Why Wellness at Work Matters

Employees spend most of their waking hours at work. This means that their wellness needs to matter when they are in the workplace as much, if not more, than anywhere else.

Employers can get more bang for their sick-care buck when they invest ahead of time in wellness care.

Wellness at Work is a program provided by Community Health and Wellness at Evangelical Community Hospital. Through the program several wellness activities and initiatives are provided by the employer to employees to prioritize the health and well-being of their most valued resource, their staff.

Not only does this show that the employer cares about an employee’s productivity, but also employee health and life outside of work.

When an employer steps in to meet this need, they also help to narrow the socioeconomic divide for employees to have these services. Whether an employee struggles with time or finances to prioritize their health, this creates a built-in incentive for both the employee and the employer.

During the pandemic it became clear that employees have an increased awareness and desire of a healthy work-life balance.

When employers can align the values of their employees to what they offer, those employers become more desirable and competitive in the job market. The impact is clear with strong employee retention numbers, reduced healthcare costs, and increased employee productivity and decision making.

The benefits of worksite wellness don’t end there. For employees the noticeable outcomes can include better morale in general and a happier, more collaborative, and creative workplace. When employees can prioritize their health, they can also be more productive and have better mental and physical health for the balance with their life outside of work.

With Evangelical’s Wellness at Work programs, qualified wellness educators aim to hit the root cause of chronic illness. Working on physical or mental health, stress or work burnout are just a few areas of focus. Employers that partner with the programs can choose from engaging wellness challenges, educational seminars on several different health and wellness topics, and/or workshops, biometric screenings, and health and safety classes.

The real magic can happen when a worksite includes Health Coaching. Health Coaching is a one-on-one personalized approach to helping an individual set goals, take action steps, and find accountability in their own unique health journey. Most of what is affecting the daily health habits for people is not that they don’t know what to do, but instead can’t figure out why they don’t do what they want, or they struggle to find the time and resources to live the best lives they desire. Health coaching is not prescriptive in nature but success is built from session to session with outcome goals guided by what matters most to the client.

Programs can be available both in-person and virtually. The Community Health and Wellness office is housed in The Miller Center. The luxury of The Miller Center is that it can also serve as a great venue to host any event employers may like to hold offsite with employees.

The take-away is this, employers can make a small investment now in worksite wellness for a long-term gain. Like any investment time plus money creates a valuable outcome.

If you would like to explore bringing Wellness at Work to your worksite, contact Elissa Veldhuis, Wellness Educator and Wellness at Work Coordinator, at Elissa.Veldhuis@evanhospital.com or call 570-768-3200.