There are vast differences between the terms wellness and health. Although many people assume these words are similar, their meanings can vary. According to Merriam Webster, health means “the state or condition of being healthy, in body, mind or spirit; and especially free from any physical disease or pain.” A condition is what health means. A person’s health is determined by their emotional and physical symptoms. People can change their lifestyles to improve their health. You can change your lifestyle and start exercising if you are overweight or have high blood pressure. If the person loses weight and has lower blood pressure, their doctor may declare them in good health. However, the definition of health is contingent. It is possible for someone to slip back into unhealthiness by returning the old habits that led them there.
On the other side, wellness refers to “the quality of being in good health or the state of being well, especially if it is an active goal.” Not like health, which is conditional, wellness is an ongoing state of optimal and healthy health that can only be sustained through continued effort. If health or wellness were to be described as running terms health would be a sprint. Wellness would be marathon. As with health, wellness is about a person’s spiritual, physical, and emotional well-being. However, wellness refers to the person’s continuous effort to reach peak performance and overall wellbeing in the emotional, spiritual and physical realms.
Corporate wellness plans are critical to a company’s success long-term. Wellness programs in the workplace promote employee health. They also emphasize the importance and value of wellness. Employee health over the long-term is a benefit for companies. It means that employees are happier, receive lower healthcare costs, and have higher productivity. As it may seem, an employee who is happy and healthy will perform better than one who is unhappy. It does more than just benefit the company during implementation. Employees also reap the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. A wellness lifestyle includes more than the physical condition of a person. Also, one must consider their spiritual and emotional well-being. Employee health is vital and should not be underestimated. It is important to encourage all employees of a company towards better health. It is important to not stop working towards your health goals. An effective corporate wellness plan is one that takes you on a path towards wellness.
