Workers are looking to their employers for some help in meeting their health and wellness goals, new research from staffing firm OfficeTeam suggests. Sixty-three per cent of professionals surveyed in Canada said a company's health and wellness offerings influence their decision to work there. Employees place the greatest weight on ergonomic workplace evaluations and equipment (30 per cent) and fitness facilities or programs (25 per cent). Fortunately, these are the resources most commonly offered by organizations (36 per cent each). Twenty-nine per cent of companies don't have any health and wellness options.

Additional findings:

Professionals ages 18 to 34 (74 per cent) most often said health and wellness offerings impact their decision to work at an organization, compared to those ages 35 to 54 (60 per cent) and 55 and older (50 per cent).
Companies with fewer than 100 employees were least likely to have health and wellness programs.
"As standards for health and wellness evolve, organizations need to be responsive to the changing expectations of professionals if they want to find and retain the best talent," said Koula Vasilopoulos, a district director for OfficeTeam. "Candidates are weighing job opportunities more holistically, including assessing the potential impact a role may have on their well-being."

Added Vasilopoulos, "Companies that offer their staff a variety of resources to support a healthy lifestyle both in and out of the office ultimately benefit from a more appealing corporate culture, and engaged, productive and satisfied workforce."