Well, another year has vanished into thin air, and it’s time for everyone to start talking about their New Year’s resolutions. While resolutions are often difficult to fulfill, it’s the early days of 2024 when you will have the most enthusiasm for your goals.
If you are considering getting fit as a resolution, try attacking it from a different angle, with a corporate wellness program. If your company does not participate in a wellness program, maybe part of your New Year’s resolution can be to lobby your human resources department to consider one.
Top health care experts sing praises for workplace wellness programs as a way to boost productivity and reduce health care costs. The first reason is as easy to see as looking at the title: “wellness” program. Our culture is in the business of treating illnesses, as opposed to the more effective approach of preventative measures. Health care costs are skyrocketing because people are obese and coming down with obesity-related illnesses. Instead of having a system that waits until people are sick, and then prescribes medicines to treat people’s illnesses, we need to spend the money upfront to get people healthy to avoid ever having to take those medications.
Wellness programs are implemented by a third party company that takes care of the health and well-being of your company’s employees. There are many types of employee wellness programs a company can choose from. The programs vary from health screening and nutritional advice, to fitness programs and education. They can even include smoking cessation programs and diabetes screening.
According to a survey by the American Heart Association, almost 60 percent of people questioned said that the economy has affected their ability to take care of their health. If improving your health isn’t incentive enough, some companies are offering monetary incentives for joining their wellness programs.
In 2024, consider the benefits of a corporate wellness program to both your health and your wallet. If your company doesn’t offer a program, drop by your HR department and let them know where you stand.