Corporate Wellness: The Power of One

Improving the overall health of a workplace might sound like a daunting task to some employers. For large companies where employees are spread out among branches across the nation, the task of instilling a unifying culture of health is even greater. But if even a single employee achieves a higher level of total wellbeing as a direct result of a workplace wellness program, it’s a worthy investment. Among the overweight, lifetime medical costs can be reduced by $2,200 following a 10% reduction in body weight.

The best message to get across in any workplace wellness program is this: Health doesn't end at the office door.

Employees would be wise to absorb the messages taught onsite and apply them to their lives beyond the office environment; Even better if employees directly pass along newfound health knowledge and behaviors to family and friends.

Studies show that social networks are one of the greatest tools when it comes to adopting or maintaining a healthy lifestyle. For example, competition-based weight loss challenges yield greater results in the workplace when compared to individual efforts. Additionally, good eating habits can be "contagious", circulating through friend-groups or communities in a healthy feedback loop.

Companies, along with the rest of the health care system, are grappling with the extremely difficult and sometimes baffling situation of ever-increasing health care costs, but smart leaders know that healthy employees are more engaged in their work and deliver better results. We urge these companies to stay committed to fostering a healthy organization. A single employee's success story can cause a ripple effect, positively impacting the lives of many more – and the company’s bottom line.