Cover Story
Corporate Wellness and Fitness
Its Importance and Essential Features :
Our cover story for this edition focuses on the Importance and Relevance of corporate wellness program, the six dimensional theory of Corporate wellness and the immense benefits that a well- structured program an offer employees and employees.
Definition of Wellness
The condition of good physical and mental health, especially when actively maintained
by proper diet, exercise, and avoidance of risky behavior.(American Heritage Dictionary)
Wellness means more than simply not being ill; it focuses on keeping your body in good condition so it runs more efficiently and you stay well longer. True wellness is proactive; recognize that you have mental, physical and social needs to operate at top functionality.
Definition of Wellness Program:
A wellness program is any program implemented by an employer to improve the health of its labor force. A good wellness program also helps individual employees overcome specific health-related issues. You can provide mandatory staff training, employee seminars or even operate through a third-party provider with a range of programs. Often, employers are willing to foot the bill because health and wellness directly affect productivity and profits.
Essentials while designing a Corporate Wellness Program:
A well implemented Corporate wellness is characterized by Engagement, motivation, support and strategy. If employees are not involved in the solution, it’s difficult to succeed. Preventable wellness is a complete lifestyle and behavior change and change takes time and commitment.
· Individuals / employees are becoming more and more health conscious. But due to higher stress, longer work days and constant multitasking, it is more difficult to find the time to act on wellness goals. Creating an on-site wellness program is important because the majority of an employee’s time is spent at the workplace.
· Many chronic diseases like heart disease, obesity etc are preventable. The only way to prevent disease is with actionable steps to halt progression. Old habits are certainly difficult t break but when a person shown the benefits consistently and he/she is able to commit consciouslyprogress is possible. An employee wellness program needs to address this through consistent education and layers of accountability.
· Corporate wellness need not be dull and boring. Creating unique and dynamic programs that consistently evolve over time ensure the best possibility of long term success. Human beings need to be challenge and stimulated in different ways and different means to create change. Challenge your program to stay on the latest trends.
· Healthcare costs are rising year after year. It is becoming a big burden on employers.More often than not, the costs are borne by employees leading to more stress and dissatisfaction. But healthier employees can actually help their own bottom line. Some employers are now lowering employee’s contributions with rebates if they do participate in a wellness program.
· Corporate wellness is a complex, long-term play. The success of corporate wellness is driven by the unique strategy behind it. It involves a framework that outlines short and long-term goals for the employee and the employer.
A successful program takes time and constantly evolves and can be adapted into the company’s culture.
The key challenge of implementing a long term, strategic, successful corporate wellness program lies in its execution.The best wellness programs bring the built environment, company policies, and leadership messaging under a single mission of wellness.Wellness needs to be done with employees, not to them, or the effects won’t last. When employees feel a system is their own, engagement increases.
Let’s encourage workplace wellness programs to ensure a healthier tomorrow.
The Six Dimensions of Wellness Model:
(Developed by Dr. Bill Hettler, co-founder of the National Wellness Institute (NWI),USA )
OCCUPATIONAL
The occupational dimension recognizes personal satisfaction and enrichment in one’s life through work.. Traveling a path toward your occupational wellness, you’ll contribute your unique gifts, skills, and talents to work that is both personally meaningful and rewarding. You’ll convey your values through your involvement in activities that are gratifying for you. Occupational wellness follows these tenets:
• It is better to choose a career which is consistent with our personal values, interests, and beliefs than to select one that is unrewarding to us.
• It is better to develop functional, transferable skills through structured involvement opportunities than to remain inactive and uninvolved.
PHYSICAL
The physical dimension recognizes the need for regular physical activity. Physical development encourages learning about diet and nutrition while discouraging the use of tobacco, drugs and excessive alcohol consumption. Optimal wellness is met through the combination of good exercise and eating habits.
As you travel the wellness path, you’ll strive to spend time building physical strength, flexibility and endurance while also taking safety precautions so you may travel your path successfully, including medical self-care and appropriate use of a medical system.
The physical dimension of wellness entails personal responsibility and care for minor illnesses , heeding your body’s warning signs and also knowing when professional medical attention is needed. The physical benefits of looking good and feeling terrific most often lead to the psychological benefits of enhanced self-esteem, self-control, determination and a sense of direction.
