The Role of Physical Therapy in Corporate Wellness Programs
By Dr. Marty Sanchez
What role does physical therapy play in corporate wellness programs? In this blog, we discuss why and how you should support your employees’ physical wellness.
No matter what services or products a company provides, if you own that company, or if you are in a leadership role and have influence in improving wellness for employees, you will know that you are only as productive and successful as your employees. Happy, healthy, and productive employees will buy in and invest in the overall big picture of any company or organization. Happy, healthy, and productive employees will have no limitations on what a company or organization can accomplish.
Why You Should Support Your Employees’ Physical Wellness
Let’s get down to brass tacks. Money. Of course, all companies have a basic function for continued growth with decreasing expenses and increasing revenue. In 2016 the Harvard Business Review Journal published an article about how corporate wellness programs save businesses money. When companies invest in an effective corporate wellness program, they see a significant return on investment (ROI.) They examined 10 years of data from 100 Fortune companies and found that corporate wellness programs saved each member 136$ per month on insurance premiums paid by the company. Now do that math with the number of employees in your company. Pretty astonishing.
Injury and Prevention
Corporate wellness programs are designed to promote the health and well-being of employees, and one of their key benefits is injury prevention. These programs typically offer a range of activities and resources that encourage physical activity, healthy eating, stress management, and other behaviors that can help employees maintain their health and reduce their risk of injury. Many wellness programs include exercise classes, ergonomic assessments, health screenings, and educational resources about safe lifting techniques and injury prevention strategies. By promoting healthy behaviors and providing resources for injury prevention, corporate wellness programs can help employees stay healthy and avoid injuries that could impact their productivity and well-being.
Wellness Programs Designed for Businesses
So where does a company go to transition employees to happy, healthy, active, and productive employees?
Physical therapists are the optimal professional to lead and manage a company’s wellness program. Why? Physical therapists are the movement experts in medicine. There is absolutely no other medical professional with the extensive training and understanding of the human body in relation to movement that physical therapist can provide.
Ergonomics is the study of people’s efficiency in their environment. Even those remote workers, working from home or elsewhere, need proper direction to optimize their environment and posture to remain productive and healthy. Physical therapists specialize in creating optimal work environments and training people to participate with proper posture, lifting, and any other work-related movement. Whether it’s at a desk, hospital, office, cubicle, driving vehicles, or heavy equipment, participating in a job that requires prolonged standing or walking, a physical therapist can help optimize the employee’s environment.
If you own a company, are in a leadership position, or have influence in retaining happy, active, and productive employees, contact a corporate wellness program with a movement specialist lead. With the significant return on investment for your company, it’s really a pretty simple decision to make.
Need more information about online physical therapy or corporate wellness programs? Then contact us today.
