Creating a virtual wellness program is a great way to engage your remote employees and build a strong company culture. But how do you create a virtual wellness program? Read on to discover the benefits of virtual wellness and how to engage remote employees. We’ll also discuss common barriers and ways to engage remote workers. Here are a few ideas to get you started. Also, be sure to check out our article on the benefits of virtual wellness for your company.
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Guide to creating a virtual wellness program
If you’re looking to set up a virtual wellness program, you’ve come to the right place. First, consider the law. There are a few things you need to consider when setting up a virtual program, such as the ADA, HIPAA, and Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Next, determine who’s eligible to participate. This may be as simple as allowing remote employees to create accounts, or as complicated as granting them access to the program. Whatever method you choose, it’s important to keep your participants informed and feel empowered.
Using wellness technology to create a virtual program allows you to make a lot of changes, from the website to the communications. Social media sites and email newsletters can be used to create an interactive, personalized program for employees. You’ll also need to consider the demographics of your workforce and ensure the design reflects that. Your wellness program should be focused on the features and benefits of the program, so make sure your outreach materials reflect this information.
A virtual wellness program can also be a great way to engage remote employees. By providing educational content through a website or sharing digital resources, employees can get the information they need at their own pace. Try a lunch-and-lear event or virtual happy hours to get them engaged. A virtual team-building activity can make remote employees feel like they’re part of the company. Employees will stay engaged if they feel that they’re part of the same team as their co-workers.
Another beneficial idea for an online wellness program is a water drinking challenge. Employees working from home have the advantage of having access to the kitchen, but their co-workers may not be able to judge them. So why not have employees post photos of themselves drinking water and posting them to a private Slack channel? Similarly, if you want to motivate employees to exercise and stay healthy, you can order tracker water bottles and challenge them to post pictures of empty canteens.
Once your employee engagement is high, it’s time to set up the incentive program. The best virtual wellness programs can offer real-time utilization data and progress tracking. These metrics are crucial for measuring ROI and helping you set goals that your employees can achieve. These programs are designed to be flexible and custom-made to fit the needs of your company. You can also include health coaches for help. These programs offer a range of benefits to your employees, and they can even be customized to suit your company’s needs.
Barriers to virtual wellness programs
Employees often feel judged if they are forced to participate in a virtual wellness program or an exercise class. This is because managers do not realize the impact of their own habits on their teams. Hence, they should set the example and share the importance of well-being with their teams. The following are some common barriers employees face when participating in a virtual wellness program. Read on to learn how to overcome these barriers and make your virtual wellness program a success.
Low-income workers are not interested in participating in a virtual wellness program. Moreover, many virtual wellness programs are hidden behind paywalls, making them inaccessible for low-income groups. You need strong WiFi and a connected device to access these programs. This can be prohibitively expensive for many employees. Nevertheless, this does not mean that virtual wellness programs are useless. If you have the time and energy, you can start a virtual wellness program with just a few clicks.
One major barrier to participation in a virtual wellness program is time. Most employers do not want to take employees away from their normal work duties for several hours. As a result, many workers are reluctant to spend many hours at the office after they have clocked out. As such, they arrange the wellness program during lunch breaks and other natural breaks. However, there are other barriers to virtual wellness programs that should be addressed. To overcome these hurdles, organizations must adapt their wellness program offerings.
Employees may not be aware of the benefits of digital therapies. In addition to reducing healthcare costs, digital therapeutics improve employee health and help organizations increase ROI. Digital solutions that target mental health can be extremely cost-effective and increase ROI for employers. SilverCloud Health, for example, has partnered with over 300 organizations and offers a full digital mental health care platform. Employees can get mental health information and learn about positive psychology, resilience, and motivational messaging.
In some regions, COVID-19 remains in place. Shelter in place restrictions will also remain in place for some time. Employees who work from home may need to take additional safety measures, resulting in a lower overall level of well-being. Virtual wellness programs can help employees navigate these obstacles and improve their wellbeing and overall health. And they are easy to implement. So why are they so attractive to employers? The benefits of virtual wellness programs are too many to ignore.
Benefits of virtual wellness programs
Many employers are expanding their digital wellness and virtual care offerings in response to the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Even though remote work is the new norm, it’s still important to engage employees with a variety of perks, including mental wellness perks. One way to engage employees is through virtual team-building activities. Whether these include a virtual gym or a simple yoga session, these activities can promote a healthy mental state while increasing company awareness.
Incorporated into an online corporate wellness program, employees can participate whenever they are ready. They can view educational materials, stream fitness classes, and telehealth consultations at their convenience. Online programs give employees the freedom to participate at their own pace and have a positive impact on their health. By utilizing the flexibility of virtual corporate wellness programs, companies can reach a large number of employees, regardless of location. These benefits are worth investigating as you plan your next wellness program.
In addition to improving employee engagement and morale, virtual wellness programs are also a great way to align employees with your company’s values. Best of all, the most effective virtual wellness platforms allow you to customize them with your web address and branding. In addition to enhancing employee health, virtual wellness programs allow you to develop better incentive programs and address employee concerns. This means you can improve employee morale and productivity while reducing insurance and liability costs.
Corporate wellness programs provide many benefits, including a reduction in health insurance costs and the reduction of illness among employees. A new study by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health revealed that 59.4% of employees feel their employers should take responsibility for their health. In addition, healthy employees are better equipped to adapt to changes in the workplace, saving time for employers and employees alike. And, most importantly, they can save the company time and money.
Ways to engage remote employees
One way to engage remote employees in virtual wellness is to provide them with the option of creating their own channels, such as #pets. These channels don’t necessarily have to be pets of the employees, but original content is always a plus! Whether it’s a video or a photo, engaging with co-workers through business messaging apps can improve their overall wellbeing. Because most remote workers may not have the luxury of meeting their co-workers face-to-face, it can be difficult to strike up a conversation.
To encourage remote employees to become more active, conduct team building challenges online. One fun way to engage remote employees is to create a buddy system, where employees are paired up with another remote employee. These meetings don’t have to be work-related, but they should count towards working hours. Buddy meetings mimic an office environment and build rapport among employees. Employees can swap buddy roles after a specified period, which allows for flexibility.
Another way to engage remote employees in virtual wellness is by creating a champion network. By recruiting one wellness champion from each company, you can promote various initiatives by emailing company-wide emails. They can also organize lunches with peers and bring up new activities in monthly or weekly meetings. Employees who are engaged in a wellness champion network are more likely to stay in the organization and improve their overall health. This also promotes loyalty and emotional well-being.
An anonymous wellbeing survey can help identify common difficulties and issues. Taking the anonymous survey can also help identify the causes of these challenges. Some companies offer online therapy or help desk services. They should also include contact information of those offering virtual therapy. There are many ways to engage remote employees in virtual wellness. You should ensure that your employees are aware of all available options and benefits. It’s important to ensure that your employees enjoy their virtual work environment.
Offering remote employees wellness perks is an important way to engage them in their company’s health. Whether your company has a physical location or a virtual one, the virtual wellness benefits of the team can improve their lives. And because the concept of wellness is a new normal for many, the benefits of being a remote employee can’t be underestimated. This is an ideal time to promote employee health and wellness, and virtual teambuilding activities are the perfect way to do just that.