Physical wellness follows these tenets:
• It is better to consume foods and beverages that enhance good health rather than those which impair it.
• It is better to be physically fit than out of shape
SOCIAL
The social dimension encourages contributing to one’s environment and community. It emphasizes the interdependence between others and nature. As you travel a wellness path, you’ll become more aware of your importance in society as well as the impact you have on multiple environments. You’ll actively seek ways to preserve the beauty and balance of nature along the pathway as you discover the power to make willful choices to enhance personal relationships and important friendships, and build a better living space and community.
Social wellness follows these tenets:
• It is better to contribute to the common welfare of our community than to think only of ourselves.
• It is better to live in harmony with others and our environment than to live in conflict with them.
INTELLECTUAL
The intellectual dimension recognizes one’s creative, stimulating mental activities. Traveling a wellness path, you’ll explore issues related to problem solving, creativity, and learning. You’ll spend more time pursuing personal interests and reading books, magazines, and newspapers, while keeping abreast of current issues and ideas. As you develop your intellectual curiosity, you’ll actively strive to expand and challenge your mind with creative endeavors.
Intellectual wellness follows these tenets:
• It is better to stretch and challenge our minds with intellectual and creative pursuits than to become selfsatisfied and unproductive.
• It is better to identify potential problems and choose appropriate courses of action based on available information than to wait, worry, and contend with major concerns later.
SPIRITUAL
The spiritual dimension recognizes our search for meaning and purpose in human existence. It includes the development of a deep appreciation for the depth and expanse of life and natural forces that exist in the universe. While traveling the path, you may experience many feelings of doubt, despair, fear, disappointment and dislocation, as well as feelings of pleasure, joy, happiness and discovery. These are all important experiences and components to your search and will be displayed in the value system you will adapt to bring meaning to your existence. You’ll know you’re becoming spiritually well when your actions become more consistent with your beliefs and values, resulting in a “world view.”
Spiritual wellness follows these tenets:
• It is better to ponder the meaning of life for ourselves and to be tolerant of the beliefs of others than to close our minds and become intolerant.
• It is better to live each day in a way that is consistent with our values and beliefs than to do otherwise and feel untrue to ourselves.
EMOTIONAL
The emotional dimension recognizes awareness and acceptance of one’s feelings. Emotional wellness includes the degree to which one feels positive and enthusiastic about one’s self and life. It includes the capacity to manage one’s feelings and related behaviors including the realistic assessment of one’s limitations, development of autonomy, and ability to cope effectively with stress. The well person maintains satisfying relationships with others. Awareness of, and accepting a wide range of feelings in yourself and others is essential to wellness. On the wellness path, you’ll be able to express feelings freely and manage feelings effectively. You’ll be able to arrive at personal choices and decisions based upon the synthesis of feelings, thoughts, philosophies, andbehavior. You’ll be able to form interdependent relationships with others based upon a foundation of mutual commitment, trust, and respect. You’ll take on challenges, take risks, and recognize conflict as being potentially healthy. Managing your life in personally rewarding ways, and taking responsibility for your actions, will help you see life as an exciting, hopeful adventure.
Emotional wellness follows these tenets:
• It is better to be aware of and accept our feelings than to deny them.
• It is better to be optimistic in our approach to life than pessimistic.
Applying the Six Dimensions of Wellness Model
By applying the model, a person becomes aware of the interconnectedness of each dimension and how they contribute to healthy living. This holistic model explains:
• how a person contributes to his or her environment and community, and how to build better living spaces and social networks;
• the enrichment of life through work, and its interconnectedness to living and playing;
• the development of belief systems, values, and creating a world-view;
• the benefits of regular physical activity, healthy eating habits, strength and vitality, as well as personal responsibility, self-care and when to seek medical attention;
• self-esteem, self-control, and determination as a sense of direction;
• creative and stimulating mental activities, and sharing your gifts with others. A
Applying a wellness approach can be useful in nearly every human endeavor. As a pathway to optimal living, wellness is being applied to related fields, such as health promotion and holistic health, and has seen a growth in “helping professions” including counseling and medical arts and practices.