Is Your Corporate Wellness Program Floundering?

Is Your Corporate Wellness Program Floundering?



Companies are instituting corporate wellness programs, often with mixed results. The idea behind a corporate wellness program is actually quite solid: these programs are opportunities for employees to get the help they need to prevent illness.



The general idea of a corporate wellness program is that since as many as 80% of illnesses can be avoided with some preventative care, more attention to corporate fitness can improve productivity, reduce company costs, and can result in happier employees.



While some corporate wellness programs seem to be doing just fine, they are the minority. Some studies have suggested that only about 1 out of 9 corporate wellness programs are seen as successful. This means that many corporate wellness programs are costing money but not producing desired results.



In fact, some employers report that expensive employee exercise and employee wellness programs are used by only a tiny minority of employees

- usually those employees who are already fit. Many companies that have invested in a corporate wellness program find that their workers are as unhealthy as ever!



What is behind this alarming trend in corporate wellness programs? Research by Golding Corporate Wellness, Inc

(http://www.corporate-wellness-mistakes.com/) has revealed specific factors that lead to unsuccessful corporate wellness programs:



1. Not investing in corporate wellness programs. Even today, many companies simply do not pay enough attention to worksite wellness to institute a corporate wellness program. The first step to a successful corporate wellness program, then, is to create a solid one. GCW, Inc. can help if you are having trouble getting started.



2. Investing only in employee exercise facilities. Many companies mistakenly assume that building employee exercise rooms or getting employee gym memberships means a corporate wellness program. This is not the case.

The key to corporate wellness programs is to have a whole-health approach that makes it easy for employees to get fit and stay healthy. Your corporate wellness program should appeal to all workers, not just to the athletic. This means setting up programs that are attractive to employees and it means doing research ahead of time to find out which corporate wellness programs may appeal to the company's employees.



3. Having a corporate wellness program that does not provide education. Any corporate wellness regimen should include easy access to information.

Employees should know all about the benefits of corporate wellness programs, should know how to exercise and should have all the information they need to make healthy decisions on the job and at home. This part of corporate wellness programs can even include workplace safety information.



If your corporate wellness program is not working, it is the approach and not the corporate fitness philosophy itself that may be to blame. A few simple changes may be all it takes to start seeing some smiles at the office!



Ken Golding is President of Golding Corporate Wellness, Inc., a company that helps executives achieve financial return on their corporate wellness programs. For 24 years Ken has been helping individuals and organizations get unexpectedly rewarding results from their fitness and wellness efforts.