their best clients and gaining more clients faster and easier than before.
This class offers optional quarterly evaluations for senior staff and sales teams.
Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness Meditation Classes are perfect for all three focus areas of a business. These classes incorporate a transformative practice that involves guiding the mind toward relaxation so that awareness and peace can be achieved. By focusing attention on specific areas employees are able to eliminate the noise of everyday thoughts, gain clarity, reduce stress, and cultivate a sense of overall well-being in the workplace. Businesses choose from 12 different types of meditations to create a meditation program that best fits their specific need. Each focus area is used for 1, 3 or 6 meditation classes. These classes can increase employee alignment and morale. As employee's stress and anxiety decreases they will be happier and more productive at work.
Incorporating a custom health and wellness program in small businesses has proven to be a catalyst for remarkable business growth for many owners. By prioritizing employee well-being, these programs support the growth of a highly engaged and motivated workforce, resulting in increased productivity and performance. This is because the best business health and wellness programs focus on the business as a whole.
If you're a business owner or manager that is ready to invest in your team's well-being and unlock the full potential of your business, send us an email to learn how to implement a customized health and wellness program.