Healthy Employees Are Happy Employees, Top 5 Workplace Wellness Trends in 2017

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Corporate wellness programs are no longer just a “fad,” they are here to stay. In order to keep wellness activities fresh, creativity and innovation is flourishing in this space. In 2017, the emphasis seems to be on a more holistic health approach. In particular, we are seeing a rise in employee flexibility, healthier work environments and improvements in technology.

Here’s our top five health trends:

  1. Flex Working – the trust and autonomy that goes hand in hand with flexible working hours goes a long way to delivering better work-life balances. Flexibility seems to be key to our happiness and wellbeing, we are all unique and have different responsibilities and schedules outside of the workplace. From flexible leave arrangements to physical work environments – through hot desking and collaborative workspaces – many impacts can be measured including increases in productivity and decreased levels of stress.
  2. Wellness Tools  – sleep pods, stand-up desks, treadmill desks and fitness apps are popular ways to physically improve wellbeing. Check out APPs like Keas, Workplace Challenge and Wellness Champion Hub that enable employees to record and track their exercise, nutrition and sleep against individual and team goals.
  3. Decline In Sit-Down Meetings – The stand-up meeting has also evolved into the walking meeting. Not only are these both great ways to get people on their feet and away from their desks, they can be highly productive and a more efficient use of time. With tasks designated, decisions made and information shared whilst on the go, many organisations are finding these quick daily or weekly catch-ups fit well into busy schedules.
  4. Giving Back – Providing opportunities for staff to fundraise for their favourite charities through organised events meets CSR objectives for organisations whilst creating feel-good outcomes for participants and beneficiaries alike. Some larger organisations take this to the next level and offer gift matching programs, ensuring staff realise the impact and value of their efforts. Consider also the food-drives, community working bees and used clothing/goods collections that many organisations run annually that make staff feel more connected to worthy causes.
  5. Healthy Snacks – As many companies do away with the traditional vending machines filled with sugar and salt based food groups, encouraging healthier eating choices as part of an overall wellness approach for staff is definitely on the increase. Fruit bowls, nuts, herbal teas and filtered water are fairly commonplace in most workplaces. For those who still love the idea of the vending machine convenience, try Apple Vending or All Real Food for some great options using fresh foods including gluten free.

This article is provided by Tour de Office Foundation. If you are looking for more ways to get your staff active and health aware at work, register for their webinar https://tourdeoffice.wufoo.com/forms/m1h9foki0cj5ntf/  or visit www.tourdeoffice.com