It’s no surprise that employee wellness has become a priority for many employers. It’s also no surprise that morale-boosting perks can cost a pretty penny. The good news is that effective and appealing perks don’t have to break the bank. Here are a few ways to help your employees relax and recharge without bumping up company costs.
Institute summer hours
When the sun comes out and the weather starts to warm up, many employees start to feel the itch to get outside. That’s why many companies introduce summer hours so that employees can pursue their passions and enjoy the weekends during warmer months. This focus on work/life balance helps encourage employees to make the most of their weekends, whether that’s getting away for a long weekend in nature or with family, or just having a few extra hours each week to relax and recharge.
This improved balance helps employees return to work on Monday mornings feeling rested and ready to roll. Employees experience increased productivity, higher energy and motivation, and lower anxiety and stress levels. Reducing employee burnout is another persuasive reason to institute summer hours. If your industry sees business slow in the summer months, you may be able to offer employees Fridays off all season long. If not, try Friday afternoons, or every other Friday.
Relax the dress code
The days of formal business attire are long gone in many companies and industries, and with good reason. Offering a relaxed dress code helps boost employee morale and makes employees more comfortable. A relaxed dress code also reduces the financial strain on employees who would otherwise feel the need to build a specific wardrobe exclusively for work.
That said, if your business does have a dress code, take it down a notch. Go from suits to business casual, or from business casual to, well, casual. If it’s not appropriate for your team to dress in casual-wear every day, there’s always the option of casual Fridays. Even just one day a week of relaxed wardrobe expectations can become a cherished perk.
Focus on employee wellness with corporate chair massage
Chair massage reduces stress and anxiety, and also helps heal physical pain like back and neck aches from too many hours spent bent over a computer screen. In addition to reducing tension in the body, other physical benefits of chair massage are increased circulation and lower blood pressure. Corporate chair massage is a restorative treat that benefits physical, mental and emotional health for employees throughout your company.
When you use Zeel to bring corporate chair massage to your office, you don’t have to worry about the hassle of arranging big company-wide events. Employees select massage times based on their schedules through the Zeel app or online, and email or text confirmations eliminate the need for complex logistical sessions coordinating everyone’s office calendar.
Feed your team
Bringing employees together around a shared meal fosters camaraderie and a sense of team belonging, improving morale and increasing happiness by focusing on friendship. Shared meals create a positive social environment where employees can chat, bond, and get to know each other – which will come in handy when the next team project or fire drill arrives.
Shared company meals also increase employee productivity. Taking breaks during work is a common strategy to refocus the mind and stay refreshed and energized throughout the workday. . Stick with healthy choices like lean proteins and fresh vegetables, or support local businesses by ordering delivery from restaurants in your neighborhood. Team breakfasts or lunches don’t have to take place every day, but even a weekly lunch to bring your employees together turns into an anticipated treat where everyone can check in and catch up.
Welcome four-legged friends
Bringing man’s best friend to work is becoming quite the corporate wellness trend. Huge companies like Google, Amazon, and Etsy all welcome dogs in the workplace, and business of all sizes are following suit. Having dogs in the office reduces employee stress levels and increases the amount of furry love available to all.
Policies that welcome dogs at work have also been shown to encourage communication, inspire a more active lifestyle, and help employees maintain a positive attitude. Some companies have an open dog-door policy, welcoming pups into the workplace every day of the week. If every-dog-day isn’t appropriate for your office environment, consider introducing weekly or even monthly dog days.
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