Most of the organisations invest good amount in employee wellness programs. But the question is how much of it is actually beneficial for the employee. Employers should start investing more in those programs which benefit majority of the employees. Few benefits that I can feel are most valuable from employee perspective are 1) Providing healthy meals at free or at low cost 2) Offering best health care provider with minimum documentation or effort from the employees in need 3) Most importantly assessing the work load and ensure that employees get time off post project launches

Improving employee wellness and well-being programs involves a multifaceted approach tailored to your organization's unique needs. Key strategies include assessing current programs, customizing initiatives, gaining leadership support, promoting education and awareness, offering flexibility, prioritizing mental and physical health, supporting work-life balance, and fostering a positive workplace culture. Regular evaluation and adaptation are essential for sustaining effective wellness programs and ensuring employee satisfaction and productivity.

Start with understanding the needs of employee groups based on demographics and listen to what employees need. Assess your operational processes and policies that may hinder wellness. Blindly copying and pasting the best practices of another organization is never a good idea. It's critical to understand the unique needs of your organization's talent.

Employees are increasingly looking for employers that offer comprehensive wellness and well-being programs. Below are examples of how companies can align their wellness and well-being programs with their culture and values: 1) A company that values diversity and inclusion could offer wellness programs that are culturally sensitive and accessible to all employees. 2) A company that values work-life balance could offer wellness programs that help employees to manage their time and stress levels. 3) A company that values innovation could offer wellness programs that help employees to develop their creativity , problem-solving skills, promote teamwork and social connection.

One way to align with organizational culture and values is to have or offer training/education in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The Army relies on a program rooted in CBT known as Master Resilience Training (MRT) with the primary initiative of helping employees bounce back from adversity, even if that means overcoming emotional labor associated with everyday tasks. It helps identify trigger points and thoughts, manage emotions, and evaluate reactions before a consequence. Ultimately, the idea is that we want to give our personnel the means to cope with work, people, and the perceived pressure that builds up from mixing a range of actions and people. Employees spend a tremendous amount of time at work, which requires support.

Your values and culture must be a guiding light to make "wellness" a sustainable goal beyond just a project. Identify various HR and people practices that need to be revisited and what change management might look like. Look at your managerial practices and coach/train your managers about the need of wellbeing since they are in most cases a front-line support for your people.

Improving employee wellness and well-being programs involves a multifaceted approach. Here are some key strategies: ~Comprehensive Wellness Initiatives: Offer a variety of wellness initiatives, including physical, mental, and emotional health programs. This can include fitness classes, stress management workshops, and access to mental health resources. ~Incentives and Rewards: Offer incentives like discounts on health insurance premiums, gift cards, or recognition for participating in wellness activities. ~Supportive Leadership: Encourage leaders to role-model healthy behaviors and support employees' wellness efforts. Leadership buy-in is crucial.

One size certainly doesn't fit all when it comes to wellness and well-being of team members. In my experience in the hospitality industry, I've found that organizing annual medical check-ups is incredibly beneficial. It's interesting to note that it's often the older generation of team members who show more interest in this. It's a great way to show that we care about their health and well-being, and it can lead to early detection of potential health issues. Additionally, I love the idea of including employees' families in events like bachata workshops or movie nights. It not only creates a sense of community within our hotel family but also extends the benefits to their loved ones. Strengthening bonds both at work and at home is a win-win.

Ensure that wellness programs are inclusive and consider diverse needs, backgrounds, and abilities of employees. So that everyone can join & participate in.

Participation is a choice, and we need to provide an environment for employees to participate and engage. Following are some thoughts 1) Plan the implementation and don't rush the program. 2) Involving the employees in the process gives a higher chance of success. 3)Create Awareness- If they don't know it exists, there is no chance they will use it. Use Emails, newsletters, posters, standees, events, champion groups etc 4) Let them know how it can help them. Use success stories, newsletters, incentives, recognise users etc. 5) Remove concerns and let them feel safe and comfortable. Programs like marital counseling session, manager driven session require privacy 6) Keep track. Be agile and open to change course, or drive interventions.

Add wellness ratings in your monthly/quarterly employee pulse survey to see if you are getting desired outcomes from employee experience perspective. In the long run, retention and development can also be good metrics. There is nothing better metric than your employees feeling empowered by the flexibility you provide.

Precisely, measuring and evaluating outcomes is the compass that ensures your wellness initiatives are on the right track. It allows you to gauge the impact of your programs, identify areas for improvement, and celebrate successes. This data-driven approach ensures that resources are invested where they can make the most significant difference in employee well-being and organizational success.

Develop a long-term strategy for wellness programs that aligns with your organization's goals and values. Regularly communicate the benefits and availability of wellness programs to employees to increase awareness and participation.

The idea of employee wellness must arise from values rooted in a philosophy of intrinsic human value, dignity, and respect. Anything that treats people as mere means of production is neither helpful nor valuable for sustained operations. Instead, treating people as ends in themselves, that is, having intrinsic worth, is the best starting point for developing a sensitivity to other people's health, wellness, and ultimate being. Of course, work inputs and outputs drive the train, but that does not mean we leave the workers waiting on the side of the tracks when we pull out of the station -- after all, the conductors shout "all aboard," and as cheesy as that sounds we want everyone at their stations or in their seats.

To change the wellness programs at regular intervals, keeps the interest alive and participation going. There could be annual / bi annual theme around it, basis the employee categorization & the business need. Sometimes, we let the same program run for years and months, when the business priorities & the employee need may have been changed. So, keeping a tab on this perspective would always help!