The average employee retention rate of an organization varies significantly from company to company. What is the secret of those companies who enjoy a high employee retention rate? One of the most important factors is having happy employees, of course!

The extent to which the employee is comfortable with his or her job is the single most determining factor in determining high retention rates. The employer should always be concerned with finding ways to keep their workers with the firm for longer periods of time.

The health of each employee should always be one of the major concerns of the employer in terms of increasing employee satisfaction. If there is any aliment or problem affecting an individual worker, it is his work quality which will in turn be adversely impacted. The decrease in efficiency will have a direct and profound bearing on productivity. The profits of the company will get affected, in turn, and so on . . . So, the first link in this chain is the employee.

Concerns about employee health are already high among employers, following a rapid increase among employees in the workforce in the incidence rates of obesity and diseases such as diabetes. In any given workforce, these problems are increasingly found on a larger scale. The stress of daily work is one of the main causes of anxiety – which is in turn responsible for bad eating habits and lifestyle problems.

The duration of the retention of an employee can be improved when he is satisfied with his job and likes the work environment. The employee’s health is an important factor in determining retention, as well.

Wellness programs for employees are generally designed to achieve two things. The first is to create an awareness among employees about the problems that they potentially face. The second is to offer solutions. These solutions are offered by way of counseling and training about nutrition and lifestyle choices. It also involves the offering of physical activities like yoga sessions or other workout routines. The employee can then make a conscious decision as to what needs to be changed in his daily routine. Once this is achieved, his health will improve and this will profit the company in many ways.

The first major benefit of better health is higher rates of employee retention. An employee will feel taken-care-of when such wellness programs are in implemented, and this concern will increase his commitment towards his work. The healthcare expenses of the company are also greatly reduced through such programs – and there is also reduction in absenteeism rates. The productivity and efficiency of the employees increase considerably, as well. When emotional and mental issues are worked out, the overall office environment gets a major boost and becomes more conducive to smooth functioning.

Ultimately, it boils down to this: the overall cost of high employee turnover rates is higher than that of the implementation of wellness programs. The initiation and effective implementation of these wellness programs by the employer will help in improving the health of the worker dramatically, while keeping costs down.

For most companies, employee retention continues to be a significant challenge. Programs related to employee wellness are a major step in the right direction. Not only do they contribute to better employee health (which reduces healthcare costs), but these programs also contribute to the employee having a more favorable impression of the employer.

Author Bio: Find out more starting a corporate wellness screening program at your company at: http://www.healthyes.com/Public/Misc/CorporateWellness.aspx.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: employee retention, corporate wellness, workplace wellness, employee wellness program,workforce