How to Build a Healthy Workforce?

Few would have given serious thought to the importance of employee health before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. But as the saying goes, “a healthy mind lives in a healthy body.” Businesses are now providing more emphasis on employee welfare as healthier employees increase workplace productivity and build a conducive environment for the business to grow.

With technology providing solutions to almost all problems, people’s lifestyles have become more sedentary, giving rise to the risk of lifestyle diseases. Thus, employers must create awareness among their employees about maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Why is it important to have a healthy workforce?

Employees are the biggest asset of any enterprise. If these assets do not perform well, the business loses its growth prospects. So, a healthy workforce is the most important asset for a business. Here are the benefits of having healthy employees.

Reduced absenteeism: Absenteeism refers to employees taking frequent and prolonged leaves due to medical conditions. If an organization’s employees remain on frequent leaves, it is bound to suffer. It hampers the continuity and quality of work. Thus, a healthy workforce can reduce absenteeism and promote dedication among the employees.

Better performance & productivity: Healthy employees can direct more attention to their work and become excellent team leaders and players. Such employees build their personal growth with the growth of their organizations. Hence, a healthy workforce improves employee performance and productivity.

Business growth: The key to the growth of an organization is the efficiency and performance of its employees. Employees need to be built into future leaders for a business to grow and sustain itself in the long run. Only healthy employees can step forward and take on more responsibilities. Hence, having a healthy workforce can help your business to grow.

Work-life balance: The biggest challenge in today’s world is maintaining a proper work-life balance. Due to extended working hours and stressful working conditions, healthy employees are more equipped to execute their responsibilities properly. This is because they are committed to maintaining a healthy lifestyle along with balancing their workload.

Why should employers think about employee welfare?

In the past, when employee health was not given proper importance, employees found it difficult to manage a good work-life balance. This has repelled much of the workforce and encouraged them to resign from their jobs. The pandemic has developed a workforce that prefers freelance or work-from-home opportunities, which helps them maintain flexibility of timing and work according to their preferences. 

If employers take measures toward employee welfare, they can retain their employees and ensure active employee participation, increased performance, and sustainable growth in their business. If you want your employees to keep up the good work, meaning good productivity, they must feel a sense of security and job satisfaction.

Steps to ensure employee welfare

How can a business ensure the health and wellbeing of its employees? What steps should an organization follow to build a healthy workforce and encourage them to maintain a healthy lifestyle? Here are some of the key steps that you can take to improve the well-being of your employees.

1. Train Employees through Health Workshops: An organization needs to publicize the benefits of good health among its employees. Hence, specialized sessions can be arranged with experts who can train the employees on how they can maintain good health and hygiene and prevent themselves from serious diseases.
2. Upgrade Your Workspace: Many businesses in India operate without keeping proper sanitation and working conditions. Organizations can promote a good working environment by planning workspaces and assigning clear-cut responsibilities. Upgrading technology from time to time and maintaining cleanliness at all times can also help improve employee wellbeing. Employers can also allow employees to go on workation!
3. Allow Breaks During the Job: Sitting for long periods can exhaust employees and increase fatigue. Increased screen time also affects their health. Hence, employers should allow small breaks at regular intervals for their employees to rejuvenate and rebuild their concentration.
4. Limited Working Hours: Most employees are stressed out due to long working hours at their workplace. This disbalances their health and puts them at risk of developing serious medical conditions. By building a culture of limited working hours, organizations can benefit from dedicated workforces that try to complete the work within the stipulated time with great efficiency. It will also spare them ample time and energy to focus on their health.
5. Yoga & Sports: After the pandemic hit the world, people have become more aware of their health. Yoga and sports are the best ways to maintain good health and stay fit. Hence, employers should arrange frequent sports competitions and yoga sessions, recognizing the employees who perform well. This will motivate other employees to maintain good health.
6. Buy Group Health Insurance: The best way to build employee trust and ensure that they remain healthy is by purchasing a group health insurance policy. It can help you cover the expenses of medical assistance required by the employees and also help them prevent health ailments with regular health check-ups.

Why should you opt for group health insurance?

1. Lower Premiums: Since you are offering premiums for a group of employees, you can exercise more negotiation power. Hence, the premiums charged on group health insurance are lower than individual insurance policies.
2. Tax Benefits: The premium paid for group health insurance is allowed as a deduction from the taxable income of the business. Hence, you can secure your employees and save tax at the same time.
3. COVID-19 Coverage: This covers the cost of check-ups and treatment of COVID-19 from the beginning.
4. Maternity Coverage: Additionally, you can purchase maternity coverage for the smooth delivery of and expenses for newborn children.
5. Cashless Payments: Your employees can get cashless treatment at any network hospital associated with the insurer.
6. Covers Family: Group health insurance also covers the spouse, children, parents, or parents-in-law of the employee.

By purchasing a group health insurance policy from Plum Insurance, you can get the following additional benefits:

• The quickest claim process in India
• Personalized dashboard to manage your policy and benefits
• Employees can access the policy
• High claim settlement ratio
• Customize your plans
• Range of cashless hospitals across India
• 24*7 WhatsApp support

So, what are you waiting for? Sign up for Group Health Insurance with Plum Insurance and take your first step toward employee welfare now!

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