The Power of Social Wellness: Building Stronger Teams Through Wellness Programs

💡 View our latest webinar, Wellness Evolution: Empowering Employees Through Tailored Coaching, to hear from Laura Williams, Director of Health Education at Marquee Health, and Meghan McGraw, Senior Director of Consultant Relations at WellRight. 

In today's fast-paced work environments, where deadlines loom and priorities shift constantly, maintaining employee wellbeing isn't just a nice-to-have—it's a strategic imperative. 

Employers are increasingly recognizing that fostering a healthy workplace is no longer just about focusing on physical health or mental resilience—now, social wellness plays a huge role in boosting job satisfaction. This aspect of wellbeing, which is often overlooked, plays a crucial role in creating cohesive teams and fostering a positive work culture.

Social wellness involves forming positive relationships and feeling a sense of belonging. In the workplace, this can manifest in the strong social bonds employees form with one another and the communities that naturally form as a result.

Research by the American Psychological Association shows that 83% of employees report feeling a greater sense of purpose when they have strong work relationships. When employees have the opportunity to form solid social bonds and connect with one another, they feel more valued and fulfilled as individuals, leading to increased engagement, motivation, and productivity. 

And when these connections are reinforced by well-designed wellness programming, the entire organization reaps the benefits.

The Power of Connection in Wellness Programs

Humans are naturally social beings who flourish through connection, support, and a feeling of belonging. These social ties are pivotal not just from a team-building perspective, but also when it comes to motivation, accountability, and overall achievement across all dimensions of health and wellbeing.

As a bonus, wellness programs that incorporate social components tend to see higher participation rates compared to those that lack these elements. The social aspect creates a more engaging and supportive environment where employees feel a heightened sense of purpose, encouraging them to stay involved and committed to their health goals over the long term. 

In addition to boosting wellness program engagement, social connections in the workplace also promote:

• Motivation through shared goals: When employees embark on wellness journeys together, they inspire each other. Seeing colleagues make positive changes can spark a desire to do the same.
• Accountability: Social wellness activities create a built-in support system that keeps participants accountable, making it easier to stick to health goals.
• Stress reduction: Social interactions and team-building activities can help lower stress levels, which is essential for overall health and productivity.
• Knowledge sharing: When employees can share health tips, experiences, and resources with each other, they naturally cultivate a collective pool of wellness knowledge.
• Improved workplace culture: Social wellness activities foster a more positive, supportive work environment, leading to increased job satisfaction and reduced turnover. A report by Deloitte found that organizations with a strong sense of purpose and connection have 40% higher levels of employee retention. 

To harness these benefits, employers can incorporate the following social elements into wellness programming:

• Peer-to-peer wellness challenges: When colleagues work towards common wellness goals, they forge stronger connections and support each other's efforts in wellness activities and daily work. Organize team-based or friendly competitive challenges like step counts or healthy eating contests. For example, a "Department vs. Department" step challenge can promote physical activity and build camaraderie.
• Team activities: By participating in group-centric activities, employees learn to communicate better, collaborate effectively, and appreciate each other's strengths outside of their usual work roles. Arrange group fitness classes, team sports leagues, health-focused volunteer days, or wellness workshops to provide opportunities for employees to interact outside of their usual work roles.
• Interactive messaging channels: Building social bonds can be challenging when employees can only connect virtually, but with the right tools in place, they can still share their progress, offer encouragement, and celebrate achievements together. Create dedicated communication platforms for wellness discussions, allowing employees to share progress, seek advice, and offer support.
• Wellness buddy systems: Accountability and camaraderie are key to bringing health and wellness goals to life. Implement a program where employees are paired up to support each other's health goals through check-ins and shared activities.
• Social recognition and rewards: Incorporate social elements into your reward system, such as peer nominations for wellness achievements or a "Wellness Champion of the Month" program.

By implementing these strategies, employers can create a wellness program that promotes individual health and strengthens the social fabric of their organizations, leading to more engaged, motivated, and healthy workforces.

Boosting Engagement and ROI

Investing in social wellness within a wellness program isn't just about creating a pleasant work environment—it's also a smart business decision. According to a Gallup study, employees who have a best friend at work are 7 times more likely to be fully engaged and committed to their organizations. 

Here’s how increasing engagement through social-bonding activities yields a return on investment for employers:

1. Improved employee morale: When employees feel connected to their peers and supported by their organization, morale inevitably improves as a result. This leads to higher job satisfaction and reduced turnover rates, saving on recruitment and training costs.
2. Increased productivity: Engaged employees are naturally more motivated and productive. In turn, they collaborate more effectively, solve problems efficiently, and contribute positively to team dynamics.
3. Enhanced health outcomes: High social support and integration not only lead to lower stress levels and improved mental wellbeing, but are also associated with the lowest relative odds of mortality compared to many other well-accepted risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Employees who feel socially connected are more likely to adopt and sustain healthy habits, leading to fewer sick days and reduced healthcare costs.
4. Stronger organizational culture: A workplace culture that prioritizes social wellness inevitably fosters employee loyalty and commitment. As a result, the workplace becomes a magnet for talent, as job seekers are more inclined to work for organizations where they can thrive personally and professionally.

Ultimately, a workplace prioritizing social wellness is better equipped to navigate challenges, adapt to change, and sustain long-term success in today's competitive work landscape. Imbuing wellness programming with elements that enhance social wellness enables organizations to build happier workforces, boost employee engagement, and cultivate more resilient, collaborative, and high-performing teams. 

Want to know the formula for creating social wellness programming that is flexible enough to meet employees where they are and align with organizational goals? Reach out to our experts to discover how a tailored wellness program leaves the biggest impact—and is the key to capturing ongoing leadership commitment.