Need talent? Don’t forget to leverage your wellness program
Ken Dallafior
| 2 min read
Your employees understand you’re concerned about their health and well-being. But what about potential employees whom you would like to join your team?
No matter what the business or the state of the economy, top-notch talent is always hard to come by. That’s why your company needs to leverage every advantage to attract the best and the brightest. If you offer a robust wellness program, make sure it’s part of your company pitch story to employee recruits.
According to research by the Employee Benefits Research Institute, a company’s benefit offerings are very important to 69% of job seekers. Not surprisingly, health benefits rank No. 1 on their list, which gives companies an opportunity to promote their wellness programs to gain a competitive edge.
In member surveys conducted last year by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), nearly 70% of respondents said that, within the next 3-5 years, preventive health and wellness programs will become increasingly important in their organization’s employee recruitment efforts. Other research conducted for the National Small Business Association found that 65% of companies with 50 – 100 employees considered a health and wellness program a differentiator for employee recruitment.
Does your company’s wellness program offer any special incentives or perks, such as rewards for healthy behaviors or discounts to gyms or health foods stores? Be sure to mention these to prospective employees.
Jennifer Benz, a benefits communications consultant, also recommends sharing with potential hires some of your wellness program information and employee communications. This can be especially powerful when your company has a branded wellness website outside of the firewall.
An on-site or nearby fitness center also has considerable appeal. In a recent Harris Interactive survey of 3,900 full-time workers, 20% said an onsite fitness center would make their workplace more satisfying,
But even if your wellness program doesn’t have any bells or whistles, the fact that you consider it important enough to mention says a lot about how much you value your employees. That alone can tip the balance in your favor for prospective employees who are considering several job offers.
Photo Credit: Ms. Phoenix
