A healthy, motivated workforce benefits an organization in many ways, including less downtime and lower turnover. Employer-sponsored wellness programs enhance employee well-being and productivity while also aiding in the persistent challenge of hiring and retaining workers. For example, a 2021 Mercer study showed that worksite wellness centers are a popular benefit with a great ROI that underpins an organization’s safety culture and improves staff retention.Onsite wellness services contribute to employees’ health and safety by reducing workplace risk factors and decreasing worker discomfort and fatigue. Many employers now offer specialized services such as industry-specific ergonomics programs, safety audits to eliminate dangerous working conditions, and post-employment testing to place workers in appropriate jobs. Implementing early intervention strategies and onsite PT (physical therapy) services can reduce the number of musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries and also shorten injured workers’ recovery periods.

Tailoring wellness services to meet the unique needs of your workforce

However, there are no cookie-cutter employee wellness programs that work for everybody. Your organization is unique, and its size, industry, workforce demographics, and other parameters will influence which programs deliver the best results. When setting them up, it’s vital to keep your organization’s needs in mind and customize your wellness solutions accordingly.

As discussed in our Operationalizing Your Safety Culture blog series, managers need to complete the work of collecting worksite data, analyzing it to identify trends and injury rates, and establishing measurable goals for success. That way, you can fund services that address your employees’ physical health issues, whether that’s untreated MSK injuries, fatigue brought on by awkwardly designed workstations, or employees who need training on safe work practices.
Before hiring and consulting with a managed services provider, you should complete this analysis to define your priorities and set a budget.  Also, keep your organization’s objectives in mind, such as injury prevention, meeting corporate safety goals, and regulatory compliance. This step will allow you to make meaningful progress and help you quantitatively measure the program’s successes, shortcomings, and ROI.

Rather than settling for a preconfigured wellness program, ensure your service provider can tailor your site’s services, staffing, and costs to meet your situation today while still planning for future growth or emerging trends. Use your worksite’s data, employee feedback, and service provider’s expertise to formulate your priorities and guide your decision-making.

For example, if your organization is small or injury rates are low, perhaps all you currently need is a health provider to staff an onsite clinic part-time. However, suppose you have a large workforce with escalating rates of MSK injuries. In that case, you’d probably benefit from a broad range of services, including worksite audits, job coaching, ergonomic wellness programs, and full-time onsite physical therapists.

Choose a Partner That Offers Occupational Health Expertise and Flexibility

When investing in employee wellness services, you’ll want to partner with an experienced managed services provider with expertise in MSK therapy and a full portfolio of occupational health programs. Also, look for a provider who can fully manage your health service operations and deliverables, so you can focus on your business.

With 20+ years of experience and expertise in MSK injury prevention and treatment, WorkWell delivers comprehensive musculoskeletal health programs to keep your employees safe, healthy, and productive. We can customize a wellness plan that fits your budget and needs today but is poised to meet future demands.