Written by Toni Sperlbaum
January 18th was “King Day of Service”. This got me thinking about the great opportunities organizations have to incorporate service into their wellness programs. I believe there really is something to volunteering and the benefits that directly correlate to an employee and a health plan.
You’ll see a variety of programs that are considered “wellness”. Flu shots, biggest loser challenges, biometric screenings, yoga classes, and countless additional programs can fall under this umbrella. At HPA, we believe that a good program incorporates 3 major prongs; Nutrition, Exercise, and Mental Health.
According to Harvard Medical School, studies have shown that volunteering not only wards off feelings of loneliness and depression, but can also reach beyond mental health, affecting physical health as well. This includes lowering blood pressure and having a longer life span.
The benefits are there, but how can companies be using community service as a tentacle of their wellness efforts? Here are our top 5 options we have put together based on what we are seeing in the industry:
Designate 2 non-profits or movements a year to focus on. Focus less on making 1 huge donation as a company and focus more on how you can involve your employees to either fundraise or be directly involved with the mission in a hands-on manor. Allowing paid time offsite or department trips to volunteer is an important piece to show your buy in to your efforts. Visiting your local soup kitchen or children’s museum are great options and make great team building activities.
Have a points program? Make community service hours a part of it!
Join a local effort such as Relay for Life or the American Heart Walk. Employees can fundraise AND be physically active. Events like this also help build a culture of giving-back and wellness.
Partner with some local charities to allow your employees a mentorship opportunity, or host a kickball game or something similar with underprivileged kids in the community. One example: Big Brothers, Big Sisters has a corporate mentorship program.
On a much lesser scale, some organizations will incorporate a donation method into their challenges. For example, within a Hold it for the Holidays weight maintenance challenge, the winning employees will earn money for themselves and a company match of the winnings to the employee’s charity of choice.
Community service not only provides the aforementioned benefits to mental and physical health of your employees, it molds the culture of your workplace and improves the image of your company’s presence in its community.
Be well and VOLUNTEER!