Wellness programs are a great way to encourage well-being in your workforce. In the past, wellness programs included in-office gyms, on-site physical activity, or on-site medical check-ups. However, as more people are transitioning to remote work, business owners are having to think of ways to reach their remote workers as well as onsite workers. Here are some ways you can include remote workers in your wellness programs:
Go Virtual
If the internet world is where your employees are at, then that’s where your wellness program should be. Instead of having on-site exercise classes, consider live–streaming classes or using recordings so employees can participate at a time and place convenient to them. Additionally, make sure your health plan includes a telehealth option, so both your remote and on-site employees can participate in the different areas of your wellness program.
Create Incentives
Your on-site workers have more physical reminders of wellness program activities (seeing co-workers participate, proximity to an on-site gym, etc.) so they are more likely to participate. Because of this, you may need to find ways to encourage remote employees to participate. One way is through incentives. This can be anything from a gift card to a charitable donation on the employee’s behalf. Make sure any incentive you use can be easily received by remote and on-site employees.
Foster Connections
Wellness activities are difficult for many people. Employees may be more comfortable carrying out wellness activities when they feel they aren’t alone in the effort. To do this in a way that includes your remote employees, you can create an online community or chat room to allow employees to support each other in their wellness efforts. This will make your remote employees feel more supported and involved in your wellness program.
Imbed Wellness in Culture
A wellness program isn’t just about giving employees a way to work out more often, it’s about making sure employees are healthy. For this to reach remote employees, you need to make sure employee health is at the core of your company’s values and practices. Reiterating the importance of employee health (including mental health) and setting good examples are good ways to get started.
Employee wellness is important to the success of your company. Follow this advice to make your wellness program equally available to your remote employees.