Does Your Workplace Wellness Program Address the FIT Work-Lifestyle?

Lifestyle is defined as a “way of living,” a composite of behaviors motivated by culture, interests and values. Oftentimes, we define our lifestyle according to our behaviors at home and on the weekends. Accordingly, many corporate wellness offerings encourage employees to make healthy lifestyle choices outside of work—such as going to the gym with a reduced gym membership or seeking counseling through an EAP.

But how would most of our workforce define their lifestyle while at work? Is their company’s Work-Lifestyle a healthy one? Are there wellness tools that help to drive daily, healthy behaviors? If employees have a sedentary job, are they encouraged to take hourly stretch breaks or would they feel absolutely ridiculous standing up and taking 5-10 minutes to stretch or exercise? Would they know how to lower their stress levels in an instant using a simple breathing technique or would they just hope their deodorant “absorbs” their stress?

Many well-intended wellness programs offer services unsupported by the work culture. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, 63% of government agencies offer wellness programs yet only 46% of employees feel supported to utilize the programs while at work. To be effective, workplace wellness needs to be woven into the fabric of the day to day. To employees, they need to feel supported and experience wellness as a “way of life,” motivated by a work culture that is both physically and emotionally supportive of a FIT Work-Lifestyle.