Maximizing your benefits package to boost worker health
By: Benefits by Design | Tuesday October 29, 2024
Updated : Monday October 28, 2024In today’s fast-paced work environment, worker health is very important. There are many factors which can cause employee stress, and the work environment can impact these in many ways. Some of which an employer may not even realize. Did you know 67% of workers experience stress once a day? This has a major impact on overall worker health.
Employees are responsible for prioritizing their health to remain efficient at work, but employers also play a crucial role in supporting their wellbeing. By strategically maximizing your benefits package, you can address both physical and mental health, ensuring a healthier and more productive workforce.
Sources of employee stress
There are many reasons your employees who might be stressed that you may have never thought about. Here are a few examples of what could lead to employee stress:
- Having responsibilities beyond their job role
- Experiencing an increase in their regular workload
- Longer working hours which may impact their work-life balance
- Job insecurity
- Increased work demands
- Unrealistic deadlines
- Limited opportunities for them to grow within the organization
- Experiencing difficulty with co-workers
- Unrealistic targets
Employee priorities to improve their health
Employees must prioritize their health to maintain their ability to work effectively. There are many ways your employees can improve their health.
- Regular physical activity – keeping active allows employees to manage their stress better because it bumps up the production of your brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins. These endorphins help manage stress because they act as a mood elevator.
- Healthy diet – if employees focus on maintaining a healthy diet, it can help reduce their stress. When you are eating a healthy and balanced diet it fuels your body and brain, which helps you cope with stress and anxiety better.
- Sleeping habits – When your workers don’t get enough sleep at night it can lead to decreased cognitive functions, an inability to analyze complex data or ideas, and motor skills can be affected. Did you know most adults need 7 or more hours of sleep each night?
- Socialization – Employees need to prioritize their time spent with their family and friends. This will boost their workers’ health because it will help provide emotional support and help reduce any feelings of isolation.
- Work-life balance – Employees need to set boundaries at work to prevent burnout and make sure they still have time for their own hobbies.
Employer priorities to improve worker health
While it is crucial for employees to take charge of their own health, employers have a significant role in supporting their wellbeing. A healthy workplace not only enhances worker health but also drives productivity and retention. Here are some key priorities for improving your employee’s health.
- Increase stability – if your employees have unpredictable schedules, it becomes difficult for them to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Providing your employees with a set schedule and stability within the workplace allows them to plan their personal life more effectively, reducing stress and improving their overall wellbeing.
- Implement an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – An EAP will support worker health by providing them with confidential resources for managing personal and professional challenges they might face.
- Encourage feedback – Creating a workplace where your employees feel comfortable providing feedback fosters a sense of safety and security for them. When they know their voices are heard and valued, it will reduce their workplace stress, allowing them to feel more at ease and engaged in their work.
13 Tips to Help Promote Employee Health and Wellbeing – Part 1
Strategies to maximize your benefits package
To maximize the effectiveness of your employee benefits package it’s important to understand how mental and physical health interrelate. By incorporating employee wellbeing into your benefits strategy, you can improve overall worker health. When you have healthier employees, it will lead to better business outcomes.
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) – Including DEI into your benefits package can significantly enhance your business . Having a DEI strategy demonstrates a commitment to creating a workplace where every employee feels valued and supported. DEI can influence everything from employee morale to your business’ bottom line, making it a critical factor in maximizing the value of your benefits package.
- Mental health – Adding mental health support to your benefits package can have a large impact on your business. When you prioritize mental wellbeing, employees are more productive, take fewer absences, and are more likely to stay with your company long-term.
- Wellness spending account (WSA) – This is a personalized wellness health program which provides your employees with a taxable allowance to spend on wellness-related activities and products. This gives your employees flexibility and choice in how they maintain their wellbeing.
- Preventative health care – Preventative care is a component of many different parts of your employee benefits plan. When you encourage early detection and proactive management of any health issues you help your employee’s long-term health which can then benefit you because it will reduce the costly medical intervention that could have happened later down the road.
Conclusion
Overall, maximizing your benefits package is more than just offering your employees’ perks. It’s about understanding and addressing the health needs of your employees both in a physical and mental capacity. With stress being caused through many unseen sources, supporting your employees through a well-designed health benefits package can make a significant impact. This investment into maximizing your benefit package for worker health will lead to a healthier, happier and more efficient workforce.