If you oversee employees, you know wellness matters. The health and well-being of your workforce affect everything from the company culture to team performance. By taking steps to promote workplace wellness, you can create a strong foundation for business success.

Overworked and stressed employees can be costly to your company

Most jobs come with a certain level of stress. That’s normal; hard work, deadlines, and challenging projects are a part of any professional setting. When stress levels start to rise however, they can have a negative impact on employees and the company as a whole.

Factors that can create unhealthy levels of workplace stress include:

  • Unmanageable workloads
  • Long hours
  • Lack of time for personal obligations

If your employees feel overworked and stressed for long periods of time, their health and well-being may start to suffer.

When employees’ mental and physical health decline, it has a direct impact on your company. Productivity decreases, and absenteeism and turnover rates increase. You may find workers less engaged and struggling to produce quality work.

A workplace wellness program can help prevent these consequences by keeping stress levels in check. It also promotes a proactive approach to individual health and wellness, giving workers the tools and motivation they need to practice self-care.

Why is employee wellness crucial to success?

Effective employee wellness programs don’t just prevent problems—they actively work to make life better for team members. That’s an important benefit for every employer. After all, your company’s success hinges on the strength of your workforce.

Happy, healthy employees are better able to concentrate on the task at hand, so they can work faster and more efficiently. And when your employees aren’t dealing with high stress, they have more bandwidth to think deeply and come up with innovative solutions.

Higher levels of workplace wellness also benefit team members on an individual level. A boost in physical and mental health improves mood, energy levels, and overall satisfaction. Workers may find they feel less fatigued and have improved sleep quality.

6 ways to promote wellness in the workplace

When it comes to wellness in the workplace, the benefits are clear. By making employee well-being a part of the culture, you can boost the bottom line, improve job satisfaction, and attract and retain top talent.

1. Create an employee wellness program

Employee wellness programs motivate workers to adopt healthier habits by gamifying the process. Most programs offer incentives for different activities, such as taking 10,000 steps per day, meeting with a dietitian, or getting preventive health screenings. To give employees a reason to participate, offer prizes such as cash bonuses, company swag, concert tickets, or gift cards.

If you have the resources, you can take your workplace wellness program a step further by providing discounted gym memberships, hosting on-site cooking or fitness classes, or offering financial incentives for employees who walk or bike to work.

2. Encourage physical activity

In today’s age, most nine-to-five jobs are sedentary in office settings. Get your team members up and moving—and improve your workplace wellness program—by embracing a more flexible, active environment:

  • Go for walks while taking phones calls or discussing projects
  • Outfit every work area with a sit-stand desk
  • Invest in under-desk bikes, exercise bike desks, or treadmill desks

3. Manage employee workloads

Overwork is a major contributor to workplace stress. To prevent it, ask managers to ensure every employee has a manageable workload. If workers struggle to complete all tasks during a standard 40-hour week, they may have too much on their plates. Removing even a few responsibilities can lead to an immediate increase in workplace wellness.

Bear in mind that workers don’t always feel comfortable asking an employer or manager for help. Supervisors should keep an eye out for warning signs such as a drop in performance, missed deadlines, or an uptick in overtime.

4. Create a balanced workplace culture

Sometimes, intense stress is baked into the company culture. To make the shift to a healthier, wellness-oriented workplace, adopt a few key practices:

  • Insist that employees use their PTO and take all allotted work breaks.
  • Ask workers not to eat lunch at their desks.
  • Encourage the team to leave the. office on time.
  • Discourage after-hours work comunication.
  • Offer extra time off if you ask the team to work extended hours.

5. Embrace flexible work arrangements

Flexibility is one of the greatest workplace wellness perks you can offer employees. When they’re not tied to a strict schedule or location, it’s easier for workers to manage personal needs, such as appointments, kids’ school events, caregiving, and other obligations. This balanced approach helps reduce stress, worry, and guilt. Depending on your operations, you might consider flex time, remote work, or hybrid work arrangements.

6. Provide healthy food

Nutrition plays a big role in employee health. As an employer, you can promote food-related wellness by:

  • Stocking vending machines with healthy options
  • Offering nutritious, fresh foods in the break room
  • Providing a free meal at work every week or month

Encourage employees to relax and enjoy their food as a group—the resulting social bonds can have a positive effect on overall workplace wellness.

To make it easier to provide meals for your team, create a Grubhub Corporate Account. With multiple ways to order, you can enable employees to order food that suits their tastes and dietary restrictions. Get started—it’s free to create a corporate account and you can start ordering today.