by Kaerrie Hall | Dec 24, 2024 | Employee Benefits
It’s that time of the year when most of us will make New Year’s resolutions like “get in better shape” and “eat healthier,” but nine out of 10 of us will give up on them by March. Is there anything employers can do to help employees accomplish these lofty, but important goals? Yes!… by implementing the type of corporate wellness programs employees get excited about.
If that seems easier said than done, you may want to check out Wellhub’s recent article on 11 corporate wellness trends shaping 2025 and share it with leadership. Here, we highlight three of those trends that you may not hear about often but could consider adding to your own corporate wellness program.
1. A tech-first approach to corporate wellness
According to Wellhub, one of the 11 corporate wellness trends shaping 2025 is tech-first wellness initiatives. “Offering wearable tech as an employee benefit can be a game-changer, boosting engagement and demonstrating a commitment to holistic wellness,” reports Wellhub. “But it doesn’t stop at the wrist—wellness apps are like personal trainers for both the body and mind. Whether it’s fitness challenges, meditation sessions, or hydration reminders, these tools meet employees where they are, making wellness accessible and actionable.”
How can employers get involved? You could subsidize the purchase of wearable devices, offer free app subscriptions and/or implement the use of an employee wellness platform.
2. Strength training for stronger mind and body
In 2024, strength training was the most popular fitness activity on Wellhub. How can you make strength training part of your corporate wellness program? Offering gym memberships is a great place to start, but don’t forget making fitness apps and virtual classes accessible so strength training options are easy to incorporate into busy schedules.
On-site workshops could also be provided. Perhaps a personal trainer can be brought in to conduct a class or series of classes that give employees lessons on how to safely incorporate strength training into their workouts. An additional step could be offering a sign-up sheet where employees interested in strength training could set aside time to meet at a local park and complete the workouts the personal trainer encouraged.
3. The trend toward more plant-based meal options
Plant-based foods are gaining in popularity, bolstered in part by studies that show the value of a plant-based diet (weight loss and reduced risk for certain chronic illnesses) and the availability of more plant-based meal options in restaurants and grocery stores. According to a study in 2021, 47% of Americans define themselves as “flexitarian,” which means they desire to or actively eat more meatless meals than meat-based ones.
Companies can help make plant-based options more affordable and accessible to their employees by stocking the break room with healthy plant-based snacks says Wellhub. “Think fresh fruits and veggies, raw nuts, plant-based protein bars, and dairy alternatives like oat or almond milk.” And one way to make similar foods available to remote workers, suggests Wellhub, is to consider sponsoring healthy meal kit delivery.
You can explore the 8 other corporate wellness trends Wellhub identified in this article.
by Kaerrie Hall | Oct 15, 2024 | Human Resources
For employee engagement to thrive and last, everyone in the company plays a part – from HR managers to senior leadership, from employees to executives. In this article, we share a breakdown of responsibilities and provide tips to take action and start improving employee engagement now.
The Role of Senior Leadership
A helpful infographic from DecisionWise provides a breakdown of responsibilities for employee engagement by individual roles in the company. According to the infographic, senior leadership must:
- Demonstrate their commitment to employee engagement by fostering trust, celebrating successes and listening
- Set the tone and priorities for the company
- Communicate the mission, values and company strategy
Tips for implementation
In an article for Rasmussen University, writer Ashley Brooks shared employee engagement strategies from HR managers. They suggested leadership could improve employee engagement in the following ways:
- Offer a competitive salary
- Ask for employees’ suggestions
- Be transparent
- Get creative with benefits
- Subsidized childcare or elder care
- Options to bring your child to work if your original childcare falls through
- Free credit counseling services
- Onsite yoga or meditation
- Paid time off for volunteering
- Ensure employees get respect
- Listen to employee concerns
- Celebrate successes
- Prioritize mental and physical well-being
- Invest in employees’ futures
- Create opportunities for employees to use and develop relevant skills
- Create an inviting workspace
Additional ways you might enhance your office space or promote the well-being of your employees include:
- Playing instrumental music
- Providing snacks
- Offering relaxation areas
- Scheduling team-building activities
- Encouraging breaks
- Offering discounts on wellness services or providing on-site access
The Role of Human Resources
DecisionWise says the human resources department bears responsibility to:
- Provide employees with the resources they need and support for success
- Structure opportunities for internal growth and development
- Create policies and programs that support employee engagement
Tips for implementation
Supporting the success of employees begins with providing inspirational and educational onboarding experiences, and following through with ongoing initiatives that boost employee satisfaction and thorough training (including the essentials for their primary role, but also training that fills them in on the company as a whole, explains the company’s values and goals and their role in executing them, clarifies employee benefits, and details the value of other employee-related programs), and career development planning.
