A corporate wellness coach is a health professional brought into a facility or office to help people maintain and improve their health. Unlike a nutritionist or athletic coach who might assign a diet and exercise plan, a wellness coach is more focused on inspiring and helping someone make healthier choices based on their lifestyle. Employers bring in wellness coaches for many reasons, including a desire to decrease healthcare costs and absenteeism while also improving performance and productivity.
There is no question that physical wellness is important to your employees’ overall wellbeing. However, companies are increasingly focusing on mental health and emotional well-being in the workplace. Employees who are stressed, anxious, or depressed can’t be at their best at work. Financial strain, child care needs, and family obligations can all keep an employee from being able to think clearly about the tasks at hand. It’s a challenge for any employer to support their team members when they are struggling with these other life issues that can prevent them from being fully engaged at work.
An employee’s mental health and wellbeing is just as important as their physical health. An employee who is distracted or withdrawn due to depression or anxiety can’t focus on their job, and they may be missing work as a result. The good news is that it’s possible for employers to make a difference in their employees’ mental health and wellbeing with some simple initiatives.
Incorporating mindfulness training and stress reduction techniques into the workday can go a long way in reducing the stress that many of your employees feel on a daily basis. These skills aren’t only beneficial to an employee’s mental health, but they can also boost productivity and enhance morale in the workplace.
Offering group fitness classes or yoga on-site can be another easy way to help your employees maintain their physical health. This is a great option for employees who struggle with finding the time to exercise outside of work, and it also gives them the opportunity to socialize with their coworkers.
Celebrate your team members’ successes to show them that you value their hard work. You can do this by throwing parties, hosting a local event, or simply giving them a shout-out in the monthly newsletter. IT giant Cisco goes one step further by providing each team with a “fun fund” that they can use to celebrate success, big or small.
Creating a culture of employee wellness can improve morale and engagement in the workplace, which is important for ensuring that your business succeeds. The most successful, promotable senior leaders are able to balance the demands of their career and their personal lives while making the right decisions for the company. This requires a lot of skill and determination, but it can be done if you’re willing to invest in your team and give them the resources they need to thrive at work. This can include employee wellness coaching, a variety of physical and mental wellness programs, and other workplace initiatives that promote a positive culture of wellbeing.