M7A1: Workplace & Employee Health and Wellness Program

A need in the workplace: Employee health and wellness program
Student:
Professor:
Course title:
Date:
To: John Adamson, CEO at Bell Agencies
From: Thomas Hardin, Business Communications Analyst at Bell Agencies
Date: 18/09/2016
Subject: A need in the workplace: Employee health and wellness program
The purpose of this report is to describe a need in the workplace. The identified need is the introduction of an employee health and wellness program in the organization. I propose that we introduce an employee health and wellness program in the organization. The introduction of this program into the workplace is crucial in maintaining a healthy workplace. As the world of work continues to progress, a notable sign of a top-notch employer would be a health and wellness program in the workplace (Stuart, 2016).
A health and wellness program in the workplace is basically a health promotion activity that is aimed at supporting healthy behaviours and improving health outcomes for the company’s employees whilst at work (Elia & Rouse, 2016). Such programs often comprise activities like medical screenings, weight management programs, on-site fitness programs, as well as health education and coaching. In addition, health and wellness programs in the workplace include policies that are aimed at facilitating the health of workers for instance providing nutritious and healthy food alternatives in the vending machines, offering on-site kitchens and eating areas, allowing time for exercise, and providing fiscal or other incentives for taking part (Bovee & Thill, 2016).
On-site fitness centre in the workplace
The fitness centre should be in a central location where all our employees can easily access it. Examples of central locations where the facility could be located include near the lunch room, near the cafeteria, or near the entrance to the main office building. Considering the size of the company, employee interests and needs, the number of employees and availability of space, the size of the facility should be 4,000 square feet. The fitness centre would be supervised by a professional. The equipment within the facility would include various strength and cardio equipment aimed at providing a well-rounded exercise program that is suitable for every level of fitness.


Benefits of the health and wellness program to the company
Reduces healthcare costs for the company and the employees: the physical environment at the workplace could have a significant impact on the health of employees. Chronic illnesses for instance high blood pressure and major depression could result in a decline in the overall health of workers within the organization, cause health-related expenditures for both the employees and the company to rise, and lead to more days of work missed and lower productivity (Elia & Rouse, 2016). When the company has a fitness centre on-site, our employees would be able to exercise which would help improve the health of workers for instance by helping them to control their blood pressure and relieve their depression. When our workers are healthy, healthcare costs for the company will certainly go down. All in all, implementing the health and wellness program is crucial in curbing the cos...