Health, Wellness & Fitness in the Workplace

Regardless of the size of the business, the health, wellness and fitness of employees has to be on the minds of the ownership. This Week with Sara Fitts takes a look at what it means to employees, owners, and customers/clients for health, wellness and fitness to be a top priority for all business owners.

When employees are out due to illness - whether it's a day or two or extended over several weeks, business is affected greatly. The costs are great - especially for small businesses and their owners. Health insurance costs are continuously increasing to the point of putting small business owners in a much tougher spot than ever before experienced. Some businesses have had to recently pass more of the health insurance costs to their employees. Other businesses have opted to go to a "bare-bones" approach and pay less and less of the direct health insurance costs. Health insurance premiums for the self-employed are also rapidly increasing - often without warning.

The critical key to combat rising health-care costs for small business owners and self-employed professionals lies in the health, wellness and fitness of each employee. I think the only way to really get a handle on health care and the significant costliness of it is to make health, wellness and fitness a top priority for all employees - regardless of position in the business.

There are simple programs that will work to improve the health, wellness and fitness of the employee as well as improve the business as a whole. The benefits of such a program can include:

• reduction in sick leave costs and absenteeism
• increasing morale and reducing stress
• reduction in workman's comp claims
• higher energy and higher production levels
• more efficient employees
• lower health insurance costs
• bigger bottom line

There are several simple steps that all small business owners can easily implement. Some of them are listed here:

• offer employees memberships to gyms and fitness centers as a benefit
• have a fitness center on the premises
• provide time for fitness
• provide health and wellness fairs
• provide routine health screenings
• offer Pilates or yoga classes after work
• create a walking club for lunchtime exercise

There are many ways to improve health, wellness and fitness in the workplace - and the first way is to make it a priority. More to come on this topic ...