It’s easy to feel that the term “employee wellness” is an over-used term. For some companies, this means offering a gym membership and others, it simply means an all expense paid trip because their labs came back within normal ranges. Regardless of what wellness is to your company, it is often a key component to inspiring performance in the workplace. That begs the question I often get when trying to bring wellness to companies, “how do you build a wellness culture that inspires and engages?”

Employees need to feel supported, valued and inspired to give maximum effort and be most effective. This, of course, is the short answer to the question. Over the years, I have learned so much from the many companies I have been blessed to work with.

• Company A provides tickets to local athletic games.
• Company B provides an on-site physical therapist every week for employees to go to and receive massages or exercise to improve their aches and pains.
• Company C contributes a substantial amount of money to employee’s HSA account by completing various wellness activities.

This is just a small sample of the perks I have seen. Other companies offer game rooms, gym memberships and access to a dietician. But, not all companies are the same. Different companies have different resources and each company has its own unique needs and you may not be able to offer the same perks I have just mentioned. The good news is that, it’s okay. Today, companies of all sizes and all industries have the unique capability to create workplaces that support employee wellness and drive superior performance, while still using minimal resources. Regardless of where you are, I recommend prioritizing the following areas.

Time. Employee wellness starts with time. From the senior management to your support staff, you need to make sure your company is giving employees time. Spending time with your employees shows that you care for their well-being. There is a number of ways you can leverage time to drive performance. The first comes in the form of quality time. This could be grabbing lunch with employees in the break room once a month or implementing a health coaching program that allows your employees time to receive resources to lead and live better quality of lives.

Transparency. While you are familiar with the importance of transparency between your company and customers, don’t ignore the role of internal transparency. You should be transparent with company policies, compensation, incentive plans, your wellness program and anything else that directly impacts employees.

Recognition. The sooner you recognize that compensation goes beyond monetary offerings, the quicker you will see that appreciation is the sincerest form of flattery. Want advice to how you can recognize employees that doesn’t mean a bonus or pay raise? Perform a survey to learn what your employees like to eat, drink, and do in their free time. Then collect gift cards for coffee, meals, movies, golf and other favorite things. Find opportunities to recognize your employees and show how you appreciate them by giving them a gift card and note to why you are recognizing them.

Give Back. The final area to consider in employee wellness is giving back. Align your company with philanthropic causes that will impact your employees. Companies that give back tend to inspire more positive workplace culture that is generous. Incorporate community service into your wellness program by recognizing employees who give their time during off time.

There is no better time, than now to shift your focus. Make wellness a priority. While it’s easy to become frustrated by the perception that you need deep pockets and trendy perks to get the most out of your employees, know that it really comes down to these areas: time, transparency, recognition and giving back! Contact Well365 for ways you can improve your existing wellness program or how you can start a wellness program.