It’s important that, whenever possible, the strategies implemented to improve employee satisfaction and engagement extend to your remote employees. Teams in diverse locations need to “still feel connected and able to voice any concerns,” wrote Brooks. “Scheduling regular one-on-one feedback sessions, hosting virtual team game nights or offering a stipend for memberships to at-home exercise programs” could be ways to make remote workers feel included and heard.
How Managers and Employees Contribute to Strong Employee Engagement
Of course, no implementation of employee engagement strategies is complete or successful without the ongoing support of management and the adoption and participation of individual employees.
According to DecisionWise, to help ensure sustained employee engagement, managers need to:
- Coach employees and create opportunities for growth and development
- Provide clear goals, expectations and frequent feedback to employees
- Create a positive team culture and perception of the organization as a whole
And to amplify and encourage employee engagement, employees should be willing to:
- Bring their unique set of values, priorities, needs and expectations to work
- Choose to engage (or not) based on their individual needs and expectations
- Be willing to take responsibility for personal growth and development
Tips for implementation
Take stock of your current strategies and identify areas for improvement. Is your onboarding experience exciting? Are your training programs thorough? Do employees feel safe at work or are there improvements you could be making? Do you talk about a company culture or do you encourage and exemplify it? If you have remote employees, do they feel included?
How are you encouraging employee engagement, satisfaction and retention? Does your employee benefits package go beyond the essentials/expected to show how much you care about your employees’ mental and financial health and well-being? Could you be doing more to protect your employees, properties, or cashflow? Learn more about the employEZ family of PEOs and reach out to see how we can help: info@employ-ez.com.
by Kaerrie Hall | Jul 25, 2024 | Employee Benefits, Human Resources
While many employees leave a job for a better salary, some leave in search of better work-life balance. Perhaps they’re trying to leave a toxic work environment that is adding undue stress. Some may feel their employer doesn’t respect their time off or make them feel like they can take time off. Others don’t feel appreciated or that their work has meaning.
Work-Life Balance Matters
Whatever the reason for the disharmony between work and home life, the desire to find harmony is high. Results from a workplace health and well-being survey conducted by The American Psychological Association showed:
- 92% of workers said it is very (57%) or somewhat (35%) important to them to work for an organization that values their emotional and psychological well-being.
- 92% find it important to work for an organization that provides support for employee mental health.
- 95% said it was important they feel respected at work.
- 95% said it was important for their employer to respect the boundaries between work and nonwork time.
In the same survey, 33% of workers said they do not have enough control over when, where and how they do their work. 32% said they don’t have enough flexibility at work to keep their work life and personal life in balance. And 26% said their employer doesn’t respect their personal boundaries.
Strategies to Improve Work-Life Balance for Employees
To improve work-life balance for your employees, consider these options where possible:
More Time
- Shorter work days. Recent articles in Forbes and Time tout the benefits of working four days per week. Employees are often happier and healthier (thanks to factors like better sleep and more time for exercise). Companies are rewarded with greater productivity and employee retention.
- Generous paid time off opportunities. Create a workplace culture where rest and adequate time off is encouraged, supported and respected. The benefits of taking time off include improved productivity, lower stress and better mental health. And according to The Human Capital Hub, “When employees have flexibility with time off, they are less likely to call in unexpectedly, allowing for more consistent coverage of responsibilities.”
