Employee Happiness, as of late, is a widely sought-after aspect of a successful business. Aside from employee happiness being inherently “a good thing”, it also increases employee retention, increases productivity and reduces absenteeism.

One great way to increase employee happiness is by focusing on wellness initiatives at your office. Have you ever high-fived someone who just finished a run? Those are some of the happiest people in the world!

Developers have noticed this too!

Along with the great business apps you can find for productivity, time management, budget, scheduling, and networking, there is also a bevy of great fitness and wellness-focused apps and services being introduced to the workforce.

 

A fit employee is a happy(er) employee. But how do you get your employees on board?

While the benefits of eating well and exercising regularly have been more than well-documented, actually getting your employees to participate can be a bit of a challenge.

With many offices boasting large walls of unhealthy snacks and long, draining days under fluorescent lights, a workout can be the last thing on an employee’s mind at the beginning or end of a long day and and even longer week.

Many companies and corporations, however, have implemented hugely successful inter-office fitness initiatives.

With the help of a few apps and services, you can implement fitness and wellness motivation at as small or as large of a scale as you like!

 

Get Healthy Snacks

An office can simply change up its snacks to offer more healthy options. Instead of offering snack-sized bags of fried chips or sugary cookies, you can replace your kitchen with energy-packed almonds or dried fruits.

There are plenty of subscription-based snack companies that offer healthy, delicious options that can be delivered to your door!

NatureBox allows you to personalize your snack order and frequency. Choose from a large array of simple, balanced snacks without worrying about MSG or high fructose corn syrup.

 

Gather for a Team Lunch

Consider hosting a weekly team lunch in which you choose meals from a health-conscious restaurant or establishment (no Taco Bell!).

Not only does this get the team together on a weekly basis, but it opens team members up to healthier options in the neighborhood around the office.

Services like Postmates or Caviar (depending on your geographic location) offer a huge variety of options for delivery – even from restaurants that don’t normally deliver at all!

Without being too pushy, this could also be a good time for the team to share their own fitness or wellness-related goals or adventures.

 

Host A Virtual Competition

One of the more successful tactics is to host a team-wide competition. Using fitness trackers like Fitbit, each employee can track their progress and report it back. Some offices offer a cash incentive for the active team members.

Another app that would both boost employee morale and give the company a chance to do something good is Charity Miles.  This iOS app donates money on your behalf for every mile biked, walked or run.  

Never underestimate the power of a little healthy competition.

 

In Conclusion

Long gone are the days where employees should be expected to come in at 9am, sit for eight hours and go home at 5pm. A successful organization will make the effort to ensure their team members have access to healthy choices and activities.

What kind of wellness-based programs have you had success running?