Creating a Culture of Health in Your Start-Up

bcbsm

| 3 min read

As the head of a start-up, you’re in a unique, exciting position because you can create a culture from scratch. Incorporating a focus on health from the beginning means it will always be seen as a norm in your workplace. You’ve likely spent countless months or even years doing research and development, finding the best workspace and assembling the perfect team. But there’s one final thing that needs to be done before you grow too big: implement a workplace wellness program. You might be thinking that it isn’t worth it—that there are so many other things to spend money on. But it should still be a financial priority since healthy employees can ultimately save you a lot of money on health care costs. Workplace wellness programs are an investment in your company. The Blue Cross Health and Wellness website, available through BCBSM.com or the BCBSM mobile app, is a helpful tool you can encourage your employees to use in their health journey. It offers valuable resources such as the Digital Health Assistant or interactive health assessment. Here are a few additional ways you can easily focus on the health and wellness of your employees:
  • Keep a stocked kitchen. Gone are the days of plugging in a vending machine and calling it a day. Fuel bars with simple options like fresh fruit, trail mix, popcorn and string cheese are the better way to keep your employees energized.
  • Remind employees that hydration is key. Did you know that dehydration can be a source of fatigue, causing a decrease in your employees’ productivity? Keeping them hydrated with filtered water not only promotes healthy habits, but helps them keep them alert and awake during the day.
  • Get employees moving at lunch. Mid-day walks have been shown to help people feel energized, less stressed and more enthusiastic during the day. One fun way to promote activity during the day is to introduce a friendly competition among employees—whoever walks the most in a certain month gets a free personal day. And when it’s nice out, have walking meetings outside.
  • Start a smoking cessation program. A study by the Washington University School of Medicine found that smokers who quit or cut back on their habit saw an improvement in mental well-being and a decrease in their alcohol intake (among other major health benefits). Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan offers a number of tools and resources to help you develop a smoking cessation program for your employees. Check them out on Health & Wellness and Every Minute Counts.
As a member of the Blue Cross® Physician Choice PPO plan, you also have access to resources that will help you in creating a healthy office culture. To learn more, visit PhysicianChoicePPO.com. For more tips on creating a culture of health in your start-up, visit these blogs:
Image Credit: A Healthier Michigan

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