Employee health is a term that is used to describe the overall well-being of employees in the workplace. It includes physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being. Employee health has a significant impact on an organization’s performance. This article will discuss why employee health matters and how you can promote it in your workplace.
Understanding Employee Health In Brief
Employee health is a term that is used to describe the overall well-being of employees in the workplace. It includes physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being. Employee health has a significant impact on an organization’s performance.
Components of Employee Health
- Physical health: This refers to the employee’s physical wellbeing. It includes factors such as fitness, nutrition, and stress management.
- Mental health: This refers to the employee’s mental wellbeing. It includes factors such as job satisfaction, work-life balance, and mental health disorders.
- Emotional health: This refers to the employee’s emotional wellbeing. It includes factors such as resilience, self-esteem, and anxiety.
- Social health: This refers to the employee’s social wellbeing. It includes factors such as social support, relationships, and community involvement.
Types of Employee Health Programs
There are two types of employee health programs: primary prevention programs and secondary prevention programs.
- Primary prevention programs aim to prevent health problems from occurring in the first place. These programs focus on promoting healthy lifestyle choices and providing resources for employees to make healthy choices.
- Secondary prevention programs aim to identify health problems early and provide interventions to prevent the progression of the disease. These programs focus on screenings, vaccinations, and early detection of illness.
Moreover, it is not surprising that most chronic diseases are lifestyle diseases. These include conditions such as:
- obesity,
- hypertension,
- diabetes, and
- heart disease.
However, the first step in managing chronic diseases is to screen for them. This can be done by asking them to go through blood tests, health fairs, or biometric screenings. Once an employee is diagnosed with a chronic disease, the next step is to create a plan to manage the condition. Now, this part can be well-taken care of by employee health coaching companies by including major or minor lifestyle changes.
Knowing Why Employee Health Matters
More and more employers are realizing that employee health matters. Not only is it the right thing to do for employees, but promoting employee health can also have a positive impact on business outcomes. For instance:
- First, it can lead to increased productivity and engagement.
- Second, it can reduce healthcare costs.
- Third, it can improve employee retention.
- Finally, it can create a positive work environment.
WHO Guidelines On Employee Health
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released guidelines on employee health. The guidelines include the following recommendations:
- First, companies should promote healthy lifestyle choices among employees.
- Second, companies should provide resources for employees to make healthy choices.
- Third, companies should offer screenings and vaccinations for employees.
- Fourth, companies should identify health problems early and provide interventions to prevent the progression of the disease.
Famous Success Stories
- Google. Google has been consistently ranked as one of the best companies to work for. Part of the reason why they are so successful is that they invest in their employees’ health. They offer on-site gyms, healthy food options, and wellness programs. Incidentally, these programs have been shown to improve employee productivity and satisfaction.
GE Motors. GE Motors is another company that is one of the best companies to work for. Like Google, they invest in their employees’ health. GE has seen success in attracting and retaining employees, as well as reducing healthcare costs.
Promoting Employee Health At Workplace
There are many ways to promote employee health in the workplace.
Workplace Policies To Adopt
It is important to adopt policies that promote healthy lifestyles. Some of these include:
- Offering on-site gym memberships
- Making healthy food options available
- Encouraging employees to take breaks
- Implementing a standing desk policy
- Investing in employee wellness programs
- Make sure that the work environment is safe and clean
- Allowing flexible work hours and paid time off for health screenings
Some Useful Tips For Employees
In addition to the workplace policies that promote employee health, employees can also do some individual things to stay healthy. These include:
- Eating healthy foods
- Exercising regularly
- Getting enough sleep
- Taking breaks during the day
How Mantra Care Can Help You
Mantra Care can help you create a healthy work environment through our employee health and wellness programs. We offer a variety of services such as:
For Mental Health
- One-on-one counseling
- Anger and stress management workshops
- Mental and emotional health webinars
For Physical Health
- Yoga and Meditation
- Nutrition Counseling
- Vision Care (Offered by EyeMantra)
As we believe in holistic health, our programs are not just about the mental and physical health of employees but we also focus on the social and emotional aspects of health.
Discussing Employee Health Benefits & Insurance Plans
Companies can also offer employee health benefits to their employees. Some of these benefits include:
- Paid time-off: Employees should be given paid time off for health screenings and preventive care.
- Flexible work hours: This allows employees to have more control over their time and helps them balance work with their personal life.
- Fitness programs: Companies should offer fitness programs that employees can participate in to stay healthy.
- Child care services: This helps employees balance their work and family life.
Types of Insurance Plans
Apart from Employee health benefits, there are insurance plans that cover the cost of medical care for employees and their families. There are many types of insurance plans, including:
- Health Insurance: Health insurance is a type of insurance that covers the cost of medical care.
- Dental Insurance: Dental insurance is a type of insurance that covers the cost of dental care.
- Vision Insurance: Vision insurance is a type of insurance that covers the cost of vision care.
- Life Insurance: Life insurance is a type of insurance that covers the cost of funeral and burial expenses.
NOTE: All these plans can be purchased through an employer or on the open market.
Conclusion
Employee health matters because it is directly linked to an organization’s productivity. Promoting employee health should be a priority for all organizations. There are many ways to promote employee health, and Mantra Care can help you create a healthy workplace environment. Contact us today to learn more!
A Word From MantraCare Wellness
Employee wellness programs are the key to improving employee motivation, productivity, and retention. At MantraCare Wellness, we have a team of health experts, counselors, and coaches who serve corporate employees with 10+ wellbeing programs including EAP, Employee Diabetes Reversal, Corporate MSK, PCOS, Employee Fitness, Corporate Yoga, Employee meditation, and Employee Smoking Cessation.