It is rightly said that to win in the marketplace, you must first win in the workplace. Simon Sinek says, “Happy employees ensure happy customers and happy customers ensure happy stakeholders – in that order”
Recently, health and wellness has recently received much attention of the employees and the employees. When we look for a position in any company, one of the thing that all applicants consider is the culture and environment of the organization. Other than cultivating an atmosphere of learning and creativity, all employees want their health-related problems to be covered and taken care of.
Quality healthcare means that employees get safe, clinically cost-effective and efficient health services. In recent times, health care costs have sky-rocketed and continue to increase, hence employers and employees of private and government organizations are always looking out for ways to manage costs of preventive health and wellness programs to help maintain and improve employees’ wellbeing so as to reduce health risks at work. By addressing health-related issues on time, organizations alsoaim to save on long-term health costs. By offering health facilities to employees, employers are able to promote a healthier and more productive work environment, can reduce health care costs, increase employee retention, and establish a positive employer-employee relationship which can positively lead to greater job satisfaction.
In this regard, the human resource professionals also play a key role in designing and managing wellness programs at workplace. After a thorough and careful analysis of the needs and requirements of the employees, the HR department may advocate the establishment of health programs by also consulting the experts for designing suitable strategies for implementing successful health and wellness programs. Periodic assessment of these programs must also be carried out with comparison drawn against global standards of health care facilities provided by intenational organizations. The program must include feedback from the employees based on which recommendations must be made for implementing improvements in health and wellness programs.
Benefits of Health and Wellness Programs
There are several benefits that a company gets due to health and wellness programs
1. Employees feel that they are taken care of.
2. Good health ensures motivated employees
3. A sense of solidarity and belongingness is created among the employees.
4. Good health ensures less absenteeism
5. Happy and healthy employees= healthy customers= happy stakeholders
Some large budgetcompanies offer health management programs to employees and their families by providing convenient access to medical care, while other companies have limited or low-budget health programs that offer medical care at the workplace for employees only. Employees are rendered both occupational and non-occupational illnesses services by the company physician and are later suggested appropriate treatment plan and follow-up sessions. An early diagnosis and treatment ensures happy and healthy employees and greater productivity for the organization which ultimately benefits the employer by resulting in reduced absence rates.
With the recent trend of late working hours in private organizations in Pakistan, employers hardly get time to address minor health and wellness related problems. In these troublesome times amidst the Covid -19, private organizations must take measures to provide quality health services to its employees. Another factor which is affecting the lives of employees is work-life balance and mental wellness – these issues must be given due importance and attention by the employers.
AAA Associates not only strongly believes in corporate social responsibility by initiating youth programs but is also an advocate of providing premium facilities and benefits to its employees. AAA Associates has established an inhouse clinic for its employees where general practitioners and specialized doctors provide free checkup to all employees. These clinics are equipped to handle basic medical care for minor and immediate services like first aid and minor infections. Employees can walk in for routine check-ups at any time – both during day and night.
