Wellness Program Research Paper

Reflection #2

It seems as if more and more Americans are getting sick. With obesity rates steadily climbing with an endless peek. It’s forcing us into a widespread epidemic; leaving one-third of the population overweight. Unfortunately obesity never comes alone. The effects of this self-inflicting disease can greatly lower someone mental health. While also increasing their chances of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke and chronic illness. Leaving us to ask, if you’re sick how can you work? We are now forced to adjust the way the workplace is ran to face this epidemic.
Wellness programs are starting rise across the country. With a birth during the late 19000’s, corporations are now heavily invested in this practice to mainly reduce health care cost of their employers. But their issues. Seems to be a lack of participation amongst employees. Why might that be? Well first you are not giving the option of participating if you want to, but forced. You have absolutely no say as an employee of the corporation.

Secondly you can be fined for poor health habits like smoking. Thirdly it may violate your right to privacy and anti-discrimination laws under legal protections of the workplace. And lastly which may be the most important reason of them all. You can be fired for not making the cut of the assigned goal at hand.
But according to serval studies corporate wellness programs can reduce health care cost.

Decrease the rate of illness and diseases. Increase employee relation, morale and much more. So how can you get your employees excited about this new activity if you are new starting CEO? Well start by leading by example. Engage in the wellness program along with everybody else. They say “monkey see monkey do”. And if they don’t see your participation many will question why are we doing this if you aren’t. As a CEO you are more heavily invested in this company than any other employee. So it would only make sense to be engaged. Give out periodic rewards to employees that make any set of goals. We all want a reward when completing a task. Added bonuses at the end of each stage will make people more motivated to finish. But most importantly just express the direct benefit it will have on your health. We all want a long prosperous life. I don’t know who can say no to

that.
It takes time to build up these corporate wellness programs and your first shot at it may not be successful. Instead of being so quick to wave the white flag try again but implement these tools the second time around. First develop realistic goals! Goals the average person can achieve while also managing a work schedule. Then go on to constantly monitor everyone progress, don’t just check in at the very end. Keep an open window of communication that should readily available to everyone. And lastly adjust projects when they need to be adjusted. Nothing ever goes as planned. Be prepared to make changes to the schedule. By maybe extending a deadline of a certain goal. Or even getting rid of certain aspect of the program to accommodate everybody.