I used to manage people. It was fun to get to know people on a different level and with management, you definitely get to know people… the good, the bad and the ugly. And with all that comes difficult conversations.
The conversations I was having were always centered around job performance or attitudes, areas to improve, etc, but it was never about ways to improve their health. Not realizing at the time, that health effects attitudes, health effects performance and health improves engagement, I blindly went about managing my staff thinking I was really helping them. And now I know how wrong I was.
I recently came across an article by Andrew Grove, 10 Stats that will make you consider a corporate wellness program, and was shocked at some of the statistics I found such as that “obesity-related illness costs approximately $190.2 annually” or that “a person with diagnosed diabetes spends approximately $13,700 annually on medical expenses.” That is a lot of cost for an employee and a company to bear. The stress of just having to pay those medical bills quite possibly could make the diagnosis worse. And for an employer, missed days and increased health premiums that they pay a portion of can become extensive. All of which can cause a great divide between employee and employer.
When employees are so concerned about their debts and the way they feel, they can often focus more on that than the job at hand. Leaving the job to the wayside and the employer miffed.
So I started to think, “what can be done to bridge the divide?” I think it’s simple, a wellness program. Employee wellness programs assist in developing a culture of unity and ownership. Wellness programs can also aide in healthier employees, fewer sick days, development of more positive mindsets and an overall increase in employee ownership. With a minimal investment, companies can provide programs for their staff that would ultimately make them healthier and happier. After all, everyone wants to be healthy and to know that their employer cares about them and when their company offers a wellness program, they’ll be thankful and show their appreciation through hard work and commitment to their jobs.
I’ve developed a corporate wellness program that just might be a good fit for your company. Let me know if you’d like to hear more.
the whole me 