HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAM AT THE WORKPLACE

 A HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS AT THE WORKPLACE

The majority of the nation employers agree that health programs aimed at promoting better health and preventing costly chronic illness are important to their profitability and survival of their company.  The challenge to get employees participant engagement because of the employers do not providing comprehensive program to facilitate individual care, lack of consistent organizational support, communication and encouragement and reluctant of many employees to change their unhealthy lifestyles behaviour. 

The key to achieve maximum long term participation are creating an organizational culture of health, tailoring programs to individual employees, implementing well designed incentives and developing programs that attractive and meaningful.  A healthy workforce culture with good communication, employee involvement, senior leadership support is important to achieve high participant in wellness program.

Personal health program should be person-centric approach based on individual needs, desires and psychological, emotional and cultural status. Strong wellness program-the health risks assessment by identify key health factor such as age, weight, use of alcohol and tobacco, physical activities and nutrition should be started by employers. 

Incentives are a key component in successful wellness program and to make employees feel motivated to improve their health.  Other additional benefits are insurance coverage employees and their spouse and monetary rewards.  Incentives can cause to the tax implications. The health and wellness program should be develop meaningful and achieve the program objectives and payback to the company. 

The personal health program include health coaches-typically trained nurses, dieticians or exercise physiologist can help employees to make lifestyles changes through better nutrition, regular exercise and stop smoking and alcohol.  Wellness program should be developed and implemented properly and become strategic business initiatives design to address cost, increase productivity and competitiveness.  A recent study reports that wellness programs can be able to reduce medical costs and reduce absenteeism. 

A health and wellness program should be developed comprehensive, integrated and attractive programs to increase participation, maximum the value of their program and improve both the health and bottom line for their organization.
written by : Nor Azlina Rais