With more than two-thirds of the U.S. population classified as obese and 86 million Americans struggling with prediabetes, the need for better, more accessible health and wellness programs is evident. In the past decade, businesses of all sizes have made efforts to be part of the solution by implementing corporate wellness programs. Corporate wellness combines physical, emotional, intellectual, social, and occupational support to create healthier work environments and lives for employees.

Healthy eating is often a top priority for wellness programs because many chronic illnesses are food- and diet-related. Providing healthy options in the corporate dining facility is an effective way to get employees to stick to smart eating habits—which benefits both the individual and the company.

A study by health science professor Ray Merrill at Brigham Young University shows that people with unhealthy eating habits are 66% more likely to demonstrate poor productivity at work. Furthermore, a study by doctors Richard Milani and Carl Lavie, as summarized in “What’s the Hard Return on Employee Wellness Programs?” published by Harvard Business Review, looked at a group of 185 employees who, along with their spouses, enrolled in a corporate wellness program. The results showed that every $1 invested in corporate wellness yielded a $6 savings in health care costs.

The core belief behind corporate wellness programs is that if employees have access to health-focused amenities such as nutritious food options in the cafeteria, a gym or gym membership, positive colleague and managerial relationships, and wellness experts such as dietitians and nurses, they will demonstrate higher job performance, more job satisfaction, and reduced future costs related to healthcare. Corporate wellness programs aim to bring each employee to their peak performance inside and outside of the workplace. They have the power to significantly improve widespread health by making the place where people spend large portions of their days—at work—as healthy as possible.

HandCut Foods is proud to work with businesses all over the city to bring healthier meal options to their establishments. Through handcrafted meals made from whole ingredients, we help people improve their diets and build positive relationships with food. The next time your business has a meeting or event, let HandCut provide the menu to make it both delicious and productive!