An Indepth Study of Wellness Programs in the Workplace

Author

Angela Aletha Harris, Fontbonne College

Year of Award

1991

Degree

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

College

College of Business & Professional Studies

Degree Program

Business

Department

Business Administration

Keywords

fitness, employees, benefits, physical, health

Abstract

Examining the rapid growth and evolution of the fitness/wellness movement has proven to be a most challenging and rewarding task.

I found that companies recognize that people who are healthy and physically fit tend to be more productive, happier on and off the job, miss less time from the workplace, and deal more effectively with stress on and off the job! Furthermore, physically and mentally fit employees tend to help reduce company medical insurance payments, which is no small consideration for many firms.

For all these reasons, many companies have established and are continuing to establish corporate fitness and wellness programs.

In a continuous review of the literature of Wellness in the Workplace, I realized that corporate fitness and wellness programs were contributing in both very obvious and subtle ways, to the restoration of those communal, integrative kinds of experiences that are so sorely needed in our social and work lives. By treating people holistically, as physical, mental, and spiritual beings, the many different programs researched are helping to build positive attitudes toward self, society, and the workplace.

In the past two tremulous decades, we have learned to adapt to an uncertain world. A world that offers enormously existing possibilities for social development and constructive changes.

Businesses will have to learn to "thrive on chaos" if it is to succeed in a very real sense, this means that businesses will have to be fit. Fit enough to cope with stress, fit enough to adapt to dislocations, fit enough to maintain vision and commitment in an uncertain world.

Developing this corporate fitness does not involve some new, radical model of organizational behavior. On the contrary, a firm organization is one that provides an environment that reflects a preeminent concern for people's health and sense of well-being, and the health and well-being of their families. It simply makes good business sense to pay attention to the important personal and social concerns that affect today’s worker.

Document Type

Restricted Thesis

Recommended Citation

Harris, Angela Aletha, "An Indepth Study of Wellness Programs in the Workplace" (1991). All Theses, Dissertations, and Capstone Projects. 392.
https://griffinshare.fontbonne.edu/all-etds/392