Wellness works

Creating work environments which place a high value on wellness is good for health and also good for business. Morale and productivity go up, and sick days and injuries go down when employee wellness is made a priority. Companies which address wellness in the workplace are attractive employers: they develop a good reputation, and are able to attract and hang on to employees. All of this is good for employees’ health and wellbeing, and the bottom line.

Wellness in the workplace is influenced by the physical environment, the social environment (and work culture), and your own choices and behaviour.

Raising awareness about wellness in the workplace and providing skill building opportunities for staff are important ways to influence wellness of individual employees. Safety-conscious workplaces identify hazards, and take steps to reduce risks by changing the physical environment, and providing training. Building a culture of safety and wellness in which all staff play a role in a creating a safe and respectful workplace is also important.

There is also a role for policies. Many of us glaze over when we hear that word “policy” but just think of it as a tool to guide decision making and actions on topics such as the role of a wellness committees, rules around working from home, or what drinks are sold in a vending machine.

You can play a part in creating a workplace which values employee wellness.

Stuck for ideas? There are many resources on the Internet to help you make wellness work!