Companies like Google, Facebook and Accenture, along with many other leading players in various sectors, have taken big steps to make health and wellness an integral part of their corporate strategy. This has brought them great results and inspired others to follow the same path.
In 2019, employee health and wellness has become a hot topic across the globe. With each passing day, more and more businesses are introducing new employee wellness policies to keep their workforce healthy and motivated. If you’re looking to build a workplace culture that brings employees together and makes them more productive and satisfied at work, it’s worth considering introducing wellness initiatives.
Organisations have two choices: you can do it yourself or enlist the help of an agency experienced with organising corporate away days in your area. But what exactly are the benefits of wellness away days for both your employees and your business?
Improved Productivity
There is no doubt that physical workouts lead to a positive mindset and better productivity. When you get your employees engaged in outdoor activities, their adrenaline levels peak, which results in a higher productivity level. This can translate into immediate improvements in the workplace, in the form of fewer idle hours, increased focus, improved service to clients and more.
Stronger Bonding among Employees
Teamwork is an essential factor when it comes to succeeding in the corporate sector — or, indeed, any sector. You may think that watercooler conversations can be detrimental, for example, but they form a vital part of employee bonding. Staff members who form healthy and positive relationships come to work with an enhanced sense of belonging and happiness, which is only going to benefit the work they do for you. It’s no surprise, then, that many organisations introduce several work modules that help their employees work comfortably as part of a team. Studies show that a lack of bonding among employees deprives them of the opportunity to “gel” with each other, and it can have adverse effects on your organisation’s overall output and results.
Regular wellness away day activities can ensure that this isn’t a reality in your business. When you frequently organise such events, you give employees an opportunity to engage with each other informally, break the ice, and become friends with each other. This will improve their ability to work together and allows them to maintain lasting professional relations. Encouraging sociability in the workplace can even improve your employees’ satisfaction at work, making it an important retention factor that can keep your turnover rate low.
Lower Healthcare Expenses
Businesses are increasingly moving from the traditional nine-to-five routine, which makes it even more important that you take care of your employees’ health. Even if they’re not able to prioritise their self-care due to a busy schedule, a monthly wellness away day activity can help them take stock, and benefit their physical and mental health. In the long run, this can help improve work-life balance and significantly reduce the healthcare expenses incurred by your firm.
Less Stress, Better Performance
Work can be stressful, it’s as simple as that. This is more so the case for client-facing roles fraught with tight deadlines, which can put employees under tremendous pressure. This can sometimes damage their work performance and confidence level.
Unfortunately, stress is unavoidable, but it can be managed. Wellness away day activities conducted regularly can teach employees techniques to better manage stress, preventing it from taking a toll on their mental health and helping them perform better in the workplace. Of course they also offer a break from their day-to-day role, providing a chance to have some fun and take their mind off their to-do list!
A Sense of Accomplishment
When employees don’t feel appreciated at work and aren’t recognised by senior management, they won’t feel motivated to give their all. A little acknowledgement from their superiors can make a huge difference and make employees feel valued, encouraging them to set the bar higher. In this case, wellness away day activities serve the purpose of not only improving your business but also as a reward for hard-working staff.
Engaging employees in enjoyable activities can boost morale, and cultivate a sense of accomplishment and belonging. You’ll soon start noticing an improvement in their on-site behaviour and work performance as a result.
In short, wellness away day activities have become an invaluable part of today’s tiring corporate lifestyle, and with employers increasingly recognising the value in promoting a healthy work-life balance, they may soon be an inevitable component of an organisation’s workplace culture.
