How corporate wellness programs fuel small business growth

How corporate wellness programs fuel small business growth
Photo credit: Quintin Gellar

Corporate wellness programs are a great tool for employers to achieve employee wellness so that employees can come to work in their best shape and with a happy mind. Well-structured corporate wellness programs have many benefits, including improved employee productivity, reduced employee churns, and engaged and happy employees, which ultimately help build a positive workplace culture. 

In this article, we will examine the benefits of corporate wellness programs, how they fuel small business growth, and how you can implement one at your workplace. 

Benefits of corporate wellness program

Corporate wellness programs improve employees' work experience and positively affect employers.

Benefits for the employees

Better physical and mental health: Corporate wellness programs address employees' physical and mental health needs, which in turn helps employees come to work with positive energy and good physical health.

Boosting morale and productivity: When employees are taken care of, their mood and morale are uplifted. They feel more connected to their workplace, which in turn helps to improve their productivity. 

Reducing stress and anxiety: A report says more than 66% of employees face stress and anxiety daily. Demanding jobs, prolonged work hours, innumerable deadlines, and meeting targets are some causes that continuously throw curveballs at employees. Corporate wellness programs help address stress and minimize anxiety.

Improving problem-solving skills: The human brain can solve complex problems when physically and emotionally fit. Scientific studies have shown a strong connection between physical movement and cognitive abilities. Wellness programs that involve employees moving throughout the workday will help them improve their problem-solving skills and generate more creative ideas at work. 

Benefits for the employers

Many organizations view corporate wellness programs as a nice extra to attract employees, but evidence tells a different story. Carefully planned wellness programs can help employers save costs and improve their ROI while keeping employees happy, engaged, and productive. 

In 1995, Johnson and Johnson's percentage of employees who smoked reduced by two-thirds, and the number of physically inactive employees decreased, too. The company saw such drastic results after implementing its corporate wellness program, which was strategically designed to address mental and physical health issues. The managers at Johnson and Johnson estimated that their wellness programs had saved $250 million on healthcare costs between 2002 and 2008, while the hard return was an impressive $2.71 for every dollar spent. 

And it’s not just the story of Johnson and Johnson. Corporate wellness programs also work well to fuel small business growth. 

Here’s a story of a fast-growing startup that built a culture of wellbeing. 

Nova Benefit is a new entrant in India’s corporate health insurance and employee wellness market. While the team has taken on its rival giants with a mix of integrated wellness offerings and innovative technology platforms, its biggest superpower is its high-performing team. Safeguarding the team's wellness is the top priority of its managers. 

That’s when the company collaborated with Manah for emotional health management and

laid out the steps ahead. And the first step was to undertake a digital mental health assessment of its employees. 

That’s when the company found that some of its employees were experiencing anxiety issues, sleep concerns, and depressed moods. 

Following the assessment, Manah’s emotional wellbeing coaches conducted one-on-one check-ins with employees to understand their needs. Based on these conversations, experts at Manah drew mental health profiles that helped the employees understand their underlying mental health issues. As a result, employees proactively booked counseling sessions with therapists, joined peer support groups, and, above all, learned how to deal with their mental health. This has helped Nova maintain a high-performing culture at their workplace. 

How can you implement a corporate wellness program?

If you’re a small business and have not yet implemented a corporate wellness program at your workplace, perhaps this is your cue to get started. While you can work with any third-party agents to set up a physical wellness program, Manah’s LEAP program can be your first step towards setting up an employee emotional wellbeing program. 

LEAP offers a holistic approach to taking care of the emotional needs of the employees. 

The program offers a collection of different tools, such as wellbeing resources, which include guides, blogs, videos, and reports. These offer crucial information about early lessons on building an employee mental wellbeing program.

The wellbeing guidebooks are another useful resource of the LEAP program. They give HR managers clarity on what they should seek from their program and where they can achieve early success. 

By signing up for the LEAP program, you also have access to expert sessions that give free access to expert sessions for HR leaders, where experts share insights on various important topics around employee wellness. 

Schedule a call today to learn more about Manah’s LEAP program and enhance your employee experience!

FAQ

How do corporate wellness programs benefit employees?

Corporate wellness programs enhance physical and mental health, boosting morale and productivity while reducing stress and anxiety.

What advantages do employers gain from implementing wellness programs?

Employers can save costs, improve ROI, and foster a positive workplace culture, increasing employee engagement and retention.