How Keeping Healthy Can Help Workers to Save Money Over the Long Term
The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the world, and for many individuals coming out of the pandemic, there is now greater importance on health and wellbeing, especially in the workplace. The cost-of-living crisis is currently affecting millions of people in the UK, and so there is also newfound urgency in saving money due to inflated prices of daily necessities.
Yet, how can keeping healthy ultimately save money for workers in the long run?
The Importance of Keeping Healthy for Workers
Health and well-being are becoming increasingly prioritized in today’s post-pandemic workplaces. 2020/2021 figures show that 1.7 million workers suffered from a work-related illness in the UK, of which poor mental states such as stress, anxiety, or depression, affected 822,000 workers.
Healthy workers are more likely to be happier, motivated, and thus more productive which in turn helps to drive business success. As a result, employers should consider ways to improve workers’ well-being and promote healthy living. This can include well-being programs or schemes which involve a range of activities in that workers can participate.
For example, exercise classes and working out classes, or even yoga and meditation sessions, can prove to be beneficial for workers’ well-being. Discounts on gym memberships or tips on dieting and nutritional advice can also contribute to healthy living for workers, as well as discussions or lectures on keeping healthy can be educational and informative, providing workers with the essential knowledge and understanding of how and why they should keep healthy.
For an extra layer of protection, companies should think about employee life insurance to show their workers that they care about them and their families should the worst-case scenario happen. This can prove to workers that you acknowledge their well-being and will be there for their families financially.
Healthy Living
In advocating for healthy living, both employers and workers end up saving money in the long run. For employers, this means increased productivity and reduced sick days or decreased likelihood of having to hire or train new resources due to workers being absent. In general, operational costs are low when you have happy, healthy, and present workers who are motivated about their job.
For workers, a healthy lifestyle saves them money in the long term as they avoid any healthcare costs which could accumulate if they are sick for a long period of time. Additionally, keeping healthy means that workers are more likely to go to work, thus their income is secure and stable as long as they are not absent from work.
Workers who may call in sick due to mental health issues may profit from wellness programs as these can improve their mental health and boost their morale and motivation to work.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, keeping healthy can help workers and employers save money over the long term. Healthy living can have a positive effect, from enhancing well-being to reducing other health risks. Therefore, it is worthwhile for companies to invest in promoting and encouraging their workers to keep healthy – not only for the company’s sake but also for the workers themselves, especially when it comes to saving money in the current economic crisis.
