The Real Value of Corporate Wellness
More than ever, it is essential for business owners to promote wellness in their work culture— and I could give you so many reasons, but here is the big one that should get every business owner’s attention: Employees have the power in the job market today, and if employers want to retain their workers, they must recognize the benefits of corporate wellness programs. Not only do these programs add an extra incentive for new hires, but they also work to make sure employees are living happier and healthier lives. Happy and healthy employees means they are less likely to seek new positions.
These programs are a win-win for employees and employers. You might think this is a no-brainer for me– seeing as how my entire business is built upon the idea of wellness–but corporate wellness is a relatively new trend that has gained attention in recent years as the demand for workers continues to rise.
Priorities are shifting, and businesses are realizing the need to invest in their employees. Corporate wellness requires planning, strategy, and resources. What many people don’t realize is the amount of work that goes into cultivating a culture of wellness. Like all the things we do here, it requires intention.
My Take as a Business Owner
This sort of culture doesn’t just happen– and just because my business is structured around fitness does not mean it just happens naturally. Even the most positive and wholesome brands can have problems behind the scenes– and many businesses realize it can be a smart decision to outsource wellness programs to maintain a sense of balance among employees. According to GEP, “the key attraction of outsourcing wellness services is the expertise third parties bring to the business, which leads to an improvement in the quality of services that an enterprise can provide to its employees.” Plus, employees are typically more comfortable practicing wellness with outside providers. It also benefits leaders to outsource wellness programs, because it allows them to focus on running their business.
As a leader myself, I know how difficult it can be to balance all the things that come with running a business. I’m by no means a perfect leader, but I do consider myself an empathetic person. I started my business with a mission to help others achieve wellness, and that’s what I continue to do today. I’m all about constantly striving to create a strong sense of community at The Energy Barre. I care about others and genuinely want to see them be happy. For me, this is reason enough to promote corporate wellness– and it is one of the reasons I am so happy to offer wellness programs and opportunities to other businesses, too.
With that being said, it’s not the only reason to offer a corporate wellness program. Business leaders should also realize how corporate wellness can benefit them in the long run. I’m not going to pretend to know the levels of stress and burnout present in other careers– but even in my wellness-centered world, we deal with stress and burnout on a regular basis. No matter what your job is– stress and burnout are lingering inhibitors at work, and it is up to leaders to help find and supply ways to minimize these issues in the workplace.
When employers can reduce these problems, it can lead to better business all around. Happier employees are more productive, more receptive to constructive criticism, and better at communicating with other workers and customers. In the service industry, attitude is everything. When workers are genuinely happy to be serving others, customers will be happy, too. No customer wants to deal with an unfriendly or unhappy worker– it can create negative feelings associated with the particular business. It is always in the best interest of the business to keep their workers happy and healthy, especially in today’s job market where the workers hold all the cards.
Fierce Competition Demands Benefits
That’s because today there are more job positions than there are qualified workers. Job postings and turnover are near record highs, and wages continue to grow as employers compete in the hiring process according to CNBC. I have a friend who works in the financial sector and they’ve told me all about their experience during the so-called Great Resignation. They joined a new team at a bank this year and within the first few months, over 10 people resigned. This was over half of their entire team, and it led to more responsibilities for the ones who stayed and the big potential for burnout. Not to mention, it led to new hires coming onto the team and immediately making as much or more than the ones who stayed. It was like a chain reaction–more and more employees decided to leave after the first wave exited.
And lately, this problem isn’t really that unique– especially in the corporate world. This is just one story, but it is happening everywhere. Employers are trying hard to hold on to their employees, and that means increasing benefits beyond salary. TechRadar reports, “Potential employees are looking out for themselves more than ever in 2022, which means a better benefits package alongside improved pay will become the norm. Companies that want to hire the best staff will respond to this trend.” If this is truly a lasting trend, it will benefit both the companies and the employees in the long run. Employees are less likely to leave a job if they are happy, healthy, and supported by a corporate wellness program.
A Win-Win for Businesses
As these programs become more popular, my hope is that they stick around. Long term health and fitness plans typically see the best results for workers– and it takes time to start seeing the benefits with a program like this. However, overtime, a wellness program can end up saving corporations money by lowering insurance costs due to the employee’s better health and wellbeing, reduce the rate of turnover, and increase productivity.
The whole mission at the Energy Barre is to show others how movement is a spiritual practice that makes you feel better, both mentally and physically. Exercise is proven to reduce stress by releasing endorphins. In addition, it reduces the risk of many, many health problems and diseases. And we understand that wellness is more than just physical fitness. It encompasses all aspects of your body, mind, and soul. Mental health is as important as physical health– if not more– and studies show that physical movement, especially practices like yoga, can improve mental health, too.
Our wellness programs offer businesses access to our huge On-Demand library full of fitness and meditation classes to improve your physical and mental health.
That’s why we are happy to offer a variety of wellness programs for businesses that utilize on-demand fitness options, studio services, and on-location retreats. We provide a variety of options and services for local and remote businesses to improve both physical and mental wellness through our fitness and meditation classes.
Interested in a wellness program for your business?
Learn about corporate wellness options at The Energy Barre.