Free Report Sample on Maximizing Corporate Wellness: Benefits of Health Programs in Modern Workplaces

Introduction

In modern workplaces, the implementation of wellness programs has become increasingly popular among the majority of employers. Designing and managing new health programs on corporate and employee wellness is a crucial concept that aims to promote the productivity of the employees and the organization. Corporate wellness programs tend to focus on the modifiable risk factors of a disease, such as physical activity, smoking cessation, and nutrition (Song & Baicker, 2019). The programs ensure the achievement of this primary objective by reducing health care costs, absenteeism, injuries, and employees’ compensation and costs related to disabilities. Also, they promote the loyalty of workers, boosting their morale and the development of positive health behaviors. Therefore, the analysis conducted in this paper focusses on introducing a new health program for my company and providing an outline of why it should be implemented in the firm. Furthermore, the analysis discusses the incentives that will be used, cost, and strategies to evaluate or measure its worthiness.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Declining Health

The health of the nation is declining, the costs of medical care keep on rising, and individuals are spending approximately one-third of their daily time in the workplace. The narrative is similar in my organization; therefore, there is a need for health promotion programs in the firm. As a result, I am going to design an on-site fitness program that will act as the company’s wellness program. The program involves the construction of an on-site fitness center that will enable employees to access workplace fitness without having to invest in an external gym membership. The main objective of the facility is to ensure that the company’s workers keep up with their healthy lifestyle without compromising their work schedules. Also, it aims at providing a safe space where employees can relieve their emotional strains, and share their disturbing thoughts without being judged. Lastly, the facility will be equipped with the necessary equipment to issue health screenings, which will increase workers’ health awareness and consider adopting positive health behavioral alterations.

Health Organizations

Public and private health organizations recommend and encourage individuals, especially adults, to be physically active. However, research indicates that 30% of adults globally, especially the working class, are physically inactive (Riseth et al., 2019). The trend is mostly aggravated by inadequate social support, inaccessibility to fitness centers, and psychological components such as poor habits and personalities. Therefore, this group of individuals faces major risks of developing health complications, such as cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, and obesity. A study on the prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors among employees in the Kingdom of Bahrain revealed that physical inactivity is associated with a 20 to 30% increased risk of all-cause mortality (Al-Nooh et al., 2014). As a result, increased levels of physical activity have become one of the top priorities in global public health.

The eligible participants in the health program are all employees of the company irrespective of their age, company position, or gender. Also, the program will not only target workers indicating signs of overweight, but also the employees who are currently fit. It is because physical activities should be undertaken at regular intervals, and failure to adhere to the routine can result in health issues. While the on-site fitness center is aimed at reducing the employees’ health-related costs, the facility will cost the organization a significant amount of money. The company will have to spend approximately 700 dollars per employee for the wellness program. The amount covers a wide range of activities, including various innovative technological features, to facilitate better experiences during the process. The technologies incorporated in the program include the launching of a fitness mobile application and website. They will assist in the timely assessment of the employees’ health status and communicating the result at any time and place. Also, the program will utilize technology to conduct biometric screening, and provide critical information to the workers concerning the risk factors to their health conditions. Besides, the amount will cater for the acquisition of health coaches and fitness instructors to guide the workers through the fitness program. As a result, participation in this wellness program will cost seven dollars per employee per month.

In most cases, motivating these individuals to participate in the workplace wellness program is the major challenge. However, I will offer specific incentives for meeting individual fitness goals and broad participation in the program. For instance, I will offer monthly gift cards, provide free T-shirts, bonuses, and merit pays to individuals who are tied to program participation. Also, employees who maintain yearlong participation in the fitness program will enjoy up to 10% premium discounts. The biometric screening will enable the task force to meet specific incentive criteria and to qualify for the reward for their participation and achievement (Moscheti, 2013). Lastly, the company will host annual events to celebrate and recognize different milestones attained by all employees in terms of physical activities.

Conclusion

To evaluate the performance of this fitness program, I will issue a questionnaire to the staff members to ask for their feedback about it. In the questionnaire, I will ask the employees about their recent expenditures on health-related issues and the number of working hours after enrollment to the program. Also, I will check the daily attendance records to confirm the rate of absenteeism before and after the implementation of the program. The reduction in the expenses towards medical services, decrease in absenteeism, and increase in the working hours indicates that the fitness program is effective and should be therefore maintained.

References

Al-Nooh, A.A., Alajmi, A.A.A., & Wood, D. (2014). The prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors among employees in the Kingdom of Bahrain between October 2010 and Marc 2011: A cross-sectional study from a workplace health campaign. Cardiology Research and Practice, 2014(832421), 1-9. doi.org/10.1155/2014/832421

Moschetti, D. (2013). Wellness incentives: Can the use of financial incentives and penalties be effective for motivating participation in wellness programs and sustaining health behavior modification. Seminar Research Paper Series, paper 30.
https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1037&context=lrc_paper_series

Riseth, L., Nost, T.H., Nilsen, T.I.L., & Steinsbekk, A. (2019). Long-term members' use of fitness centers: A qualitative study. BMC Sports Science, Medicine, and Rehabilitation, 11(2). doi.org/10.1186/s13102-019-0114-z

Song, Z., & Baicker, K. (2019). Effect of a workplace wellness program on employee health and economic outcomes: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA, 321(15), 1491–1501. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.3307