According to a piece from Employee Benefit News by Leah Carlson Shepherd: "small businesses can benefit from wellness initiatives."

Normally associated with larger companies, wellness programs aim to keep workers healthy and active, as personal wellness is believed to be linked with productivity. However, Brian Passon disagrees with that general association saying that small businesses "typically get higher rates of participation" and generally do not "have to work as hard in implementing the programs."

Instead of creating an onsite fitness center, gym and/or track, small businesses can partake in these programs with customized components. For example, sharing a fitness company or consultant with another small business. Beyond on-site health screenings or educational classes, programs can focus on healthy cooking, smoking cessation, or even fitness incentive contests.

Ultimately these sorts of programs encourage that long-term commitment is key to personal wellness, as it is with employment-related productivity. Quick fixes, nor unmotivated workers, need not apply.

Labels: Health, Human Resources, Small Businesses