HR Answers: Designing a holistic corporate wellness program for the era of remote work

For years, corporate wellness programs focused on the bottom line of reducing healthcare expenses: health screenings, exercise programs and programs that targeted dangerous behaviors like smoking and drinking. That focus paid off. Traditional wellness programs lowered medical costs for employers by about $3.27 for every dollar spent, according to a 2010 study.

Since these programs came into vogue, we’ve learned more about the determinants of physical health. Exercise is still good. Smoking and excessive drinking are still bad. But a comprehensive approach to preventing adverse health outcomes before they arise can become even more beneficial by incorporating programs that target environmental, emotional, financial and social health as well. Increasingly, employers are recognizing the value these programs hold in attracting, retaining and engaging employees.

Against a backdrop of unprecedented worker resignations across multiple economic sectors, it’s critical for organizations to undertake initiatives that enrich the lives of their employees in addition to helping their bottom line. A well-rounded corporate wellness program can achieve both goals by addressing five dimensions of employee health: physical, emotional, financial, social and occupational.

Here is a closer look at each.

 

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