Companies and individuals are no different when it comes to committing to a wellness program. They both have the same fears and excuses as to changing their routines.
Time
Individual: I don’t have time in my schedule to exercise or cook my meals.
Company: We have too many projects that are due; we can’t spare time for extraneous events like exercising.
Money
Individual: I can’t afford to pay for a personal trainer.
Company: We don’t have any money in our budget for wellness programs.
Knowledge
Individual: I’m not sure what I should do different, so I just stick with my routine.
Company: It is not a company’s responsibility to educate its employees on individual health choices.
Fear
Individual: I’ve dieted and exercised in the past with little results. What makes you think it can work now?
Company: We spent money in the past on fresh fruits in the vending machine and no one bought them. How do we invest in a wellness program so we don’t throw money down the drain and get a positive ROI on this investment?
As you can see, the excuses sound the same. So tell me, how is your current program treating you? Mentally you tell yourself or your company you may not be able to afford wellness, but when you are sick, everyone is affected. Your family and co-workers have to pick up the slack as your productivity goes down and in the end you end up paying more between time off from work, out of pocket doctor and prescription expenses, and increased stress levels.
“Those that do not find time for exercise, sooner or later will have to find time for illness.” – Earl of Derby
Investing in an individual and company wellness program will provide more benefits than any ROI formula can capture. The Earl has it right, better to pay a little bit now in time, energy, and money; than pay a lot in the future. Wellness is a choice that every individual and company needs to make now in order to reap the benefits, so why wait?