More Than a Trend: Inclusive DEI and an Organizational Culture of Wellness

In the past few years, employee wellness programs have transformed from a nice additional program, into an essential part of an employee benefits package. Ahead of National Wellness Month in August, we’re sharing strategies to boost a culture of wellness, improve hiring and retention, and improve supportive resources within your organization. 

Culture is king: Research from MIT finds that a toxic corporate culture is 10x more likely to increase turnover than rates of compensation. Most health and wellness leaders have heard the term “culture of care” - and it's absolutely essential that leaders embody this to boost culture and overall organizational success.

A multifaceted, intentional employee wellness strategy, tailored to your specific organization and workforce, is needed. Here, we share four emerging topics that are essential to maintaining competitive - and effective - wellness benefits and organizational culture. More than a trend, these strategies are grounded in wellness and focused on the long-term health and success of workforces and organizations. 

Flexible work

Almost 60% of employees who intend to leave their jobs say that lack of flexibility is one reason they're leaving. Allowing employees to choose the hours they work and the option to work remotely (when possible) adds to work-life balance, a culture of trust, and boosts retention. And in a surprise to many, remote workers are actually more productive than in-office workers. Flexible schedules or remote work is not a threat to productivity, but a benefit to overall wellness. 

Improved benefits & employee wellness programs 

About 80% of U.S. businesses now offer wellness benefits. But while wellness has gone mainstream, it's not enough jsut to ffer the same program over and over. Instead, it's important to continually reassess current solutions to ensure it meets the needs of an evolving workforce. It also means removing less helpful solutions, and guiding participants to the most helpful resources for their individual needs. Updated wellness technology can make this smooth and simple. 

Thoughtful and Inclusive DEI

An organizational commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is also essential to retain a new generation of employees who prioritize organizational values that match their own (sometimes even more than compensation). The focus on inclusive programming and DEI has grown since Gen Z has entered the workforce.  Additionally, improving DEI directly impacts the health and well-being of a workforce, and it should be viewed as part of employee experience and well-being.

Organizational culture

Culture is set by organizational leadership: happiness and healthy habits can be infectious and have a top-down effect. All it takes is one person to bring up or bring down the mood of the entire team. Happy employees are more creative and collaborative. They also have more positive interactions with clients and customers, which improves customer service and client experience, improving organizational outcomes overall.

And, workers make better decisions when they're not anxious or stressed, according to a Swarthmore College study. They’re also less likely to quit: happy employees have higher job satisfaction and are in no hurry to leave (and likely won’t be easily tempted away by a competitor). When it comes to employee retention, culture is key. 

This National Wellness Month, take the opportunity to reassess your employee wellness program. Is it inclusive of all participants? Does it allow for flexible work options? Does it encourage a happy, healthy organizational culture? A continually evolving, updated wellness program doesn't have to be overwhelming. With the right partners it can be smooth and simple. 

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