We spend the majority of our waking hours at work. We don’t spend them with family or getting our errands done or vacationing to our favorite cabin — no, it is mostly working hours. It is because of the long hours and the fact that work is a necessary part of our lives that the workplace should be an environment we thrive in.

Introducing: Workplace Wellness programs. These types of programs are on the rise because employees are craving a space where work and health can happen. Employers are craving it, too. Studies show that simply having a workplace wellness program in place will increase staff productivity and creativity. You’ll experience more cohesive teamwork and deeper loyalty from employees. It’s a mutually beneficial perk that comes high up on the list of what job seekers are currently looking for in their place of employment.

So how do you form a workplace wellness program that does all of the above and, most importantly, changes the lives of your employees and the experience they have at work? Easy, with RX2Live’s help.

Step 1: Evaluate your working space and staff.
Take a look around at the office setup. Whether you’re a small business or a larger corporation, we are sure you can find a general theme. Are there a number of traditional desks and a lot of working hours spent sitting at them? Is there ample space to walk around? Do you only offer unhealthy snacks in the breakroom? What about water — is there plenty to go around?

Then, take a look at employees. Are they engaging with each other? Is there a sense of camaraderie in the office? What about those cubicle walls — can they be lowered or eliminated entirely?

It’s important to assess your current workspace so you can identify where improvements can happen. We walk into the office every day, but it’s time for your eyes to scan around with purpose.

Step 2: Form a wellness team.
There are going to be staff members who jump at the chance at being a part of the inaugural wellness team. These should be employees who want to uplift and who genuinely care about bringing wellness to work. In a larger company that houses many roles, a wellness committee may be the way to go. This would be a group that can equally disperse the responsibilities of the program and meets regularly to implement ideas and talk about the struggles their respective departments may be facing.

Step 3: Develop a wellness theme.
As our CEO, Brian Hazelgren, has said, the team “health” has become too broad nowadays. Having a theme for health will keep employees reaching toward their goals and actively engaged in the process. The theme could be health for balance or purpose or even adventure. What it shouldn’t be is something that your workplace culture cannot connect to. Harness your culture and build a theme from there.

Step 4: Make it fun.
Wellness doesn’t have to be rigorous. If the wellness plan felt like more unwanted work, it won’t be as effective. Be sure to think of how to engage your staff in different ways so nobody is excluded and there is a variety of activities. Some ideas include:

• Form a challenge among staff
• Host an employee field day
• Have a fair with local experts and businesses in the health and wellness space (and ask these visitors if they can offer employee discounts)
• Hire a masseuse for the day
• Go on a company-wide lunchtime walk
• Do morning yoga outside when cooler weather strikes

Focus on these essentials. Build the solid foundation a workplace wellness program needs by really tuning in to what staff wants. Integrate seamlessly so it’s something that employees want to be a part of, and so it doesn’t feel like an added responsibility they aren’t too sure what to do with.

A workplace wellness program that actually works is within arm’s reach. We are here to help you get there. Contact us today to get started on developing a program that will succeed.

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