Workplace Wellness Technologies Every Employer Can Benefit From

The key to increasing employee engagement and participation in your wellness program is by utilizing well-being technology.

It’s no secret that workplace wellness programs improve employee health, increase productivity, and drive employer branding. That’s why 64% of employers offered stress management programs in 2019.

However, convincing employees to actually take advantage of a wellness program is a significant challenge, considering 63% of employees surveyed said they are unwilling to devote more than an hour a day to wellness activities.

One way to overcome this challenge is to utilize technology to monitor, promote, and reward employee wellness achievements. In this article we explore the benefits of wellness technology in the workplace and list workplace wellness technologies that every employer can benefit from.

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Benefits of Well-Being Technology in the Workplace

What are the benefits of incorporating well-being technology into the workplace? For the answer, we turn to a study conducted by the Berkeley Interdisciplinary Center for Healthy Workplaces.

The study, titled Health Technology in the Workplace: Leveraging technology to protect and improve worker health, looked at how technology can interface with the structure and operation of a workplace to create a healthier workforce. 

Improve the Work Experience and Outcomes

In the study, researchers determined that, “Integrating technology into the workplace that aims to improve worker health and well-being will ultimately improve the work experience and outcomes, such as job satisfaction and productivity.” 

Make a Real Difference in Employee Well-Being

Berkley researchers also used their study to explore how companies are likely to adopt emerging technologies to promote healthier work behaviors. They found that, “Above all, employers can make a substantial difference in employee well-being by encouraging workers to use health-related mobile technology, apps, and wearables.” 

Workplace Wellness Technologies That Every Employer Can Benefit From

When we think about workplace and health technology, we might consider wearable devices or smartphone apps, but there are a wide range of wellness and workplace-related technologies that support health management programs, such as:

• Platforms
• Trackers
• Workforce Monitoring
• Coaching and Consultation
• Occupational Health Systems

That said, there is no one-size-fits-all technology solution for workplace wellness. However, there are workplace wellness technologies that every employer can benefit from. 

1. Accessible Programs 

When it comes to employer wellness programs, technology is the hot-button topic. As robust as technology is, however, it’s only half of the wellness equation. The other half is motivating employees to make healthy choices.

Providing in-person expert support can help you deliver a more customized program that connects with employees on an emotional level. Unfortunately, that task is much easier said than done. 

Convenient Wellness Solutions 

• One benefit of workplace wellness technology is that it makes wellness programs more accessible to employees. This makes it easier for them to choose their own benefits and access healthcare, activities, coaching, and training opportunities whenever needed. 

Digital Solutions for Flexible Working Arrangements

• Modern wellness technologies (e.g., kiosks, wearable devices, corporate wellness and smartphone apps, etc.) can also help facilitate flexible working arrangements, which is especially relevant in the age of COVID-19. 

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A recent survey report on flexible work arrangements from Willis Towers Watson shows that employees have “significantly more positive views around their work/life balance and greater engagement with their jobs when they can work more flexibly.”

2. On-Demand Support

With the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting quarantine, there has been a push to raise awareness about mental health and overcome the negative stigma that prevents employees from seeking the help they need. 

This is where support resources like Healbright can help, providing on-demand access to hundreds of videos by mental health professionals on topics like:

• Parenting
• Relationships
• Sexuality
• Anxiety and Depression
• Mindfulness
• Resiliency
• Positive Psychology
• Grief & Loss
• And more

3. Personalized Health Coaching

A benefit of workplace wellness technology that is often overlooked (or sometimes combined with on-demand support) is personalized health coaching, which helps employees identify, set, and achieve health goals. Telehealth allows employees to have health coaching at their fingertips creating more flexibility and from the comfort of their own homes. 

Personalized health coaching has also been shown to have a positive impact on quality of life indicators, reduce stress, and produce better health outcomes in:

• Total cholesterol
• Serum triglycerides 
• High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol
• Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol 
• Systolic blood pressure (SBP) 
• Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) 
• FBG 
• Weight 
• BMI
• Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) 
• Patient satisfaction

4. Data and Predictive Analytics for Workplace Healthcare Programs

The data and predictive analytics that is provided to employers, such as program participation, absenteeism, and specific wellness benchmarks such as; smoking, weight/obesity and fitness can provide insight into the health and well-being of the employees, successful incentive programs, and further personalized programs.

With innovative tech like, CoreHealth’s well-being technology, you can give your company a competitive advantage and grow your business/revenue by effectively helping employers maximize employee health, engagement, and productivity.