Many southern California employers ask me “Why would I need a small business wellness program in my company?
At Preferred Insurance CA, we care passionately about helping small business owners in California meet and maintain their employees’ health insurance needs.
One small step that employers can take to ensure that their staff is happy and healthy is to implement a small business wellness program.
Listed below are 5 benefits to California small businesses that have a wellness program.
Investing in Employee Wellness is Investing in Your Businesses
“Take care of your employees and they will take care of your business. It’s as simple as that.” –Richard Branson
California employers that implement a small business wellness program are investing in the overall health and happiness of their employees, and their business.
Job Advancement and Opportunities account for 32% of employee turnover rate (James K. Harter, Ph.D., Gallup Chief Scientist). However, one of the top reasons good employees leave is that they don’t feel cared about or invested in.
National workplace expert and author Lynn Taylor is quoted in Business Insider as stating “If an employer cares about your long-term growth and happiness, you’ll feel a much greater sense of purpose and reward.”
In particular, the younger workforce faces more opportunities in non-traditional, exciting companies than ever before. When traditional small businesses acknowledge that over-all well-being is a paramount concern, they increase their attraction to these “millennials”.
Small Business Wellness Programs can Save You Money
As related in our previous post – Five Tips for Small California Companies that Want to Set Up an Employee Wellness Program – illness-related lost productivity cost US employers $530 billion in 2018. And, for every dollar spent on a well-designed employee wellness program, there is a total of $3.27 fewer healthcare costs needed. That’s over 200% in savings!
A company that implements a small business wellness program does not need to incur a large cost in doing so. By offering small incentives (gift cards, half-days, paid luncheons, etc.) to employees who follow an exercise regimen, business owners can directly impact the physical and mental health of their staff. And, increase productivity.
An Increase in Employee Health Means a Decrease in Missed Work Days
The Better Health Channel, an Australian government website, states that a sedentary lifestyle creates a higher risk of early death than periods of sitting broken by small increments of standing, stretching, and moving around. Those who sit all day without the aforementioned are more likely to experience depression and anxiety. Office workers also report more chronic health issues including obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, and Heart Disease.
When physical and mental health issues occur, employees are apt to use sick days. Sedentary people also experience chronic ailments such as extreme fatigue and allergies. It is a fact that employees who are healthy and happy experience increased productivity and miss less work. California company owners and HR managers that implement a small business wellness program understand these health benefits and experience positive results firsthand.
Wellness Incentive Programs Increase Employee Productivity
Regardless of budget or lack thereof, offering any of the low-cost incentives listed above can increase employee productivity. These incentives help employees to feel like active participants in the management and success of the employer’s business.
By working toward a personal incentive that is solely based on increasing their collective well-being, employees are bettering themselves. And they are more invested in their employers. Thus, employee efficiency at work and the level of care for work can increase when you start a small business wellness program.
Wellness programs at work can enable the cohesiveness of the team environment to grow. California small businesses that have a wellness program see accountability between participants. That accountability can spill over into the work product in a team environment.
A Happy, Healthier Workplace can Increase Profits
A 2018 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that almost 50 million Americans report living with daily physical pain.
This chronic pain is often associated with back, neck, facial, and migraine ailments, and is at times “invisible” to the naked eye. Many employees will miss work because of this unrelenting pain.
A depleted workforce can decrease profit. A study out of The University of Michigan Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center found that 36 million people miss work each year due to chronic pain.
But, there’s good news! By implementing something as simple as incremental 10-minute stretch breaks throughout the workday, these issues improve.
Conclusion
Companies that have a small business wellness program in place yield phenomenal results among employees. Wellness programs can lead to healthier, more invested employees, an increase in workplace productivity, and, an increase in company profits.
Schedule a Free Consultation to Learn More
Preferred Insurance of California is an independent group health insurance broker that specializes in small business health insurance for companies in southern California. We service what we sell, which means we are personally there to help your employees with their health insurance needs.
Call to speak with a Preferred Insurance California licensed small business health insurance broker.
Call (760) 385-8239
Read More
Why It Pays to Offer Health Insurance to Part-Time Employees
The Top California Small Business Health Insurance FAQs of 2019
Tips for Creating a Mentally Healthy Workplace