4 Tips For Keeping Your Workforce Happy, Healthy And Safe

A sick workforce can cost businesses productivity, money, and morale. American business owners, as well as businesses in other countries, can minimize costs through a variety of initiatives such as health benefits, on-site wellness programs, safety protocols and educational campaigns that boost immunity and team spirit.

1. Provide Health Benefits To Employees

One of the main considerations a prospective employee factors in when looking for a job is whether the employer offers health benefits or not. This is a critical piece of the puzzle of maintaining a healthy workforce. Annual checkups are the number one preventative measure for reducing absenteeism in the workplace.

Employer-sponsored healthcare helps diagnose problems early enough for curative treatments to be effective. It also provides peace of mind and reduces stress. A business owner can provide incentives to employees for staying on top of their annual checkups. This may be accomplished through raffles, gift cards, and extra vacation days advertised on health & wellness safety posters that espouse how to stay healthy at work.

2. Make Sure Snacks Are Helping, Not Hurting

One of the downfalls of working in an office environment, especially during the holiday season, is the number of not-so-healthy goodies available. Everything from doughnuts, cakes, and cookies are at an employee’s disposal to snack on all day. Routinely consuming unhealthy items can result in health problems such as obesity and diabetes.

Employers can remedy this by providing healthier options in the breakroom. Although there is a cost associated with this, the cost of an unhealthy workforce is greater. Some healthy snacks to consider include:

·       Fruits and vegetables

·       Pretzels

·       Nuts and trail mix

·       Protein shakes and nutrition bars

·       Low-fat yogurt

3. Create Spots For Healthy Activity

Health is not just about what you put in your body. It’s also about how you move your body and exercise your mind. Creating places in the workplace for exercise and mental breaks can have a huge impact on productivity. This can be accomplished through in-house gyms or subsidized memberships. Other options include providing a private space for mothers to nurse or for employees to meditate. Business owners can even purchase massage chairs or light therapy machines for use by employees.

Fitness initiatives should also have a workplace safety component. All employees should be trained on safety protocols and how fitness aids workplace safety. A stronger body and mind results in fewer workplace accidents and more mindful practices.

4. Communicate The Wellness Mission

Benefits can easily go to waste if employees don’t know they exist. Business owners will need to develop an awareness campaign to share the company’s wellness initiatives. Using health & wellness safety posters to spread the message is a great and cost-effective method of getting the word out. This information may also be shared through company newsletters and monthly seminars.

Although a robust wellness program can be expensive to run, not focusing on health will be costlier in the long run. Employees could fall sick more often, thereby causing a dip in productivity and morale. Getting ahead of wellness will ensure a stronger workforce which comes with greater loyalty to the company.