WELLNESS
2020 was a year like no other . Offices were closed , jobs were lost , and the world was forced into isolation . It was hard — really , really hard . Particularly for EAs , your worlds were turned upside down . For people who are used to planning , organising and mitigating risk , the unpredictable nature of this new ‘ normal ’ might feel unnatural and it ’ s okay if you ’ re feeling affected by that .
Handling the crisis that is going on around you is no easy feat and everyone in this world has been affected by it . You might feel like last year ’ s remote working kept you isolated from your executive ; you might feel like your connection was affected by that . Or you might just be struggling to handle the uncertainty of it all . And that is completely okay .
But what is your organisation doing to help you ? Are they looking after your wellness ? Your wellness at work and outside of work should be top of your company ’ s list of priorities . How you feel and how you ’ re handling this new world matters the most and taking care of your wellness isn ’ t just up to you .
With the average Australian adult spending 1 / 3 of their life at work , it ’ s imperative your companies are investing in wellness . As your company begins their business recovery remember that crises leave a lasting impact far past the business ’ recovery alone . Now is the time to re-evaluate your company ’ s approach to wellness and consider whether your executives and their companies are doing all they can to look after their employees . Do they have a corporate wellness program in place ? Are they trying to boost team morale and connectivity ? Have they provided the necessary support you need to look after your health ?
While it may sound easy , corporate wellness programs aren ’ t an afterthought . A good program isn ’ t just a day off or a team dinner ; the amount of wellness categories is abundant and each one plays a different role in boosting employee wellness and productivity .
What is a corporate wellness program ?
The goal of a wellness program strives to keep employees healthy to facilitate a better work environment and can span a range of health categories . Once before it might only have been important to consider physical health , but now a healthy worker means they need to take care of themselves mentally and emotionally , maybe even spiritually , too .
Every organisation is different , which means that each wellness program will be different , too . It ’ s important to consider the wants and needs of your own employees and customise the program to benefit the company as best it can . Online job seeker site Indeed ’ s ‘ Career Guide ’ outlines four main points to consider when planning a program .
Consider the size of the business When planning a wellness program , the size of the business will be a huge factor in deciding what to invest . Consider which options will be the most cost-effective for the company but will also be the most beneficial for employees .
Prevention vs Cure
With 2020 forcing the world to slow down and take a break , it became evident just how easy it is to become trapped in the rat race that is modern life . It ’ s become the norm to work long hours , not take breaks and view time off as laziness . But what is this rat race doing to your health ?
The world has become conditioned to view hard work and burning yourself out as the same thing and if you ’ re not prepared to do that to be successful , you mustn ’ t want it bad enough . But with the lockdown forcing people back into their homes , it brought with it a realisation of how dangerous this mentality is . Many businesses have been looking after their employees ’ health by offering a cure for health and wellness issues . But shouldn ’ t the priority be offering options to prevent a decrease in employee wellness ?
International wellness company Vantage Fit ’ s guide to wellness points out that many organisations offer a corporate wellness program that offers paid insurance covers , extended medical leaves or subsidized healthcare services . While these benefits are generous , they are only helpful after an employee has suffered from major health issues .
Modern organisations should be designing a corporate wellness program that focuses on preventing health issues in the workplace , not just curing them . Ideally , a corporate wellness program will focus on the long-term benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle . They should provide examples of healthier lifestyle choices that can be easily sustained and managed , and directly improve employees ’ health before the inevitable burn out — offer a method of prevention , not a cure .
Healthy living is a long-term project , not a snap solution to fix an immediate problem . Your organisation ’ s corporate wellness program should be a pathway to a lifestyle that can be sustained beyond the office walls .
Larger corporations will obviously be able to invest more money into wellness but that doesn ’ t mean smaller corporations can ’ t have a highly beneficial program . It ’ s all relative to the company and its employees .
Ask employees what they want This step is imperative in the planning stage . Without consulting your company ’ s employees , you ’ re almost guaranteed to waste money on a program that won ’ t be effective . While generously providing gym memberships to all staff might seem like a great idea , not every employee will utilise this benefit . The easiest way to tackle this is to send out a survey and have the employees tell you exactly what benefits they want and need .
Make the program simple This point relates to a couple of different factors when planning . Whether your company decides to provide an ongoing benefit like a gym membership or fitness class reimbursement , make the process easy . Don ’ t make employees jump through hoops just to get the benefits because nine times out of ten they won ’ t be bothered to go through with it . On the other hand , if you ’ re planning a corporate wellness retreat or event , make the itinerary j
Issue 1 2021 | Chief of Staff 27