Health equals wealth when you’re talking about corporate wellness,” says Richard Barrack, CEO of Barrack’s Corporate Fitness, a comprehensive health consulting company in Pennsylvania, US.
So companies are working harder than ever to make sure their employees are healthy—and that means implementing a variety of corporate wellness programmes. Corporate wellness “isn’t just fluff and butter. It does affect their bottom line,” says Michael Port, CEO for Corporate Wellness Solutions, a health-consulting firm in Albany, New York, that helps businesses implement health programming for employees. “A healthy employee means a healthy bottom line.”
Work well: It’s beneficial.
When it comes to exercise, today’s employers are going beyond a company softball team. Many workplaces have gyms and fitness instructors. These fitness centres have not only increased productivity, they’ve become the next networking hub, a place where employees from different departments can come and connect with one another, says Barrack.
Employers are also starting to recognize that it’s not just enough to provide health insurance—they have to encourage their employees to use it. Today’s firms have to incentivize their employees to get regular screenings, and then educate them about why they’re important, Port says.
Regular health screenings and preventive care don’t just make employees feel better, they can go a long way towards managing a company’s healthcare costs, he says.
Molly Belmont
©2010/THE NEW YORK TIMES
