Do you have a tight budget? (or maybe zero budget?)
There are initiatives and programs you can introduce at your worksite that just take a bit of planning and can have a positive impact on employee well-being, at no cost to you.
- Your insurance carrier likely has a host of health and wellbeing content you can apply at your worksite, like wellness tips and health news.
- If your organization offers a Behavioral Health or Employee Assistance Program (EAP), these providers also offer information, newsletters and learning sessions (on-site, on-demand or virtual) on mental health and wellbeing.
- Retirement plans frequently offer the similar services.
2. Outside of benefits, get creative with what your local community can offer:
Work with a local farmer to become a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) drop site. By being a drop-site, the farm drops off ‘shares’ of their produce/goods to the worksite that employees purchase. Some farms operate by a subscription service, others can place weekly orders. You can find your local CSA here >
Create an on-site or virtual health fair, bringing together local businesses that specialize in personal health. (Gyms, nutritionists, healthcare providers)
Look for opportunities to volunteer as an organization, whether through a food or coat drive, be sure to offer volunteer paid time off for employees to participate.
3. Finally, take a look within your organization and see where wellness can fit in, by providing:
A quiet room where an employee can take a private break, meditate, cry or just catch their breath
A safe, dry location to store bicycles
Access to clean water (many water filtration systems are economically priced to fit a building’s needs)
Local trail maps or walking paths. You can even create your own with mileage markers from the worksite to paths around the neighborhood.
Health Champions - most organizations have individuals that are super into fitness, eating well or just overall well-being. Health Champions can engage and promote wellness program initiatives and events, bring energy, and positively impact an organization's culture.
Set up Employee Resource Groups (ERG’s) to strengthen your workplace culture and positively impact employee morale, mental health and wellbeing. (Read more about ERG's here >)