A recent study stated that stress and absenteeism cost about Rs 49.6 crore in the IT/ITeS sector (for an organisation with an average employee base of 10,000), Rs 105.48 crore for the finance/banking sector (average employee base of 5,000), and Rs 10.5 crore for the travel and hospitality sector (average employee base of 2,000) in total organisational productivity loss annually in India.
With such jarring financial stakes, it becomes crucial for companies to proactively help employees tackle and overcome stress.
Companies have now increasingly begun to acknowledge the value of their employees’ contribution to their growth process and that their physical and mental well-being is directly proportional to their productivity output.
Several wellness programs have been formed to cater to the health needs of employees and to pave way for the workplace to be doted upon as one that cares about its employees.
One route that companies have tried and tested in the stride is introducing corporate wellness programmes, which focus on the overall well-being of the employee.
The reasons for companies incorporating such programmes are manifold. A key reason being that such programmes have a direct impact on the bottom-line of a company – a fact proven by several studies.
A report by Harvard Business Review stated that inspired employees are 125 per cent more productive than those who are merely satisfied.
From programmes that aim to improve employees’ health through exercise regimes and healthy diet, companies have been adopting several strategies that help employees boost their motivation at work.
Many leading MNCs are increasingly opting for office spaces with an inbuilt gym or are even offering heavily subsidised corporate memberships in well-known fitness centres within proximity to their offices, to encourage easy employee accessibility.
Additionally, physical activities like Zumba, aerobics and other workout sessions are being promoted in companies to balance the health and lifestyle of employees who tend to have sedentary jobs.
Amidst this, companies have started to realise that the diet that an employee has is a crucial part of maintaining has/her well-being, and are therefore placing greater emphasis on serving healthier meals.
Estimates suggest that in countries like France, Spain, Italy, UK, and USA, nearly 75 per cent of employees prefer to take breaks during which over 90 per cent choose to eat or drink something.
Companies have taken note of these trends as an opportunity to encourage their employees to indulge in healthy eating by placing salad bars and fresh juice counters.
The correlation between healthy employees and increased productivity has been an established fact for long. And with the spotlight on talent acquisition and employee retention, such corporate wellness programmes help companies form a closer personal bond with their employees.
These programmes are increasingly becoming a matter of necessity rather than choice, to increase productivity and efficiency - a primary goal for any organisation.
Courtesy: www.peoplematters.in
