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Six Employee Wellness Trends that Businesses Need to Follow

HR Tech Outlook | Friday, September 27, 2019

Employee wellness programs are gaining grounds and are aimed at enhancing employee’s well-being, ultimately enhancing their engagement levels and productivity.

FREMONT, CA: Employee wellness programs are gaining recognition, especially because it allows the organizations with the infrastructure to individually focus on the individuals, thereby motivating and engaging the employees. There are several trends that are emerging with the goal to ensure that the employees’ health and well-being continue to progress from an individual as well as from an organizational point of view. Here are the emerging trends that will shape the employee wellness programs in the future:

Privacy Concerns

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Data security is not just confined to the IT department. According to a report, the amount of employee wellness data collected via surveys, wellness portals, gym records, wearable devices, and lab tests in increasing exponentially. Companies are expected to be transparent with their employees over who has access to their health records. Employers are also tasked to ensure that their wellness vendors maintain the best security, data privacy, and compliance standards.

Prioritizing Self-Care

Apple listed self-care as the trend of the year in 2018. The trend is expected to continue in the future as well as people are viewing self-care as an essential ingredient and not just as an indulgence. An aspect of self-care that has been on the rise in the workplace is mindfulness practices. Some of the major firms are offering it to reduce workplace stress and increase productivity.

Self-care practices will continue to evolve in the corporate world, as more employers are emphasizing holistic wellness. As per the Harvard Business Review, wellness program don’t work unless there is a culture where it is acceptable and encouraged to prioritize self-care. 

Addressing Burnout

Owing to modern life’s hectic pace, employees are under more pressure than before. According to a recent survey from Gallop, 44 percent of employees reported burnout at work. Employee burnout affects every industry, resulting in a loss due to productivity, errors, and poor engagement.

Each manager should be aware of the signs of employee burnout so that they can take appropriate steps to help employees. Burnout can be prevented by encouraging employees to recharge and relax via mid-day breaks, suggesting them better sleep habits, and offering them flexible schedules.

Personalization

Every individual is unique and faces a unique set of challenges. However, everyone needs different solutions. Artificial intelligence (AI) is impacting the corporate wellness industry by offering a more personalized experience to the employees. Transformative technology enables employees to access information which is timely and relevant to them. Wellness programs will also allow creating a better user experience by leveraging data based on employee’s preference and wellness goals.

Digital platforms are still expanding without any signs of slowing down. However, if the budget is insufficient to invest in technology, personalization can also be achieved by just asking for employee feedback.

Financial Fitness

Access to financial wellness programs is on the rise. As per the Employee Financial Wellness Survey, 2018, 14 percent of employees could access resources or programs offered by their employer to assist them in improving their financial well-being. The survey also stated that 63 percent of workers who had access to financial wellness resources used them and 53 percent of the employees without any access to financial wellness plan said that they expected their employer to offer one.

Financial worries are not only limited to the individual. Instead, it spills out into the workplace too. Employers who are having financial issues can also result in significant loss to the employers in terms of work errors and productivity. An efficient wellness program should encourage emergency savings, budgeting, debt elimination, and retirement planning.

Onsite Clinics 

Increasingly the employers are embracing onsite health clinics. According to the National Association of Worksite Health Clinics, around 50 percent of employers with more than 5,000 employees have near-site or onsite clinics. Developing onsite employee health clinics has helped the employers to control costs, offer competitive benefits, and provide quality healthcare to the employees. As per a study by Mercer, 58 percent of the employers who decided to have an onsite clinic stated that it has been successful in allowing the members to control chronic conditions.

It’s important for wellness professionals to assess and evaluate their wellness platforms routinely. Considering the latest industry trends each year can assist the employers in reforming their employee wellness strategy, thereby keeping the employees engaged.

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