Sustainability and Worksite Wellness: What’s the Connection?

Because most adults spend most of their waking hours at work, a sustainable working environment is critical.  The work site, organizational culture and working environment are powerful influences on behavior.   Wellness programs have been uses as instruments to address weight reduction, reduced stress levels, improved physical fitness, health, and well being.  They may include fitness, recreation, social activities and programs to enhance intellectual and spiritual development.

If you think about it, you can’t help but notice the link between wellness programs and business sustainability programs.  However, wellness programs have traditionally been an add on program offered to employees whereas, business sustainability, at its highest level, is executed and embedded in the core business operations.

Notice the benefits cited for wellness programs and see if these don’t ring true for corporate responsibility executed in the workplace.

-  Enhanced recruitment and retention of healthy employees
-  Reduced health care costs
-  Decreased rates of illness and injuries
-  Reduced employee absenteeism
-  Improved employee relations and morale
-  Increased productivity

Sustainable business strategies embedded in the core operations of a business captures the benefits a wellness program aims to make and more.

-  Improve Business Reputation
-  Create Brand Differentiation
-  Capture Industry Synergies with other Sustainable Businesses
-  Reduce Business Cost
-  Improve Employee Satisfaction and Retention
-  Lead Your Industry in Best Practices
-  Improved Stakeholder Engagement
-  Respond to Consumer Eco-Preferences
-  Proactive Measures regarding Environmental Legislation

Providing employees with wellness programs not only provides them a way to improve their health, but it also demonstrates corporate social responsibility.  Businesses taking it to the next step are integrating sustainability plans into the core business.

Take for example the benefits of a bike commuting program for business.  It qualifies as alternative transportation, a contributor to a wellness program and also reduces emissions addressed by a corporate sustainability plan.  There are benefits to the bike commuters as well.  Not only are employees expanding eco awareness in the community and within the business, they are also elevating their moods, saving money, and improving well being.  Explore the ways your organizations worksite wellness programs can extend your sustainability initiatives to provide greater value.