A well-structured corporate well-being programme not only motivates and engages employees but helps them to achieve their physical, emotional and social needs. Such programmes are not a new invention but recent research found that a combination of awareness education and personal discipline can significantly change modifiable health risk factors amongst employees. This means that wellness programmes are more than a nice extra. Creating a culture of health and well-being is worth the effort because it
Regardless of whether an accident occurs at work or during an employee’s leisure time, the employer has to pay costs and must expect consequences for the company. Employees in Switzerland reported over 855,000 accidents in 2018, two-thirds of those occurred during their free time. Additionally, on average every 15th full-time employee suffers an accident at work. In 2018, this created healthcare costs of CHF 4.89 billion.
A well-developed health, safety and well-being programme helps to raise awareness of risks also in employees’ free time and thus to reduce injuries and costs. Harvard researchers found that for every dollar spent on prevention and employee wellness, medical costs fall $3.27 and absenteeism drops $2.73, a 6 to 1 return on investment. The health of your employees should be part of your corporate culture!