Health, Wellbeing, and an Employee Focused Approach – The New Foosball Table at Work?

Employees are tired of the current dynamic with employers and are quitting their jobs in record numbers. In fact, 24 million people voluntarily left their jobs in the second half of 2021 alone.

Factors driving this ‘great resignation’ include:

• Burnout and anxiety

• Wanting more flexibility

• Unaligned company values

• Outside opportunities for growth

• A lack of benefits, connection, and engagement with management and peers.

Until organizations and leaders overhaul corporate culture and move to an employee-focused approach to work, they will continue to struggle with recruitment and retention.

Supporting employee health and educating individuals on how to reduce their risk of disease is an important way to differentiate your organization – and an impactful way to encourage a productive and sustainable workforce. Our suite of Living Well at Work Guides provides an excellent first step in elevating your corporate culture, showing employees you are listening and committed to putting their needs first.

Steps for Preventing Chronic Diseases at Work

Chronic illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes are the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. According to the American Heart Association, three out of four employees report being in good or very good health – and yet – nearly half of those employees also reported being diagnosed with a chronic disease. Organizations that take the lead in making employee wellness a priority will provide a compelling reason for recruitment and retention.

According to the Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), there are four ways to reduce the risk of disease, ultimately supporting a longer, healthier life:

1. Increase Physical Activity: In addition to supporting better sleep quality, improving cognition, maintaining optimal weight, and better bone health, increased physical activity can help prevent, delay, or manage chronic diseases.

Inspire Your Team! We’ve put together this Get Moving, Feel Better poster to help promote active living in your workplace, encouraging your teams to move more.

2. Quit Smoking: Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States. Stopping smoking lowers the risk of heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and lung disease, as well as premature death – even for long-time smokers.

3. Eat Well: Good nutrition helps prevent, delay, and manage chronic diseases. It also has a positive impact on brain health. According to the AHA, during a 25-year study of nearly 3,400 people ages 18 to 30, researchers found that those with slightly elevated blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels tended to have lower cognitive thinking and reasoning abilities in their 40s and 50s. Remind Your Team to Eat Well: Provide relevant information that’s easy to comprehend and posted in convenient locations. Download our Eat Well Infographic here.

4. Drink Alcohol Moderately: Excessive alcohol use led to approximately 95,000 deaths and 2.8 million years of potential life lost each year in the US, shortening the lives of those who died by 29 years.*

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that healthy adults of the legal drinking age who choose to drink do so in moderation by limiting intake to 2 drinks or less per day for men and 1 drink or less per day for women. Check out the latest Living Well at Work Guide for additional details.

Putting Your Health Promotion Plan Together

A comprehensive workplace wellness program should incorporate the following:

• Information and Education: Provide employees with health risk screenings supported by data and resources.

• Communicate: Share health education focused on skill development and sustainable lifestyle behavior change.

• Environment: Establish and ensure a supportive social and physical space that reinforces health and well-being goals.

• Policies and Structure: Integrate your wellness program into your organizational goals. Ensure your team can see how your company supports wellness at all levels.

Our Living Well at Work Guide – Disease Prevention at Work will provide you and your teams with a roadmap for taking the next step in wellness. The guide includes:

• Evidence-based recommendations for increasing health promotion activities;

• Guidance on developing your strategy for improving wellness outcomes for employees at work and at home;

• Access to My Life Check™ - A Tool for Measuring Health and Wellness;

• Access to healthy recipes, tools, resources, and more!

Support Wellness in Your Workplace Today

1. Download our Living Well at Work Guides to learn what you can do to support your teams.

2. Reach out to Executive Director, Stefanie Ince, to book a complimentary consultation to determine how you can get started with building a comprehensive wellness program today.