Workplace wellness has become an integral part of business engagement practices today. Increasingly organizations are beginning to understand the important link between improved well-being and greater business productivity. However, creating a culture of well-being can be easier said than done.

 

A recent article in Talent Management and HR describes the difference between workplace culture and workplace climate. Climate encompasses many of the one-off programs an organization may implement to try to ignite behavior change, such as on-site fitness classes, flex-time programs, and healthy food options. While these programs are important, companies often need more deep-rooted efforts in order to truly create a long-term cultural shift.

 

 

When people think of health and well-being, the overwhelming focus remains on the physical aspect of wellness (i.e., exercise, nutrition, etc.), but there are other key elements that go into creating a healthy workplace and encouraging healthy behavior. These more holistic factors need to be addressed in order to create lasting organizational change that will truly impact the business and performance outcomes.

 

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, well-being is defined as a state of being happy, healthy or successful. Industry sources, such as Aon Hewitt and Gallup, have loosely categorized well-being into the following six core elements:  Read more.