Published on : Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Corporate Wellness 365™, a division of Spafinder Wellness, Inc.®, today released findings of a survey of North American employees[1] indicating that if businesses want to get workers engaged with, and stick to, new, healthy behaviors, they need to provide them with access to a broader range of fitness/wellness activities that go beyond a traditional gym membership.
The survey found roughly nine in 10 employees who tried a new fitness/wellness activity felt inspired to continue it on a consistent basis (86%), plus, try other healthy classes/activities (93%). Over 90% returned to the new activity, with 33% continuing it regularly and of those that made it a regular health regime, 85% said it made them feel better physically; 72% indicated it made them mentally healthier/less stressed; and 38% said they were more productive and happier at work.
However, the survey also found corporate wellness programs are not doing enough to encourage employees to experiment with new classes/activities. Employees in corporate wellness programs were only modestly more likely (64%) to have ever been gifted/given free fitness or wellness activities than employees in companies without one (56%).
“Our goal is to partner with businesses to help foster a culture of health in the workplace, with products that motivate employees to live a healthier lifestyle and help them stick to healthy activities—long-term,” said Claudia Rimerman, senior vice president of Corporate Wellness 365. “The results of this new survey provide fresh evidence that employers need to offer a broader range of fitness/wellness activities. And the data clearly shows that when people try a variety of wellness activities, the vast majority reports they’re motivated to try more.”
KEY FINDINGS:
Fatigue & Job Stress Top Productivity Killers: Employees reported on the top obstacles to their work productivity: 1) overall fatigue (55%); 2) job stress (52%); 3) not enough time in a day to accomplish tasks (47%); 4) poor sleep (45%); 5) financial worries (36%); 6) family stress (29%); 7) management doesn’t understand workload/stress levels (23%); and 8) recurring aches/pains/medical ailments (21%). While fatigue and job stress were the top productivity killers for employees with and without a corporate wellness program, the “without” were more likely to cite fatigue (61% vs. 52%) and job stress (60% vs. 55%).
Employees’ Top Stress Alleviators: The survey asked employees to personally weigh in on how 12 activities (from cross training to swimming) worked to alleviate their stress/anxiety, aches and pains, high blood pressure, ailments from injuries/surgery and chronic conditions like diabetes.
With stress a top work productivity killer—and with a large, respected medical study stating even moderate stress is associated with a 40% increased risk of death[2]—the efficacy rates of various wellness approaches in reducing employees’ own anxiety was eye-opening. The top five reported: nature/outdoor activities (98% effective); meditation/mindfulness (94%); cardio (93%); massage (92%); and yoga (91%).
Freedom of Choice Drives Persistency: Ninety-one percent of employees that have received a gift of a fitness/wellness activity tried the activity again, with 27% reporting they now do it on a consistent basis. (And these numbers are relatively consistent for employees with or without a corporate wellness program.) Beyond gifts, 65% of employees report they have tried a new fitness/wellness activity on their own in the last year (35% have not). And when employees have that wide freedom of choice, 89% tried it again, with an even higher 39% now doing it on a regular basis. So, an average of 33% of employees that tried a new wellness activity (from a gift or on their own) have stuck with it.
“This new research validates what Spafinder Wellness, Inc., has been committed to for years—helping people find their own path to wellness,” said Chief Brand Officer Mia Kyricos. “With our new Corporate Wellness 365 division, we are excited to bring the power of our network of 20,000-plus wellness locations, offering fitness, yoga, massage, Pilates and more, to businesses around the globe.”
Source:- Corporate Wellness
Tags: Corporate Wellness
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