Working women have become an integral part of the business world, yet they tend to find it the most challenging to experience personal work-life balance. According to the US Department of Labor’s 2012 Women in America: Indicators of Social and Economic Well-Being report, women account for just over half of the total US labor force, and statistically live longer than their male counterparts. Yet, this data also reveals that women tend to be more prone to specific health issues such as arthritis, depression, obesity, and some types of cancer; simply due to their uniquely female design.
What Makes Health and Wellness Programs at Work a Good Option for Women and Employers?
From raising a family to dealing with difficult assignments, millions of working women often experience high levels of stress that, over time, can cause a wide range of physical and mental illness. While some working women have access to personal wellness resources, many others do not, leaving them feeling overwhelmed, depressed, and hopeless to do anything about their circumstances. When this happens, women employees can become less productive and unhappy about their careers, factors that ultimately affect the bottom line of the companies they work for.
Therefore, it makes sense that employers are starting to realize the many benefits that company sponsored health and wellness programs can provide to female employees. In fact, there are a rising number of programs that are geared specifically towards the needs of women at work.
Health and Wellness Programs Designed for Female Workers
Let’s take a brief look at some of the current health and wellness programs for working women, so your company can take steps towards designing one for your employees.
Online Health and Wellness Programs
- Well-People – Using a special, online weight loss community, this health and wellness portal empowers women to participate in improving their own health. It includes a full suite of interactive personal health assessment and health inventory tools, combined with up-to-date health information. This product focuses on each woman as a whole person, and supports the overall health and well-being of your employees for the long-term.
- Insurance Companies – The need to reduce health care premiums is on the minds of many employers, and it’s also on the minds of most of the major private health insurance companies too. That’s why companies like Aetna and United Healthcare have taken steps to provide employers with options in company sponsored health and wellness programs for women in the workplace.
- Employee Wellness from Sparkpeople – The popular Sparkpeople online community is a free option for women to take better care of themselves, in terms of diet and fitness. The programs are designed for women of all demographics, who are ready to tackle their most pressing health needs. Employers can set up group pages and encourage their employees to sign up for personal fitness and diet challenges. Employees enjoy private blogs, free wellness videos, dietary plans, and ongoing community support; all managed online or from a mobile device using their app.
- Wellsource Online Wellness Center – A corporate branded wellness program is seconds away thanks to this robust health and wellness tool that offers options specifically for women at work, like pregnancy and menopause information. Employees can access personal health assessments, health calculators, self-managed plans, and a host of supportive health management services geared towards the needs of women.
Local Health and Wellness Programs
- YMCA Women’s Wellness – In every community, there are programs available through the local Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) that can be designed specifically to address the needs of women in your workplace. There are programs for women in every age group and fitness level to help them lose weight, get in shape, stress less, and lead healthier lives. The best part is that employers can sponsor the YMCA and get corporate discounts and in-house instructors to make wellness a regular part of the working lifestyle.
- Recreational Departments – If your business is located in a region where there is a recreational center, ask about sponsoring a corporate wellness program for your female employees. From yoga and dance to swimming and sports, there are many options that can be modified to suit the needs of your women workers. Consider inviting a personal trainer to work with your employees on a one-to-one basis or as part of a corporate boot camp session.
- Spas and Massage Centers – Massage has been shown to reduce stress and pain for millions of people, particularly for working women. Yet, many do not take advantage of these services because they are cost prohibitive or they do not have time in their busy schedules. To help your workforce be healthier, bring the spa and massage services to your workplace for a once-a-month pampering that your employees will thank you for.
- Community Health Department – Your local health department can be a great source for obtaining information about community health and wellness programs for female employees. Or check with your local health care centers for information about upcoming health and wellness events and awareness campaigns.
What Can Wellness Programs Do for Your Workforce?
If you are trying to make a strong case for why it’s important to support the health and well-being for your female workforce, consider that multiple independent research studies consistently show that corporate sponsored health and wellness programs can benefit businesses. Not only can employer based health and wellness programs deal with the surface issues of overstressed women employees, but this strategy can also reduce health insurance costs, provide added tax incentives for employers, and increase employee attendance, retention and productivity.
All of this makes perfect sense. While it can be hard to justify the initial cost of starting an employer managed wellness program, there are many low cost options that can be introduced over time. As an employer of choice, it’s important to recognize the value that female employees bring to the office every day. This means giving them a chance to lead healthier, more balanced lives by taking care of their health needs, with your support and guidance.
Santanu Majumdar is a part-time blogger and currently blogs at healthresource4u.com . He is also a health and fitness lover who loves to share her ideas on health, fitness and beauty. You can check him out on Twitter and Facebook