‘Doing It All’ Equals Disaster for Corporations

How improving wellness can improve your bottom-line.

By Dr. Roger Sahoury  On Oct 19, 2015

When it comes to our modern world, we are overscheduled, overstressed and undernourished – masters of “doing it all” who work and take care of our families, our homes and our children. Often, taking care of ourselves gets buried at the bottom of our to-do-list, especially in the workplace.

In an environment driven by deadlines, we put an extreme amount of stress on our nervous systems and bodies that, over time, leads to chronic health conditions. If this sounds like a personal problem faced by each employee, you miss the bigger picture. Neglect of employee wellness negatively impacts the bottom-line – so much so, that companies investing in corporate wellness programs are proven to get up to a 3-to-1 return on investment for every dollar spent.

So, how do we keep poor health from stopping us from doing it all? It’s time for companies to start valuing the lifeblood of its existence: their employees. Creating a work environment focused on high quality of life for each individual creates a win-win for the company, the employees and society at large.

Growing numbers of corporate leaders are understanding the value of wellness programs and healthy living initiatives. Staggering results have caught their attention. On average, companies that start holistic wellness programs report 200 percent more revenue per employee. Not only do most employees report better health, but even increased morale and productivity. Even more impressive, 83 percent of companies consider corporate wellness programs to be successful due to both positive ROI and increased employee engagement.

The most important first step you can take is to encourage employees to periodically get out of their seats to stretch, move and/or simply do breathing exercises. As I like to say, sitting is the new smoking. It contributes to most of the worst health problems experienced in our current sickly society.

That’s why your first priority should be to foster a culture where every employee is recognized as a purpose partner in wellness and is the CEO of his or her own well-being. To do this, we need to encourage more breaks and energizing activities that get employees up and moving throughout the workday. However you choose to do it, though, this should be step one in any wellness initiative.

After taking on the health challenges posed by sitting and not taking anti-stress breaks, a well-rounded wellness program needs to attack the seven archenemies of corporate health and productivity: stress, “sick care” focus over prevention, absenteeism, presenteeism (distraction), obesity, mental health issues and chronic pain. Other key components of a successful corporate wellness program that target these foes include fitness challenges, healthy snack options at the office, and bringing in professional wellness consultants to serve your company’s specific wellness needs. In the end, the key is usually working with a wellness professional to identify your company’s unique weaknesses and treat them with appropriate wellness initiatives.

A wellness program will be worth the investment. After all, a company is only as healthy as its employees.

About the Author: A 2015 “NJ Top Doc,” Dr. Roger Sahoury has provided a holistic health approach to his patients as a corrective chiropractor specializing in applied neurology. 

 

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