Close Getting Real Results - The Revolution in Corporate Wellness
“The thing is, incremental daily progress (negative or positive) is what actually causes transformation. A figurative drip, drip, drip. Showing up, every single day, gaining in strength, organizing for the long haul, building connection, laying track — this subtle but difficult work is how culture changes.”
As a leader in the corporate wellness industry I participate in a lot of forums pertaining to the topic and I find it sad to hear so many people feeling that the ROI and VOI is just not worth it when it comes to implementing these initiatives. However, I'm noticing that the companies that are dissatisfied are still using the old way of incorporating "Wellness Programs" where companies bring health practitioners in to do a one-off assessment that don't deliver any long term benefits, offer minimum employee engagement and really doesn't effect the company culture at all.
The company I work for (www.Urban-Flow.com.au) is all about revolutionising the Corporate Wellness arena and focusing more on fitness classes where company culture is improved by the teams joining a group class (yoga/pilates/boot camp/boxing/run group etc) together. We've seen some great results as far as engagement goes as our numbers have climbed to almost 75 students per class and the energy created there is something everyone wants to be apart of. In addition, we've seen a trickle down effect into other areas of health. For example, when employees are attending a lunch time yoga class on a weekly basis not only do they report feeling less stressed but they also notice that they are more likely to make a healthier lunch choice.
The hardest part of these programs is that it is difficult to measure their performance, that is why Urban Flow implements surveys, attendance and satisfaction reporting to help us measure these areas and work with the data we collect to ensure we are moving in the right direction. Either way, if an employee claims to be feeling healthier, less stressed and connected with their colleagues they are more likely to feel more satisfaction out of their job and we expect to see retention rates increase and fewer sick days as a result. How's that for VOI and ROI!
If you feel like your Corporate Wellness program isn't delivering you the return you're looking for, ditching the incentive all together isn't necessarily the answer. Try looking for a company that thinks outside the box, is passionate about health and wellness and is able to share that passion on a consistent weekly basis. I guarantee you with this pivot in the your Corporate Wellness Program you WILL start to see how amazing and impactful it can be for not just your company but for each individual employee as well.
Yours in Health,
Katie Lavidge