Some company wellness programs have clear drawbacks to look out for. Learning what they are will help you build a company wellness program that actually helps your employees manage stress and increase productivity.
The bottom line is this: the key to implementing a company wellness program that works is to simultaneously build a company culture that prioritizes mental health. Most company wellness programs fail to do this.
So, what are the main drawbacks of traditional company wellness programs? And what can you do to build a company wellness culture?
Many Company Wellness Programs Focus on Activity, Not Results
Corporate wellness programs, like fitness competitions, get employees more active on one specific occasion. Unfortunately, they do not give employees the tools they need to truly change their behaviors.
Employees want to learn how to take care of their mental and physical wellbeing and be given the tools to do so.
Even worse, some wellness programs punish employees for not meeting wellness goals.
In order to help employees improve their mental health and wellbeing, they must change their behavior. And that is possible through a focus on results and a tendency towards positive reinforcement.
Employee wellness apps like Nivati help employees take control of their own mental health by finding the root of their stress and taking clear steps to address that stress.
Many Company Wellness Programs Are Difficult To Manage
Wellness programs—whether they be digital or in-person—can be very difficult to run. Many digital employee wellness programs have poor interfaces or integrate poorly into the company workplace. In-person wellness programs take a lot of planning.
HR directors and CEOs are busy enough; company leaders don’t have the time to manage these things.
The best wellness programs allow employees to set therapy appointments and attend proactive care sessions anonymously, quickly, easily, on their time, and within their own means.
In a world where mental health issues and chronic stress are on the rise, finding an appointment with a counselor or therapist has become more difficult. Company wellness programs at their best provide everyone access to mental health and wellbeing support, anytime and anywhere.
Ideal company wellness programs are seamless and extremely easy to manage. They also make it simple to access the data leaders need to know if the wellness program is effective or not.
Many Company Wellness Programs Aren’t Personalized
Most company wellness programs and employee wellness apps are not personalized for the employees who use them. Employees want access to a program that they can customize to their specific mental health and wellbeing needs—whether that means teletherapy, on-demand yoga, prerecorded yoga sessions, nutrition guidance, or anything else mental health or wellbeing related.
The best employee wellness program that meets your employees where they are at. They don’t assume that everyone wants a gym membership or in-person yoga classes at lunch.
Company Wellness Programs Does Not Equate to Company Wellness Cultures
Just because a company has a wellness program in place does not mean that they have a culture that promotes employee wellness.
Leadership may use the fact that they provide a company wellness program as a way to increase expectations of their employees, reversing the benefit that company wellness programs are meant to provide. Employee wellness issues will remain, like stress, anxiety, and depression
So, how does one build a company wellness culture?
Leadership should set the example.
Reach out and show genuine interest in employees and how they are doing. Have clear work-life boundaries. Encourage employees to use their vacation time. Integrate employee wellness into the heart of your business.
The reality is this: millennials want their employers to support their mental health and wellbeing.
82% of employees feel overworked, according to Small Business Trends. Gallup found in 2018 that two-thirds of employees feel burnt out at their job—and that proportion has undoubtedly increased since the onset of COVID-19. Most employees do not feel supported by their companies.
The way to stand out is to create a culture that truly supports employee mental health and wellbeing.
If companies wish to retain their top talent, they need to support their employees with their mental health.
Holistic Company Wellness Programs: The Wellness Program That Works
Avoid the drawbacks of a typical company wellness program. If your company is considering a company wellness program, invest in one that works.
Nivati’s holistic nature helps increase employee happiness and decrease stress, leading to increased productivity and improved morale.
Nivati transforms people and their company cultures by meeting the unique needs of your people quickly and easily.
When you partner with us, you gain a Client Success Manager to help your company cultivate a culture that supports employee mental health. Their mission is to help your company meet its goals. We’ve even customized the Nivati app to meet the needs of specific companies. We want to get as many of your employees using Nivati as possible. Consider us an extension of your team.
At Nivati, we help companies build company wellness programs and wellness cultures simultaneously. Reach out to us to get started on your company’s wellness journey today!
Disclaimer
By participating in/reading the service/website/blog/email series on this website, you acknowledge that this is a personal website/blog and is for informational purposes and should not be seen as mental health care advice. You should consult with a licensed professional before you rely on this website/blog’s information. All things written on this website should not be seen as therapy treatment and should not take the place of therapy or any other health care or mental health advice. Always seek the advice of a mental health care professional or physician. The content on this blog is not meant to and does not substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
