A new study by RTI International found that nearly half (46.1%), of all workplaces in the United States offer some level of health promotion or wellness programs and 17% of workplaces with 50 or more employees offer comprehensive workplace health promotion programs. The percentage of worksites with a workplace health promotion program increased with the size of the employer, ranging from 39% of worksites with 10-24 employees, to 60% of worksites with 50-99 employees, to 92% of worksites with 500 or more employees.
While it’s encouraging to see large companies embracing employee wellness, there is definitely some room for improvement with smaller companies. Which is a shame, because whether it is a Fortune 500 business or a small, locally owned pickle company, the wellbeing of each individual is vital for a company to flourish. Too often, small business leaders believe that they have to invest a ton of money. But in reality, it can be as easy as encouraging healthy habits at work and building a culture of wellness.
Travis Grillo, the founder and CEO of Grillo’s Pickles, has successfully enforced the “making health a habit” saying in his business. After being turned down by Nike as a designer in 2008, he decided to use his resources to make an income. His family grew Italian pickles in their backyard for as long as he could remember and that is where it began. Grillo began selling his families pickles out of his car and then took his passion for pickles to the streets of Boston. He opened the first, and only, pickle cart in the Boston Common. Now 10 years later, his pickles can be found at Whole Foods and Target. Despite their small size, Grillo’s Pickles is #2 in the country for fresh refrigerated pickles.
Grillo’s Pickles currently has 14 employees in their main office and approximately 20 employees spread out across the country, yet they have figured out how to create a healthy workplace. How can your small business start to implement a wellness program? There are several things to consider according to Grillo:
Employee Input. The purpose of a workplace wellness program is to benefit the employees which why you should need and want their input. When a business is small, it is quick and easy to obtain information about their needs and desires. Rather than imposing workplace wellness as a top-down directive, work with employees so they have a voice. This will also help ensure that programs are culturally relevant to your organization.
Budget. As a small business, it is understandable for every penny to have a purpose. This requires knowing which resources will be needed and if the funds available can supply those necessities. Grillo works with a small budget when implementing health and wellness in his business, but he does a great job of it. In a recent episode of the Inspiring Healthy Workplaces podcast, Grillo talks about how he doesn't spend much money on the wellness program. Instead, he focuses on little changes within the workplace. For example, he brings in Seltzer waters as opposed to sugary drinks and encourages employees to enjoy nature by taking 15-minute walks.
Incorporate Wellness into the Business. Ensure health and wellness are part of your organization’s values. Wellness must be a priority throughout the company and should be embraced by leadership. From the beginning, Grillo believed in leading by example. In the Boston common days, he rode his bicycle four miles to and from the Boston Common. During the podcast, Grillo explains that he does not encourage unhealthy behavior, but he also does not tell his employees what they should and should not do. Instead, he encourages his employees to take care of their bodies and their minds in order to have a productive day. One of the strategies he uses to incorporate wellness in his business is by bringing plants into the office. Incorporating plants into the workplace results in a number of well-documented benefits to employees and employers – increasing office productivity by 12%, reducing stress by up to 60%, and improving overall sense of well-being by up to 88%. Not only do plants help create a healthy environment, but it also serves as a great example for Grillo's team - it shows that the better you take care of the plant (and your body) the longer it will last.
Workplace Environment. The more comfortable the employees are, the more functional and fluid the business will be. Creating an “at home” environment is a way to implement wellness in the workplace. Grillo encourages his employees to dress comfortable, has an open-floor seating arrangement, and encourages his team to be positive and treat everyone as equals. He also does what they like to call a “Cool Friday” breakfast. Each week, a member of the team will make something for the rest of the team to eat. Having a small company makes it possible for everyone to get to know one another which builds trust and loyalty.
Reduce Workplace Stress. Teaching employees how to cope and react to stress is a fundamental part of a successful company. A great way to do this is by creating a healthy workplace environment. In an article from the American Institute of Stress, 46% of the main cause of stress is the workload of an employee, with people issues at 28%, followed by juggling work and personal lives and job security at 6%. Grillo’s Pickles employees all play a key role in the business. Grillo encourages a healthy, stress-free environment by being easily accessible and creating a positive environment. Practicing positivity has been linked to numerous health benefits, increased productivity, and less stress.
A study done in 2011 shows that small business wellness can impact the health of the employees. In the study, employees at Lincoln Industries were able to reduce systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and improve flexibility. The company was able to create a worksite culture of health the resulted in a healthy and productive workforce. Well-designed wellness programs can improve employee health behaviors, lower potential health risks, and improve the overall health and wellness of small business employees.
The success within a small company wellness program comes from giving the employee the opportunity to be healthy. Dedicating time within the workplace to change unhealthy behaviors so that they transfer over to life at home is an important part of a wellness program. A small company that has happy and healthy employees can see a huge difference in their overall success.
