Does your company support your wellness?

Holistic wellness, often mistaken for alternative medicine, views individuals as the sum of their experiences, emphasizing the interdependence of mental, emotional, and physical health. Unlike traditional Western approaches that focus solely on physical health, holistic wellness recognizes the interconnectedness of various health dimensions.

Jonathan Edelheit, Chief Wellness Officer at the Cleveland Clinic and founder of Global Healthcare Resources, implemented a holistic wellness program, which was supported and championed by the CEO—a key factor in its success. As a result, operating costs were reduced by 50%, primarily due to decreased healthcare expenses. Additional benefits included an 84% reduction in chronic disease and a 33% decrease in absenteeism, leading to significant human capital savings. Holistic wellness encompasses several dimensions, and each company may define it differently. Una You Well-being identifies eight dimensions of wellness: environmental, social, physical, spiritual, financial, intellectual, occupational, and emotional. Strengthening one dimension can have a ripple effect across other interdependent dimensions. This approach is gaining traction in workplaces, where integrating well-being with work can enhance productivity and creativity, ultimately creating happier employees. Health and wellness programs for employees have shown limited effectiveness. Infusing holistic wellness into the company's culture and work processes is crucial for achieving real behavioral change among employees. After two years of implementing such a program, the Cleveland Clinic achieved a $20 million annual cost avoidance, reaching $848 million by 2018. So why aren't more companies adopting holistic wellness programs? Barriers may include the perception that holistic wellness is not the company's responsibility or doesn't align with its culture or goals, lack of CEO support, high startup costs, and lack of awareness and education on the topic. On average, people spend one-third of their lives at work. If their wellness is not fully supported by their workplace, how well can they truly be? Here are five questions human resources and CEOs should be asking:

1. How effective are wellness programs now?

2. How do our leaders at all levels talk about and champion well-being?

3. How are work processes designed to support well-being?

4. How are jobs designed to support well-being?