From Wellness to Well-being: Employers Moving Beyond Physical Health
Julie Bitely
| 2 min read
Many workplace wellness programs focus primarily on physical health indicators – helping employees quit smoking, increase exercise, and lower weight, blood pressure and cholesterol. But a new movement is on the horizon, one that still focuses on sound physical health, while also considering an employee’s mental, social and financial health – all those other areas of life that can hold people back from doing their best. “(Well-being is) how I think my life is going, my perception, whether it’s fulfilling and satisfied,” said Cindy Bjorkquist, Director of Well-being at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. “You can … have all your biometrics completely within the normal ranges, but you may have the perception of an extremely unsatisfying and negative life.” Bjorkquist shared her thoughts about the well-being movement on the most recent episode of the A Healthier Michigan Podcast, hosted by Chuck Gaidica. Listen to the full episode here. [podcast_player] Employers are starting to offer financial workshops, mindfulness courses and resources to improve their employees’ emotional and mental health. Bjorkquist said it’s a smart move that more companies should think about implementing as it builds a more resilient workforce. “That will translate to you being at a higher sense of well-being, which means you're going to be a happier person,” she explained. “A happier person is more productive in their life, both at work and at home.” Like what you’ve read? Head on over to the A Healthier Michigan Podcast page to listen to the full episode and hear other words of wisdom from Bjorkquist and other featured podcast guests. Want to know more about well-being at work? Read these posts:
- What is Employee Well-being and How Can it Strengthen Your Business?
- Workplace Strategies to Understand and Address Behavioral Health
- Mental Health on the Job: Tips for Ending Stigma at Work
Photo credit: theverest
