Before I begin justifying the article's title and getting to the low down on what it is companies should keep a keen eye out for when looking to begin or enhance their wellness program, I want to rant a little.With the growing popularity of wellness programs, not only are companies seeing the benefits, they're seeing them as a necessity.
However, I'm beginning to witness some saturation within the industry. When saturation occurs, it's quite easy to tell who is legit and who is not. I recently came about an article that discussed if your company had a wellness program or not, and immediately the comments began to pour in.
Literally within minutes, I witnessed multiple comments flood into the feed pushing services and marketing themselves. I will stand by a few of the comments, as they were interacting with the post and offering feedback, but most were just looking for any opportunity they could to market at no expense.
I have been extremely fortunate to be surrounded by some of the best in the wellness business from a very young age, from Charles Poliquin, Malcolm Gwilliam, Benjamin Brown, Phil Learny, Luke Leahman and countless others. These individuals are some of the most highly respected and well-recognized wellness coaches in the world, and I have learned from them since the age of seventeen.
A sole difference between not only myself but with all mentioned above is the genuine passion for helping to promote sustainable wellness and not offer a quick fix for a quick buck. I am beyond my limits of ignoring advertisements for quick fixes within a workplace which will somehow bring a magical ROI to a company.
Enough with the false information, enough with the quick fix get rich quick campaigns. These companies are trying to do good not just for their bottom line, but for their employee's sake. Most company's do have their employee's best health and wellness in mind.
Wellness programs are exactly that, wellness promoting programs, not, 'let's offer some product that will fix everything and give the company an ROI'. I am seeing more and more of the later appearing in this industry and it makes my blood pressure skyrocket. My entire life has been devoted to wellness and continuously learning from the best in the world and I almost feel as if I'm being undermined.
These individuals and companies selling unsustainable fixes within workplace wellness are ludicrous. I'll stop on my rant and now inform companies and those in need of guidance for their wellness programs the key concepts to look for when undergoing this process. The largest and -- in my professional opinion -- the most critical aspect of a wellness program is the sustainability component.
If I were to ask any of the employees, or even the one selling the wellness program to a company, if what they are practicing would be able to done in two years from now and the answer is no, immediately search for other options. This, unfortunately, is becoming the norm in the wellness industry as it becomes more and more saturated and individuals and companies alike are in desperate need to innovate themselves to stand out.
Their decision is to sell a service that is solely based on short-term changes and one that will never last. If there is one priority that you can take from this article it would be, look for sustainability when looking into your wellness program. A few other components that should for sure not be overlooked would be the consistency of a priority yet the adaptability to elicit change.
What I mean by this is, focusing on one variable at a time and giving that said variable time to become habitual. Once this habit has been formed, introducing another variable into play to promote excitement within the wellness program. This approach not only allows for new wellness habits to be formed, but it is done in the most sustainable manner.
Also, this approach will lead to never-ending satisfaction with the wellness program. If satisfaction is high, results will be produced and last I checked, results in equal ROI. You see, when you focus on one priority at a time and you approach that priority in a sustainable manner which is by making it challenging yet doable, this leads to accomplishments.
I have already mentioned that when a new variable has integrated this yields to a large spike in dopamine in the brain which excites the employees. Dopamine is the brain neurotransmitter responsible for focus and energy. The new excitement enhances buy-in to the program.
Every time the employees accomplish another variable, it triggers that dopamine response in the brain leaving them feeling fulfilled and wanting more. These concepts are just some of the very foundations a wellness program must have and without, I question either your true intentions of the service being offered.
Innovation is a must in order to survive in any industry and the wellness industry needs to innovate. Innovation doesn't mean ripping off a company and its employees with some magic program or product. I hope you can tell from my words how deeply passionate I am about this industry.
I am striving to do everything I can to dictate the direction in where this industry goes because, in the end, we are helping people and companies, not selling them.
About the Author
Zach Younce is the owner of LNE-FIT Corporate Health and Wellness. He started in the wellness industry at sixteen years old; he was an anorexic athlete in high school and developed a severe heart condition. He uses the knowledge he gained from this experience to help educate employees about all aspects of wellness including lifestyle, sustainable nutrition, and behavioral change habits.
He founded LNE-FIT with the goal of innovating a new way in which corporate wellness is thought of. He is a strong advocate of sustainability. He works exclusively with companies interested in truly investing in their employees' wellness and who desire to create a thriving wellness based culture. Everything he does with sustainability and instilling new habits with the result being a more confident and healthier state both physically and emotionally.
