Studies have found that investing in employee wellness increases productivity, reduces sick time, and improves morale for the company.  Poor health habits among employees can cost employers money, but employers can act and get creative with how they want to influence healthy behavior changes.

Here are some practical tips that you can use to better your company’s health behaviors. By creating a healthy workplace for your employees, the results could start paying off immediately.

  • Education is key! Whenever you implement wellness activities or games, remember to educate your employees. Help them see the benefits of living healthier lifestyles.
  • Implement a company-wide survey to see what health topics employees want to learn more about.
  • If you are starting an exercise program, make sure to show employees how they can fit it into their busy days.
  • Give them incentives to eliminate excuses for not wanting to exercise.
  • Establish a metric of measurement that is both specific and realistic to determine outcomes.
  • Provide fun and unique incentives for employees that are worth their while.
  • Check out the web, community health fairs, and HR organizations for more information and ideas for your company’s wellness plan.

To curb rising health benefits costs, employers are finding ways to make their workplace healthier by adopting a culture of healthy behavior. They are quickly learning that healthy habits lead to healthy people, and healthy people means healthier companies.