The benefits of working in a healthy work environment are countless. The items that top the list are of course attracting better quality employees, increased productivity, reduced turnover, reduced healthcare costs, lower rates of absenteeism, and overall increased employee happiness. Healthy work environments can improve employee productivity in two ways. First, healthy employees feel better, have more energy and endurance, and are more capable of working hard at their jobs.
Second, healthy work environments can contribute to employee happiness. Companies that encourage employees to eat right and take care of their bodies indirectly show employees that they are valued. It’s not a stretch to think that employees who feel appreciated by their employers are more likely to like their jobs and feel happy at work.
Turnover is expensive. The cost of losing an employee can be as much as 6 to 9 months of salary, according to some studies. Creating a healthy work environment can help your company retain employees and save money on training and recruiting.
Healthier employees go to the doctor less often than sick employees. They spend less money on healthcare and enjoy lower insurance rates. For these reasons, maintaining a healthy work environment can reduce your business’s healthcare spending over the course of many years.
Absenteeism is what happens when employees call out sick. Absenteeism is expensive because it reduces productivity. The healthier your work environment, the healthier your employees will be. Employees that are healthy call out sick less and therefore cost less money overall.
Creating a healthy work environment is a complex project that can take many businesses years of hard work and effort. To get started, your company must assess its areas of strengths and weaknesses, determine the needs of the employees, organize a wellness program and coordinate wellness efforts. Your company will need to cultivate a culture of wellness and gain employee buy-in.
