Medtech Business Review : News

Employee wellness circumscribes various aspects of health, including mental, emotional, and physical well-being. A workplace that prioritises employee wellness has a positive and meaningful impact on its workforce. Enhancing employee wellness is highly effective in promoting employee happiness and success. By enacting appropriate policies and offering comprehensive benefits, employers establish a wellness program that substantially enhances the well-being of employees. To achieve work-life balance, it is essential to have a system that actively encourages employees to prioritise their health. This approach enables us to perform the best and experience true happiness, as the two are interconnected. While it may appear challenging for modern businesses with fast-paced environments and demanding obligations, it is indeed possible to attain a higher level of employee satisfaction and health. Organisations make work-life wellness a reality by providing resources specifically tailored to promote employee well-being. What Are Employee Wellness Programs? The key objective is to prioritise the well-being of employees, this is achieved through various means, such as organising seminars, workshops, training sessions, and daily activities, and providing access to external resources that contribute to overall well-being. Employee wellness programs enable organisations to prioritise the physico-mental, and nutritional health of the contemporary, hybrid workforces, but also provides flexibility in terms of access, offering in-person, online, or on-demand options for gyms, studios, and trainers. There is a wide range of apps dedicated to promoting healthy habits, sleep, meditation, and more. It is crucial to note that wellness programs are means of providing valuable benefits. Prioritising employee well-being is paramount to enhancing organisational engagement, performance, and retention. By implementing various wellness programs, such as point-based or holistic programs, organisations create a supportive environment that addresses employees' physical, mental, and emotional needs. These programs aim to promote work-life balance, reduce stress, and foster a culture of self-care. By implementing a comprehensive wellness program, organisations assist employees to achieve work-life wellness and become their selves. This, in turn, leads to numerous benefits that are anticipated with excitement. Benefits of an Employee Wellness Program Implementing an effective wellness program leads to various advantages for organisations. The potential benefits of corporate wellness initiatives are boundless. Let's delve into these advantages and explore the actions to foster a healthy workplace environment. The opportunity to create a healthy workplace culture excites employees and makes them eager to be part of it. The following highlights some of the key advantages that both corporations and employees enjoy.  •   Encourages Healthy Behaviors and Cultivates a Culture of Wellbeing The significant benefit of an employee wellness program is that it supports and encourages healthy habits among employees, both during and outside of work.  It is important to prioritise authenticity and back up words with actions. Displaying a genuine dedication to the well-being of employees by consistently implementing and upholding the policies and practices, thereby conveying that their health is of utmost importance.  •   Improves Work-Life Wellness It is significant to identify and address the obstacles that effort creates for employees and actively work towards eliminating them. By offering work-from-home or hybrid workplaces, employers assist in reclaiming more time for employees, ultimately safeguarding their mental well-being. A well-designed wellness program plays a crucial role in shaping work procedures and policies to protect employees' time and support their health efforts outside the office environment.  •   Reduces Absenteeism Implementing employee wellness programs serves as a proactive measure to prevent employees from reaching the point of absenteeism. By prioritising employee well-being and providing necessary support, organisations create a work environment that safeguards employees from entering a state of chronic health concerns.  By promoting employee well-being and providing support, organisations mitigate the factors contributing to absenteeism and create a healthier work environment. Implementing a wellness program assists in addressing genuine fatigue caused by excessive workload, thereby reducing absenteeism.  •   Improve Morale Wellness programs foster a sense of unity among employees, particularly when social activities are integrated into the program. They contribute to making individuals feel more valued and appreciated, leading to increased enthusiasm and overall job satisfaction. Ultimately, wellness programs have the potential to cultivate a happier and healthier workforce.  •   Helps Employee Retention High-performing individuals are more likely to remain in an organisation where they feel supported and thrive in their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. By implementing a wellness program, organisations tangibly demonstrate their concern for employees' health and take active measures to enhance their well-being. This results in improved performance from top talent and increases the likelihood of retaining such valuable employees.  •   Attracts New Talent During the talent acquisition process, offering comprehensive well-being benefits serves as a valuable differentiator for businesses. This aspect holds significance for prospective employees, by prioritising competitive health benefits when evaluating new job opportunities. By providing an enticing wellness program with exciting benefits, companies attract more competitive and qualified individuals who recognise their value. This gives the organisation an edge over similar businesses that are also competing for top talent in the job market. Employee wellness programs hold exciting possibilities for enhancing workplace well-being and productivity. One key area of advancement is the integration of wearable devices and health-tracking technologies. These devices can provide real-time data on employees' physical activity, sleep patterns, and stress levels, enabling employers to offer targeted interventions and support. Furthermore, artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms analyse this data to identify patterns, trends, and individualised recommendations, enhancing the effectiveness of wellness initiatives. ...Read more

