What Is an Employee Wellness Program?

Nowadays, employee’s wellbeing is more important than ever before. The significant changes we have experienced in the last few years have made people rearrange their priorities. Now, having a job where they can feel good and valued is almost as important as a great salary. That is a big factor to consider in Human Resources.

In this changing context, employee wellness program appears as one of the best benefits companies can offer to their workers. Do you know what is an employee wellness program? In this article, we will tell you all you need to know about these programs and the different types there are. 

What are employee wellness programs? 

In general, an employee wellness program or plan is a set of measures taken by a company in order to improve employee’s satisfaction and their overall quality of life while they carry out their activities at work. 

Take into account that employee wellness programs must be created to meet an identified need among the company’s employees. Every measure must aim to that need. Subsequently, the results of the programs must be analyzed to make the necessary adjustments. 

Here, it is important to understand that employee wellness is not limited to physical heath. We must consider other factors such as the emotional or economical aspects, which have influence over the wellness of people at work. 

Benefits of employee wellness programs 

As we previously said, implementing employee wellness programs increases satisfaction at work. That has a direct effect over the company since, if employees are happy, they are more productive and less likely to change jobs. 

Another benefit of employee wellness plans is that they contribute to your brand. Employer branding is a key detail for workers today and implementing an employee wellness program could have a positive effect over your brand and attract more candidates. 

Types of employee wellness programs 

Employee wellness programs can be very diverse and take many shapes. The reason is that each company work in a particular way and has different needs. Let’s see some of the most common. 

1. Continuous development programs 

One of the main objectives for employee wellness programs is meeting the professional needs of workers. All employees need a sense of direction and development for their career. 

How can a company meet that need? It is possible to offer continuous training inside the organization itself. This offer workers a real professional progress and it also will have visible results in the work quality inside the company. 

For some businesses, due to the structure of their organization, it is possible to offer a career path though the possibility of obtaining promotions and getting to higher positions. That is another form in which workers can have a sense of direction and development. 

2. Educational programs 

We just saw the importance of internal training, but further education can also be external. For example, an employee wellness program focused on education could offer free courses for workers in a partner educational institution. 

That is why many modern companies sign agreements with educational institutions in order to offer their employees scholarships or further help. The final result are fully developed workers that are satisfied with their position within the company. 

3. Assistance programs 

Another important aspect that employee wellness programs cover is employee’s family wellness. Keep in mind that family and some circumstances associated with it can affect the performance at work. 

For example, today there is a great number of workers struggling to manage their work tasks with taking care of their children. That’s why one of the most useful programs companies implement are the ones focused on offering nursery services. 

Other forms of assistance programs are the ones offering legal assistance, which can sometimes be very costly and there lies the importance of this measure. Of course, we can’t forget the medical assistance programs which, in some cases, can cover the employee as well as their family. 

4. Leisure programs 

Finally, there are also employee wellness programs that focus also on alternating the workload with moments of relaxation and leisure. Keep in mind that stress due to intense work can affect the physical and mental health of people. 

This is why some programs offer special events such as birthday celebrations and integration days among all the company’s employees. This gives a break from the intense daily pace of work. Additionally, this enhances the relationship people have with their coworkers. 

Now you know what is an employee wellness program and some of the main types. As you can see, this measure, if implemented correctly, can offer many benefits for employees as well as for the company. 

At Talent2Win, we strive to align your company’s business objectives with the best Talent Acquisition strategies available. If you want to learn more about the services we offer, do not hesitate to contact us.