I think it is extremely important for companies to recognize and value their employees’ quality of life (p. 22). At the last company I worked for, I was on the leadership committee. Our main goal was to organize employee functions to boost morale and bring all levels of employees in the organization together. We hoped to achieve a feeling of unity between the different hierarchy levels in our organization. We also advocated for an updated gym facility to help employees achieve or maintain physical fitness. We were lucky enough to have a wonderful employee who donated her time to teach aerobic classes 3 to 4 days a week at lunch.
I feel that any initiative our company took in trying to improve their employees’ personal and professional lives reflected positively on their employees’ morale. I don’t believe the employees felt it as a further encroachment by business into employees’ personal lives, as stated in our text as a possible negative aspect of businesses (p. 22).
When I go back to work, I will advocate for an employee wellness program, if it isn’t already implemented at the company I work for. I believe a person’s overall happiness is largely determined by how well they take care of themselves and the attention they put into making sure they have a high quality of life in and out of the working environment.
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Blondie! I agree with you and I absolutely support the idea of a business and/or a company incorporating a wellness program as a benefit to their dedicated employees. I know personally that when I am physically active, eating well, and getting plenty of rest my performance, in everything I do, is better. Maybe this is the key to improving a company's overall productivity. I’m not going to go into detail because I don’t have the correct citations but I remember watching a segment on television about a company who allowed their employees to take a nap for 20 or 30 minutes each day. This company even provided a room with a comfortable couch. I thought this was a genius idea because as the day goes on we all begin to feel a little sluggish and a power nap is just the prescription we need to re-energize and finish out the day being productive. This goes for exercise as well. I’ve heard if you exercise in the middle of your day you’ll be more energized during the later part of your day.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I think it is EXTREMELY important for companies to factor quality of life into the value of employees' health and well-being. It's one of those little things that is often overlooked that makes a world of difference! An aerobics class, yoga, naps, childcare, whatever it may be, are beneficial for companies to provide because they make for a more well-rounded employee. I also happen to work for a small company that pays for a really nice gym membership, and although I sometimes take it for granted and don't go as often as I should, it's comforting to know I have it, because it truly is a nice perk that directly affects my well-being and performance.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with your words, Blondie! A happier employee is more likely to work hard and contribute to their position. It's great that you worked on a leadership team that focused on bringing employees together in a community type setting. My boyfriend works at Google, and every time I visit I am amazed by the programs they have for their employees. They have free food, a gym, childcare, etc. Most of his colleagues are at the office longer because they have what they need there. Now that is a lavish example of in-house programs, but I think when a company tries to improve the quality of life for its employees, one sees many benefits.
ReplyDeleteCompanies like the ones in the Silicon Valley are starting to invest more in their employees and guiding them to a healthier lifestyle. We can also see improvements in their work and home life as a result of the company’s changes. I had the privilege to work Adobe a large company with many employees. Although I was not an official full time employee, I was able to see how the employees were treated at work. On every floor there was a kitchen and refrigerator that was stocked with fruit, milk, juice and coffee. For lunch they have onsite cooks providing them with restaurant quality food throughout the day. As for exercise goes, Monday through Friday offsite trainers come and are free for the employees who want some assistance. I can agree that making employees feel their best is a great investment for the company. Some companies like Electronic Arts give out free candy so their employees can work faster and maintain energy throughout the workday. I feel like this is less effective and unhealthy for the employees in the long run. Most of the increases in Companies valuing their employees can be related to the large successful companies like Google and their ability to make successful happy employees through boosting moral.
ReplyDeleteI touched on quality of life for my first blog as well. This highly resonates with me too. I've always known that I can only be as successful as the weakest part of my life. Working for a balanced company is just as important. I think what your company recognizes and acts on is so much more than many organizations out there. I find that when I'm at work and morale is down, it's incredibly hard to bring back up to where it should be. But management makes attempts and they try but their best efforts are lost on employees who are too self-involved. Understanding that it is a two-way street is very important and cannot be underestimated in the systems of the work place.
ReplyDeleteI just recently learned my company adopted a stipend of a certain amount of money per month, when you enroll in their healthcare benefits. This stipend is paid if you have a weight loss goal, and can track your results. If you record losing or maintaining a healthy weight, they pay you extra money. I think this might actually save the company thousands of dollars in healthcare costs, and I think they did this for their own benefit, as part of a preventative healthcare system.
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