In today’s competitive market the workplace culture of a business can make or break profitability, so it pays to assess organisational morale and take steps to improve it.
Creating a positive sense of team spirit is crucial to success, and a large part of this rests upon employees feeling supported and valued. Corporate health has also been shown to play a critical role in improving business performance.
Too often, busy employees fail to properly maintain their health and wellbeing and their energy levels and ability to cope with stressful situations begin to decline.
A 2005 study by Medibank Private showed that healthy employees are up to three times more productive than unhealthy employees.
Corporate health programs not only assist employees in improving their overall health status but serve to boost overall morale as well. A comprehensive program includes health checks and education into sound health strategies, helping employees to be fitter and healthier with more vivacity and resilience.
In addition to this improvement in individual performance, further group based initiatives such as health expos and incentive programs help to build a supportive environment and demonstrate a company culture that appreciates and values its employees.
In turn, the corporate health program shows potential future staff a commitment to employee morale and wellbeing in the workplace, attracting top quality talent and continuing to boost morale and productivity.
The following tips help to maximise morale through your health program:
1. Consult employees during the planning process.
Employees are a business’ greatest asset and it’s important to let them know that their opinions matter. Survey employees when designing a health program, and set up a ‘Wellness Committee’ to allow for further consulting and involvement. It’s a great opportunity to increase engagement and participation while giving a morale boosting sense of ownership and inclusion.
2. Reward employees with incentive campaigns.
Always include some tailored incentive-based challenges to boost participation and increase the sense of team spirit surrounding program initiatives. Keep incentive campaigns short (3-4 weeks) or run them in stages, and regularly offer rewards to employees for participating with prizes such as gift vouchers, movie tickets, health related books or paraphernalia such as caps or water bottles. These are great morale boosters and help to develop supportive relationships between staff as they encourage each other during the campaigns.
3. Making Appropriate Changes to the Work Environment
Consult with employees and your health program provider to make changes to the workplace that will support employees in developing positive healthy behaviours. Consider all aspects of the work environment from ergonomics to exercise equipment. Policy changes such as flexible working hours should also be addressed, and again, allow employees to have an input to demonstrate that the company is taking an interest in their opinions and their overall wellbeing.
Remember that when it comes to improving morale, it’s important to treat employees as the valuable assets that they are. By showing them that their wellbeing is important to the organisation, motivation will increase and improved productivity will follow.
For more information on Corporate Health Program, contact Healthworks on 1300 90 10 90 (International: IDD 61-2-9954-1888) or contact us.