If one is new to eLearning or making the switch to online training, one has probably heard a lot about LMS software lately. This is primarily because of the fact that it is one of the foundational eLearning technologies used by almost all major course providers. Global corporations rely heavily on business learning management systems for hands-on corporate training. Is the software, nevertheless, truly beneficial to the business sector? Learning management systems give businesses an edge over their competitors and provide numerous benefits to employers and workers. Productivity Increased Employees are more productive at work when they have more information and training about the company's manufacturing methods, products, and services. This improved understanding, in turn, improves work quality and profitability. It will also help to reduce employee turnover because studies show that well-informed and trained employees are more loyal to their employers. Centralized Data LMS software offers centralized data storage options, which means that all learning and development materials are kept in a single location. Business owners and employees will not have to sift through a plethora of files or systems in order to locate records. This centralized location also provides benefits by combining all training sites into a single system. Training is delivered effectively, allowing workers to pick up new skills quickly. Easy to Use Businesses that use LMS software immediately save money on the costs of sending employees to another location for training. They can use the LMS to complete their training programs from the comfort of their own home. They can study and practice at their leisure, from any location with an internet connection and across time zones. ...Read more

Neil Harmsworth, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer at Hussle Neil is the co-founder of Hussle, a leading UK fitness marketplace which enables companies to invest in the wellbeing of their employees through highly inclusive, affordable, multi-brand gym access, available in 96% of UK postcode regions. Efforts to improve employee wellbeing are an increasing priority for organisations, all across the globe. More and more forward-thinking businesses are recognising that a good salary and other financial rewards aren’t enough anymore within an increasingly competitive recruitment market. Not only do such companies become better able to attract and retain top talent, but the benefits on key business outcomes are profound. Employes who are happier and healthier in there roles are much more likely to perform well. But when it comes to supporting the wellbeing of our staff, there is no such thing as a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. Companies that take a systematic and preventative approach to wellness, taking into account the diverse needs of their employees, will be the most successful in achieving widespread benefits across their workforce. Typical wellbeing provisions may include physical, social, emotional and financial support for employees. Often, within the conversations we have with HR professionals and employee benefits/ wellbeing specialists across the UK, we find that anything health-related tends to receive the best reception. Fitness benefits are especially popular- a recent Hussle survey amongst employees revealed that discounted gym access was their number one choice of corporate benefit. But how can fitness have an impact on the way that our employees carry out their day-to-day roles? There’s some concrete science behind it. When we exercise, the activity helps to reduce the levels of some of the body’s main stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, mitigating the negative impacts that these can have upon our mental health. Beyond its stress reduction capabilities, exercise actively makes us feel better, too. Ever heard of ‘runner’s high’? This is the feeling that we get after being active, when the body releases endorphins, which are natural painkillers and mood elevators. So there really is some clear chemistry behind it. Less directly, exercise can also have a psychological impact upon the way that we behave. When we’re active, and work to achieve our fitness goals (whatever they may be) we tend to feel much better about ourselves, and can transfer this confidence across to other areas of our lives. At work this may equate to increased productivity and less time taken off due to sickness, enabling us to focus more heavily on progressing within our careers. Regular exercise isn’t always easy. Those who partake also develop key workplace skills such as better organisation, enhanced focus, and improved timekeeping. Engagement in physical activity is also closely linked to an improvement in cognitive function, and a greatly enhanced ability to manage stress. For all of these reasons, workers who exercise are well equipped to navigate the biggest challenges that they face within their daily working roles. So how can we support our employees in staying active? Even simple steps can have quite a significant impact. Many organisations are now championing ‘walking meetings’ to prevent their staff from becoming too sedentary in their day-to-day roles. Other traditional office-based initiatives may include lunchtime walking groups, company challenges or on-site fitness classes. However, working routines have changed dramatically over recent years. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, just 4.7% of UK employees worked from home, whereas now, almost half of us have at least the opportunity to do so. For that reason, a more inclusive approach is needed to have a true impact across an entire organisation. Companies need to find ways to take care of the wellbeing of their staff, whether working at home, on-site, or traveling regularly. It’s also important to understand the unique challenges that different groups of staff may be facing. When considering a range of available fitness benefits, perhaps the most inclusive option are multi-gym membership programs. These benefit providers (such as Hussle) hold relationships with a full network of gyms, pools, and often virtual fitness apps. Thanks to our extensive UK coverage, here at Hussle we see uptake levels as high as 25% within the companies who partner with us. They value our variety in terms of venues and geographical reach, meaning that our members can work out where they want, and how they want to. For any business owner, HR professional or wellbeing specialist out there considering offering fitness benefits to their staff, the message from us is simple and clear. The decision should be seen not as a cost, but as an investment, for both your colleagues, and your business. For more information visit: hussle.com ...Read more