One of the best ways to increase productivity in the workplace is to encourage employees to make health a priority. Healthy employees are more productive and request fewer absences relating to illness. Employees become sick less often when they receive preventative care, such as wellness exams and immunizations. Consider providing your employees with the following benefits to increase productivity in the workplace.
1- On-Site Health Screenings
Health screenings detect medical conditions in the early stages of a disease. These screenings include testing for obesity, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Employers offer on-site health screenings for employees as an alternative to making an appointment with a physician. Employees can receive a flu shot and other immunizations during a health screening. Employers can also provide a discount on the annual health insurance premium if a health screening is completed within a specific timeframe.
2- Fitness Membership
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 41.9 percent of adults were obese in 2020. Obesity leads to chronic health conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes. Healthy eating and regular exercise are the best ways to prevent obesity. Employers offer gym memberships to employees to promote a healthy lifestyle. Fitness centers provide cardio and weight equipment to help people achieve their fitness goals. Specialty fitness centers offer Pilates and yoga to help members tone and strengthen their body.
3- Healthy Lifestyle Coaching
Employers offer lifestyle coaching to help employees maintain a healthy diet. Fad diets and fasting provide short-term results. Individuals are more likely to gain weight after they stop dieting. A nutritionist teaches people how to make healthy eating a lifestyle instead of a short-term goal. Employees learn how nutrition affects the body and discover healthy ways to increase their metabolism.
4- Competitive Health Insurance
Employees are more likely to make health a priority when health insurance is affordable. A competitive health insurance plan includes the following benefits:
- Employer-sponsored health insurance options, including low and high deductible plans
- Prescription drug coverage
- Health Savings Account (HSA) for high-deductible plans
5- Provide Mental Health Support
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 8.3 percent of adults struggled with depression in 2021. Employees are more productive when mental well-being is made a priority. Most insurance plans provide coverage for counseling and substance abuse. Employers can also add a meditation or mindfulness subscription to the benefits package to help employees manage stress and anxiety.
6- Healthy Work-Life Balance
A healthy work-life balance helps employees make health a priority. Employers use the following strategies to promote a healthy work-life balance.
- Implement a flexible or remote work schedule to provide employees with more time to focus on their health
- Provide paid time off (PTO) to help employees schedule time for self-care
- Hire more employees and adjust workloads to minimize long work hours
There are a variety of ways employers can encourage employees to make health a priority. Host on-site health screenings and provide an affordable health plan to help employees obtain preventative care. Provide fitness center memberships and lifestyle coaching to help employees maintain a healthy weight and diet. Offer mental health support and promote a healthy work-life balance to encourage employees to make health a priority.
