Employees today are facing much higher levels of stress than ever before. The sad reality is that as fast as levels of stress are increasing, levels of fitness are steadily declining. People in all positions and professions are expected to drive longer commutes, perform more tasks, devote more hours and endure more stress. All of these factors contribute to the decline of overall employee health. An answer to this ever growing problem is found in worksite health promotion.

Worksite health promotion involves encouraging the overall well-being of all employees with an important focus on improving mental wellness. Employees who are over-stressed or mentally exhausted are unable to perform well. They suffer an inability to concentrate, make unnecessary errors and exercise poor judgment. They may also experience bouts of depression which can lead to clinical depression if not diagnosed and treated in the early stages. Stressed employees tend to be more irritable and less patient with each other which have obvious negative repercussions on any company. Worksite health promotion can incorporate programs aimed at relieving some of the pressure and stress experienced by employees at all levels.

Encouraging the physical health or fitness of employees is another important aspect of worksite health promotion. Employees who are overweight and eat poorly are often lethargic, unhealthy and prone to illness and accidents. In addition unhealthy employees accumulate significantly more sick hours than their healthy coworkers. Worksite health promotion should include assisting all levels of employees to take care of themselves physically. Employees who are physically fit and eat properly will make better decisions, miss less time from work and experience a much lower rate of illness and accidents. Employees who start maintaining a healthier lifestyle will notice remarkable improvements in their mental alertness, disposition and stamina in a relatively short period of time.

Employers who believe in worksite health promotion should also implement avenues to assist employees suffering from problems of abuse or addiction. Employees suffering from addictions often find that the negative effects on their personal lives eventually start to appear at their workplace. Some companies may choose to implement a zero-tolerance policy for drugs, alcohol or smoking. Others will take a more proactive approach to worksite health promotion; they may offer on-site counselors who are able to encourage employees to quit smoking, gambling, drinking or using drugs. They may want to provide resources that will help battered women or individuals suffering from anger management. Using worksite health promotion to help as many of your employees as possible to overcome their addictions will greatly benefit the entire company.

Worksite health promotion involves encouraging both the mental health of your employees as well as their physical health. There is a direct correlation between physical and mental health and companies are starting to realize the importance of encouraging the overall well-being of their employees. It is never too late to incorporate worksite health promotion as one of your company's goals. Employers need to remember that healthy, happy employees are much more productive employees.


About the author: John Payton a staff writer for http://www.wellnessproposals.com, located in Winston Salem, NC. His company is a one of a kind, independent wellness consulting agency which assists groups in their search for affordable wellness programming. Utilizing their fast, free, no risk, no obligation proposal service groups can receive proposals from up to 30 different wellness companies. John's work can also be found on http://www.infinitewellnesssolutions.com.




Health, Wellness, Corporate Wellness, Wellness Programs, Employees Health, Worksite Health Promotion