Generally, organisations implement wellness initiatives in order to improve the well-being of employees and to help save money. However, if these types of programs are improperly organised or mismanaged, the potential benefits could be rendered moot in addition to negatively impacting organisations’ bottom lines.
The potential for such an adverse outcome was investigated recently by the Harvard Business Review (HBR). In its article, HBR cited a study conducted by the Health Enhancement Research Organisation (HERO), a US organisation that provides assistance to not-for-profits in order to help them become more efficient.
The study compared dozens of wellness initiatives implemented by organisations from a variety of industries and found that an organisation saves an average of £0.65 ($0.99) per employee per month due to its wellness program. Yet, the average cost of the program was £0.99 ($1.50) per employee per month—resulting in a loss of £0.34 ($0.51). Depending on the number of employees your organisation employs, coupled with the number of wellness initiatives that have been implemented, your organisation could experience severe financial loses.
However, HBR’s article did assert that wellness initiatives could be beneficial and cost effective if they are properly implemented. So, to ensure that your organisation’s programmes are effective, follow these three pieces of guidance.
- Inspect your organisation to identify any potential hazards and make adjustments to minimise these negative effects.
- Stock your vending machines with healthy food options: fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, whole grains and microwaveable meals with less sodium.
- Establish a wellness committee to discuss what types of initiatives would be the most practical and effective for your organisation.
