Page 8 - Los Angeles Vol 5 No 4

Why Your Law Firm Needs a Wellness Plan to Compete
Today
BY ANNA STAVARIDIS
Did you know the estimated cost associated with lack of productivity due to poor
employee health is 2 to 3 times greater than health care expens- es? Investing in your employees’ health today with a rm-wide wellness program can be a smart investment for anyone in practice.
WELLNESS BRINGS MANY BENEFITS INCLUDING:
Better productivity. Energized employees are more cooperative and create a better working envi- ronment.
Employee satisfaction. Employ- ees that participate in wellness programs derive more satisfaction from their workplace, and they are more inclined to take owner- ship of their own assignments and give back to their employer.
Fewer absences. ose that are participating in a personal or em- ployer driven wellness program are subject to less depression and obesity which can both lead to ad- ditional absences annually.
Less attrition. Without an outlet for stress, tension can build up to active job searching by employ- ees—even a er one bad day.
Lower health care costs to employee and employer- Stress, drinking, smoking, high levels of blood pressure and cholesterol, a high body mass index, and many other health indicators can by reduced by providing a wellness program and outlet to employees who may not know where to get one or have time otherwise.
Higher internal and external referrals for growth- Happy em- ployees invite other quality in- dividuals to come work in their businesses; they also share their satisfying experience for clients who will, in turn, refer new busi- ness as well.
Leading rms have already ad- opted wellness programs to at- tract and retain the highest qual- ity talent. Having a substantial work-life balance for Millennials who are now reaching up to 50% of our workforce and increas- ing to 60% in the next few years, while our aging population con- tains approximately 25%, opting to work longer. is brings a full spectrum of health and bene t needs to businesses. Some may nd it overwhelming and do not have the resources to ll this com- petitive need in their human re- sources departments. Outsourc- ing an external partner for your rm’s wellness needs can relieve you of this imperative component of your business model.
WELLNESS PROGRAMS MAY HAVE A CUSTOMIZABLE PLAN FOR YOUR FIRM’S NEEDS, INCLUDING:
Wellness events and fairs. Pro- viding a scheduled, routine event for employees to look forward to learning and participating in well- ness, while having a tactile plan in place, lets employees know their employer truly does see them as valuable.
Daily o ce stretching tech- niques. Learning stress relieving and stretching moves to incor- porate throughout the day allows employees to ward o sedentary, repetitive movements that can lead to expensive injuries.
Fitness consultations including BMI. Individual consultations with a consistent monitoring of valuable assessments can prevent and show issues before they be- come more challenging to cor- rect. BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, and body fat analysis are assessments that can help determine where an employee is and where they may
ATTORNEY AT LAW MAGAZINE · LOS ANGELES · VOL. 5 NO. 4 8