- Flexible work schedules/remote work arrangements. “A flexible working arrangement is a top three motivator for finding a new job,” reports McKinsey & Company. Their study found the most common reasons for job hunting were, in this order:
- A desire for greater pay or more hours
- Better career opportunities
- A flexible work arrangement (e.g., remote work)
More Resources
- Mental health/well-being benefits, whether as part of their healthcare package and/or as support programs. Offering such benefits has been shown to help the employee and the company. The World Health Organization estimates that for every dollar US employers spend treating common mental health issues, they receive a return of $4 in improved health and productivity.
- Stress reduction programs. According to OSHA, 83% of US workers suffer from work-related stress and 54% report work stress affects their home life. But the benefits of reducing stress in the workplace include improved morale, increased productivity, better focus, fewer workplace injuries, fewer sick days, and better physical health (e.g., lower blood pressure, stronger immune system). OSHA offers a Workplace Stress Sample Survey to help companies gauge what workers need to support their mental health and reduce workplace stress. They also provide a myth buster sheet employers can post to encourage workers to speak up about workplace stress.
- Learning opportunities and programs that incorporate strategies for improving employee financial, physical and mental health. Consider providing access to:
- Education on topics like personal finances (free credit counseling services, ways to save for retirement, how to budget effectively), healthy eating habits and maintaining work-life balance
- Smoking cessation and weight loss programs
- Incentivized wellness programs.
What Steps Are You Taking?
Improving work-life balance starts with offering a great employee benefits package. Did you know a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) can help you offer affordable benefits to your employees? Benefit offerings include health insurance, life, dental, vision, 401(k) and more. Ask the employEZ family of PEOs how we make it EZ!
by Kaerrie Hall | May 13, 2024 | Human Resources
What’s keeping healthcare leaders up at night? Talent shortages and what the CDC calls “a mental health crisis” are some of the top HR concerns in healthcare. What else tops the list? Download our free infographic for insights into HR issues in healthcare and strategies to overcome them.
Overcoming the Top HR Concerns in Healthcare
Healthcare leaders, from small medical practices to large health systems, are managing stressed and overworked team members. They’re facing staffing and funding shortages. And they’re navigating complex business, regulatory and administrative challenges.
That’s not easy… but here’s what is:
Getting help from the employEZ family of Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs).
employEZ offers a full suite of HR outsourcing services to help your healthcare company:
Let’s discuss how we can help you overcome your top HR concerns. Reach out here to learn more.
by Kaerrie Hall | Apr 18, 2024 | Benefits of a PEO, Human Resources
There’s nothing more exciting than venturing out on your own, creating a business, and watching it grow. Soon, you’re attracting more customers to what you have to offer, and looking for more talent to help you deliver it. That’s great. But the bigger your company gets, the more you spend time managing it. That’s not a model for success. Here’s what is: Outsourcing HR-related services like HR administration, payroll processing, workers’ compensation, and employee benefits to a Professional Employer Organization (PEO).
Success with HR Outsourcing
That’s where we come in. The employEZ family of PEOs provides HR solutions and services that fit your business size and needs. Count on us to:
- Manage payroll processing and payroll tax reporting
- Provide claims management
- Stabilize your workers’ compensation costs
- Eliminate time-consuming HR administrative tasks
- Assist you with compliance in labor laws, OSHA, and other regulations
- Provide access to funding sources for your payroll
- Help you attract and retain top talent with comprehensive employee benefit packages, including healthcare insurance, dental, vision, and 401(k)
You’ll benefit from the relationships we’ve made with top companies, our purchasing power and our collective expertise.
Get Our Free Guide to HR Outsourcing
Want to know more about HR outsourcing through a PEO and the types of services they provide? Curious how companies like yours can benefit from having a co-employment relationship with a trusted PEO from the employEZ family of PEOs? Contact us today and request your free copy of our guide to HR outsourcing for small business success here: info.employ-ez.com/hr4smb.
