Why you Should Consider a Corporate Wellness Approach for your Business
Before I made the leap into the wellness world, my background in learning and development allowed me to spend a good chunk of my corporate life onboarding new hires and leaders. As a result, I was constantly asking: What makes an employee successful? From there is when I decided to explore corporate wellness. Corporate wellness programs are initiatives and activities designed to encourage a healthy lifestyle in and out of the workplace. For employers, these programs create engaged and productive teams, which is crucial since many employees are experiencing higher stress and disconnection as a result of the pandemic. A strong corporate wellness program doesn't only boost employee morale in the short term but also integrates a mindset looking at how the whole person shows up at work into the culture.
When I first set out to create a corporate wellness program for my business, I thought about my experience, and what I learned from seeing the cycle of employees come and go. While the hiring process, company onboarding experience, and on-the-job training certainly set employees up for success, what happens after that can change their trajectory and how engaged they are in the long run. Looking at ongoing employee engagement and well-being is an area that organizations globally are leaning towards. In no doubt, a workspace that prioritizes corporate wellness will transform the experience of all involved. Here are four key questions to ask as you explore the ways corporate wellness can elevate the success of your team:
Do they feel connected?
To begin, before any program rolls out, I survey employees to get a pulse on how they are feeling about the organization as a whole. The truth is, no team off-site will support a team that doesn’t feel connected to the work they do or know how their role contributes to the overall vision. Beyond connecting to the job itself, do they feel a sense of connectedness to their team? This is increasingly an area needing attention as many teams are now experiencing difficult transitions due to a rise in working from home and virtual meetings.
Do they feel supported?
One of the top reasons employees leave their jobs is a lack of leadership. When I create custom programs, I often evaluate whether a clear line of communication is within the organization. For example, do employees meet regularly with their leaders? Do they receive a balance of recognition and praise along with constructive feedback? If leaders aren’t providing this type of support or facilitating these conversations, it’s worth exploring why not. This area can be a huge opportunity for ongoing leadership training and coaching.
Can they see growth?
While an employee may love the job and love the people, many, unfortunately, get to a point where they don’t see a path for growth ahead. Perhaps they are looking to pursue a management role, interested in moving to another department, or even relocating to a new office. It is helpful to consider how your current employees continue to learn and grow well after being onboarded. What’s the plan in place that could uplevel them on both on-the-job knowledge and soft skills? This now becomes a wonderful opportunity to explore career progression internally.
Can they experience balance?
Often tied to corporate wellness programs is the desire for a work-life balance, which is paramount in prioritizing employees' well-being. The pandemic has shown us the importance and value of rest. Many people are experiencing burnout from extreme work hours and demands. Our bodies are not designed to spend long periods in front of screens, sitting in chairs all day, or not having meaningful and intimate interactions. Leaders looking to give employees the chance to take a break and recharge, and get outside of their day-to-day may experience more focused employees, uplifted in energy and mood, as well as an overall better team player. In my survey, I like to drill into this more. Does the workload seem manageable? Is prioritization and time management a challenge? Do they feel like they can switch off from work? These questions can open the doors for conversations such as boundaries around communication and time-off policies, and more that get to the root of this coveted work-life balance goal.
Since launching my business, I’ve been hired to teach corporate yoga classes, facilitate workshops and plan team retreats. My favorite clients, however, come to me wanting to develop a custom corporate wellness program from scratch. In these cases, we get to dive deep into what would be the most effective for their team in these ever-changing times. They understand that this all supports their larger goals of higher revenue, retention, and overall happier, more engaged employees. It’s not just about checking the box, but instead about looking at the foundations of the organization and how to elevate their programs to take care of the whole employee. Now more than ever we have the opportunity to recreate the ways in which we want to transform toxic work culture. Thankfully, corporate wellness is paving the way, and humanizing the workplace and the experiences of all involved, in ways that have been deeply neglected.
This article was written by Livia Marati
Livia is the founder of Ina Wellness Collective, an inclusive wellness company offering experiences and programs that light up the mind, body and soul. As an event designer, holistic health coach and yoga instructor, Livia's education and expertise lie in helping people design a sustainable lifestyle centered around holistic wellbeing. Through Ina Wellness Collective, Livia works with local practitioners on the Pacific island of Guam to offer transformational events and retreats where guests can reset their internal sense of balance and elevate their wellness journey, as well as signature coaching programs designed to help her clients create consistent healthy habits and an empowered mindset. Follow along on Instagram.