Norms in the workplace have increasingly started aligning with what employees want and need, and the result is that new and enriching rules around how to conduct business are being established. This is particularly true when it comes to the health and wellness of workers, which is being focussed on by savvy business owners as we go into the last few months of 2019 and head into next year.
Consistent, Transparent Communication
As far as employer policies and employee health benefits are concerned, consistent communication remains vital. Certain businesses have found that creating employee handbooks that are always accessible will benefit staff.
These manuals would briefly summarise the most important procedures and guidelines in the workplace, would help ensure that employers are meeting labour law requirements, and reduce confusion through in-person and email reminders all year round.
The Power of Wearable Technology
Research has shown that roughly 6 million workers world round will soon be receiving wearable tech like Apple Watches or Fitbits as part of wellness initiatives sponsored by the companies they work for. These devices boast features like fitness and activity trackers and help monitor heart rates, which in turn helps organisations keep their workforce healthy.
This will increase productivity overall and reduce staff absence. Additionally, health insurance companies may be willing to offer financial incentives to benefit everyone, helping employers drive significant savings in cost over time.
A Rise in Remote Workers
Employees have up until quite recently been expected to be at the office from 8 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday.
Thanks to the Internet, we’ve seen a relaxation in what was traditionally required at the office, because laptops, smartphones, and tablets don’t just let us sample the fun of the online Blackjack Canada and the rest of the world has to offer. They allow us to work from anywhere we are, at any time of the day, too.
This has lead to fundamental changes in how employee schedules are being set. Some industries now even require that employees are able to work remotely as a matter of course, which means that they may not need to come into an office at all.
Health and Wellness Benefits
Personalised benefits around health and wellness are, next to salaries, more important than ever before. Business owners need to keep in mind that different members of their team, especially those of different generations, may have different preferences when it comes to medical benefits.
These could include the ability to keep the same doctors, and the option to be able to access good medicinal, pharmaceutical, preventative, and therapeutic care close to home.
Trends indicate that even more specialised benefits like acupuncture, chiropractic care, and hearing, dental, and visual services will appeal increasingly to many employees. Industry research indicates that these kinds of benefits, along with the rise in popularity of other wellness initiatives like yoga and mindfulness classes and weight-loss programmes sponsored by the workplace, will increasingly play a more and more significant role when it comes to holding on to talented members of staff.
