There are a number of human resource issues that most companies’ take for granted and one of it, believe it or not would be the wellness of employees, including weight gain and mental illness.
It might sound odd that issues like this should have a place in a company’ problem solving think tank but it does. Many companies all over Australia have been seeing the increase in the average weight of its workers because of sedentary jobs, bad nutrition, and lack of support for health related matters.
As a result companies have seen a rise in absenteeism, as employees take time off work due to sickness. Of course when talking about productivity, these kind of problems have even greater negative effects resulting in low team morale and poor workforce health. Absenteeism has reached such an alarming level of 7 billion a year in Australia that many companies have started providing wellness programs to all employees to address this problem.
Wellness programs range from offering employees meager discounts in fitness memberships to full 8 week boot camp programs, nutrition advice, meditation guidance and counseling. So which of these initiatives provide a real a solution to these human resource issues?
Well, over the years, many of these solutions have only shown disappointing results. As little as 10% of Australian employees are enrolled as gym members, and more often than not, those who took up the companies’ program are already past members. In total, only a measly 20% of Australians are actually members of gyms.
With regards to programs such as 8 week boot camps, only less than 1% of employees registered. Only 12 people averaged a class out of a possible 3000 targeted employees. The result is only a band aid solution for those people who don’t need it, instead of a major surgery for those people who do.
With these statistics, it doesn’t take a lot of imagination to see that wellness programs in the corporate sector often don’t work. In many case, the blame falls on lack of knowledge, funds and other resources resulting in a highly inefficient solution with poor take up rates and longevity, a big waste of time and money on a seemingly simple problem.
Future health and wellness programs, should cater to the 90% of overweight and unhealthy employees. The program should allow people of all ages an entry to the right weight and fitness levels to participate at their own speed. Competition and education always play a great role in encouraging individuals to enter the program with a non-threatening environment. Employees can then improve their health and fitness through nutrition based programs and simple starters in fitness as basic walking.
But of course, every program needs to be sustainable, cost effective, measurable and within reach to become a success. It should work both ways, an employee will not continue with the program if they cannot see the benefits from it and an employer will not continue with the program either if they get insufficient return on investment.
With this in mind, human resource issues on the wellness of employees and the succeeding programs to address this issue should be carefully thought out.
Corporate wellness programs should identify the needs of the employees through series of questionnaires for a certain period and ongoing mentoring and support for participants. The bottom line, a combination of employer and employee contributions to this program should bring about a successful and long term program for the welfare of the company and its workforce.
To talk to a human resources consultant to help identify which human resources issues your business needs to focus on go to http://www.end2endbusinesssolutions.com.au/
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