Traditionally, employee health and well-being programs encourageemployees to be physically active and eat healthier. But truehealth and well-being goes far beyond the scope of exercise andhealthy eating.

Related: Employers shifting focus from wellness towell-being

Ancient Ayurveda teachings dating back to 3000 BC consideredthese two traditional foundations of health and well-being — dietand activity — as part of the human's broader social and hygieneneeds. The goal was to create a harmonic balance between mind, bodyand spirit to prevent illness and live a more fulfilled life.

At its heart, these ancient teachings assert that health andwell-being requires a balance of many factors that contribute to afulfilled life with optimized health. Modern health and well-beingprograms would benefit from this approach and could greatly improveemployee performance and overall well-being by addressing all fivedimensions of health: physical, emotional, financial, social andcommunity health, the combination of which leads towards anoptimized state of being.

Fortunately, many businesses are shifting towards thisdirection. According to the 2016 Whispers from the Water Cooler survey bythe National Business Group on Health (NBGH) and Welltok, largeemployers have expanded the scope and focus of their offerings toinclude social connectedness, emotional health and financial healthprograms. T

his study also found that the consumer appetite for this broaderapproach to health and well-being is strong. Seventy-eight percentof women and 70 percent of men felt employers should offeremotional health programs and 53 percent of all employees feltemployers should play a role in financial health.

Related: The worst thing for employer health costs?Stress

Of those who engage in these types of programs, 75 to 81 percentof participants found them helpful depending on program type. Manypeople are in tune with the physicial aspects of health, and arenow embracing the following three dimensions for a more holistichealth program:

Financial well-being

The adverse health effects of financial stress are welldocumented. According to the American Psychological Association(APA), high levels of financial stress and debt concerns areassociated with increased risk for ulcers, migraines, heart attacksand sleep problems. The negative effects of financial stress can befurther magnified by the adoption of unhealthy coping mechanismssuch as excessive eating or drinking, social withdrawal ordepression.

Related: Employee financial health connects to physicalhealth

While financial health programs do not address the physicalmanifestations of the associated stress, they can helpparticipants feel more in control of their economic situation andprovide a support network. Therefore, it's not surprising that amajority of employees agree that the employer has a role to play inoffering financial health programs.

The survey also found that employees under 35 had the strongestfeelings about accessing these programs to help them pay downstudent debt, get counseling on good financial practices and set upcollege funds. On the flip side, the relevance of or desire forfinancial programs decreased by 20 percent for employees betweenthe ages of 50-65.

Emotional health

Researchhas long documented the relationship between physical health andemotions. Poor emotional health can weaken the immune system,increasing risk of colds or illness. Stress and anxiety can havedirect physical impacts, causing ulcers, back pain, fatigue, highblood pressure, insomnia, etc.

Related: Identifying the stress seasons in aworkforce

Stress and anxiety can also cause individuals to make negativebehavior choices which can further impact physical health.Alternatively, positive emotions like joy, confidence and gratitudecan inspire healthier choices, stronger support networks, increasedresiliency and improved health outcomes.

Both employers and employees are starting to recognize thisrelationship. The NGBH survey noted that 73 percent of employeesare seeking emotional and personal support resources from theiremployers. Resources like stress management, employee assistanceprograms, and counseling are returning a high value.

In fact, 75 percent of participants in employer sponsoredemotional health programs found them useful. Participation in theseprograms are still low, with most employees citing relevance as akey prohibitive factor. Employers who are offering these programsshould consider alternative promotions among their broader employeegroups, such as sourcing stories from participants who are willingto share their personal success stories.

Social support

With new research often comparing the health risks of loneliness to thatof smoking or obesity, employers are starting to put more effortsinto increasing social connectivity not just within their workforcebut the wider community. Social connectedness improves emotionalhealth, aids in greater program and health behavior changeengagement.

Eighty-nine percent of employers surveyed by NGBH are offeringvolunteering, community connectedness, and affinity groupopportunities. Employers are seeing value with 42 percent ofemployees participating and 81 percent of participants citingvalue.

Family involvement also drives greater program participation.The survey found that employees are more influenced by colleaguesand direct managers over senior leadership. With socialconnectivity programs offering emotional health benefits as well asgreater overall program engagement, these programs offer a win-winfor employees and employers.

Today's employee health and well-being programs will no longerpass with step challenges and onsite biometric screenings. The newhealth and well-being program will optimize health by addressingthe multi-dimensional social, emotional and financial aspects ofhealth — in addition to physical health exercise and nutritionprograms — to create the foundation where positive health outcomesare encouraged, built and sustained because they are part of thenorm.