Wellness Offerings Market Your Company

Remember that feeling of being the last kid picked for kickball or some other school recess activity? Standing there, hands in your pockets, while all the other kids are chosen over you. It’s a horrible feeling, and it must be the exact sentiments your company experiences when candidates choose other job openings over yours. Could your wellness offerings be to blame? Are your offerings successfully marketing your company as a great place to work?

More so than ever before, it’s definitely a job-seekers world out there. Unemployment is so low it’s giving applicants a new level of choice unlike any they’ve had before. Candidates are evaluating the companies they’re applying to and pitting them against one another in contest for talent. One of the things they’re looking at closely are the wellness incentives or fitness amenities that companies offer.

What Are Workers Saying?

A survey conducted earlier this year shed some light on just how wellness offerings impact a worker’s decision to accept a job offer. OfficeTeam, part of the national staffing firm Robert Half, surveyed 1,000 workers and over 2,800 senior managers at companies with 20 or more employees from cities all around the country. Their findings revealed that health and fitness programs and accessibility plays much more into these decisions than previously thought. Among their findings:

• 73% of professionals surveyed said a company's health and wellness offerings influence their decision to work there.
• The health and wellness offerings valued most by workers includes:

  • Wellness incentives for healthy behavior, 26%
  • Access to fitness facilities or programs, 23%
  • Healthy food options, 15%
  • Ergonomic evaluations and equipment, 14%
  • Stress management resources, 12%
  • On-site vaccinations or health screenings, 10%

• Professionals ages 18 to 34 (87 percent) most often said health and wellness offerings impact their decision to work at an organization, compared to those ages 35 to 54 (70 percent) and 55 and older (44 percent).

"Candidates today are taking a holistic view when weighing job offers, including looking at resources that impact their overall well-being," said Stephanie Naznitsky, executive director of OfficeTeam. "Companies that recognize employee health goes beyond standard benefits packages and offer robust wellness programs and perks are more likely to land and retain top talent."

Companies are Catching On

Another factor making this subject even more important is the fact that companies are catching on. Many of them could very well be the companies that are stealing away your applicants.

OfficeTeam found that about 40 percent of companies offer wellness incentives and access to fitness programs. Also, in a different survey from Aflac, 1,977 decision-makers responded to questions about whether or not their companies sponsor workplace wellness programs. About half of them said yes, up from just 30 percent a few years prior. This trend is projected to continue upwards as younger demographics bring their health-driven priorities into the workplace.

Wellness Offerings Should Be A Part of Your Marketing

In a way, employees are kind of your marketing strategy’s front line. Being able to recruit top talent goes a tremendously long way in demonstrating proficiency, so it’s important to have elements in place to attract these individuals.

There are also other ways in which wellness events or concepts can help promote your company, particularly across social media platforms. A snapshot of happy employees working out in your on-site gym can make your company look like a great place to work. An article about a team weight loss challenge reflects your commitment to employee health and well-being and could also be an excellent team-building strategy. Organizing something like a 5k run for charity paints your firm as outgoing and active in your community. It’s all beneficial.

All of these wellness concepts can play into your company’s brand and helps shape your image in the minds of clients and future applicants alike. There’s also, obviously, the added benefit of having healthier employees, which is well known to have great financial returns for companies of all types.

Go with Wellness and Grow Your Company

Given there’s not much of a downside to increasing your wellness offerings and roughly half of your competitors are likely already increasing theirs, companies need to take a serious look at expanding their own approach to employee health and wellness activities. Though it may seem like such a simple thing, it can enhance the profile of your business in the eyes of your employees, your clients, and the public and should certainly be incorporated into the culture of your company.

What If You Don’t Offer Insurance?

If your company doesn’t offer health insurance, it can be much more difficult to attract talent.

• Place emphasis on the benefits you do offer. Focus on your 401k, your company culture, compensation package, vacation policies, and others.
• Get creative. Stand out from the competition by implementing benefits that others lack. A strong family leave or maternity policy can go a long way.
• Tout your social impact. If your company is making a real difference in your community, applicants will notice. Promote your volunteerism, activism, and community engagement.
• Consider adding insurance. It might be more affordable than you think. Look into the Affordable Care Act’s available subsidies for small businesses. Your company may qualify for tax credit of up to 50% to offset the costs.