The New Corporate Wellness
There is a new corporate wellness expectation that has in part come about as a result of covid-19, and it affects our health and as well as our behaviors.
A Brief History of Workplace Wellness
1760 – the Industrial Revolution began and employers were not bound by laws governing the treatment of employees.
1810 – Welsh social reformer Robert Marcus Owen proposed reducing the workday to just 10 hours to address the physical effects experienced working as a laborer. Needless to say, this was not embraced by all employers.
1867 – Illinois was the first state to pass a law calling for an 8 hour work day
1914 – The Ford Motor Company was one of the first companies to follow this on a wide scale
1950s – Employee Assistance Programs were being formed shifting some of the emphasis onto the employee’s mental health
1980 and 1990s – the phrase corporate wellness brought to mind an insurance agent coming on site to talk with all employees company about the dangers of smoking, the risks of being overweight, and the importance of exercise.
Policies were likely put in place, a reward system implemented, and some people may have lost a little weight if only in the short term, and a few others likely lost it for longer. Frankly, there often wasn’t a consistent push for it.
Corporate Wellness Today
Fast forward to now, and the emphasis on health is much broader, and along with it the implications are much further reaching.
Employers are proactively assisting their employees to become and stay healthy, both physically and mentally, as well as to recognize warning signs and ask for help without attaching stigmas.
An obstacle that many Human Resource managers are facing is how to facilitate this as their employees return to the office. Helping you and your coworkers establish routines for your health and fitness is more important than ever. We need to raise awareness, break the habits we developed at home, and set a plan for the future.
In conjunction with this, I am returning to holding onsite workshops and talking about health and fitness, and to dispel myths that have pervaded our society.
Contact me to discuss how this can be tailored for you and your company.
