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There’s a new trend that’s getting attention at large companies everywhere – wellness. Company leaders are focused less on the basic health of their employees and more on their overall balance of work, life and health. Why does it matter?

For years, the healthcare industry has been focused on reacting to bad choices. We eat meat, salt and sugar in excess for 60 years and we’re bound to see negative consequences from these choices. When you combine the stress of work and family responsibilities, the heart may be done before its time and the economic impact on society is significant.

The younger generation is taking a step back when it comes to how they handle work, life and play. Diet colas are giving way to vitamin-infused water, red meat is taking a secondary position to fish and chicken, and exercise is no longer an after-thought, but instead a must in the busy week. Stressors are minimized and balance among all activities is sought, if not always achieved.

The idea here is to take back control of our health, making decisions that not only impact us now, but have long-term effects. Workforce optimization programs are even getting on board. The goal is to focus a healthy balance, ensuring we’re not asking too much of our employees so as to create the optimal environment for quality interactions at all touch points.

According to this Centre Daily report, Restek is one company ready to focus on wellness. In fact, the company recently broke ground on a 17,000-square-foot-wellness center for employees and their families. But this isn’t a new focus for Restek. The company built its first wellness center in 1992 when it had its first $1 million sales month as a reward for employees. That center has been outgrown and it’s time for something new.

Restek is definitely ahead of the curve. A 2010 survey by Towers Watson found that 67 percent of employers identified their employees’ poor health habits as a top challenge to maintaining affordable health coverage. While the focus at that time was the bottom line, the overarching goal is employee satisfaction, engagement and productivity. When all three are on target, the company and the employee base can benefit.

In five short years, the trend toward wellness and healthier lifestyles has gained significant momentum. Employees are making smarter decisions and workforce optimization solutions are geared toward balanced outcomes. Companies that experience success do so because they have focused on employee wellness so as to reap the benefits and not the other way around. When employees are happy and healthy, they’re more productive, engaged and efficient, especially if they feel like their employer is making an investment in their betterment.

The best way to engage in a wellness program that delivers results is to better understand what employees want. Simply suggesting a more active lifestyle won’t get it done. The point is to invest in your employees so they want to invest in you. Workforce optimization is a great place to start, but focus on how you can help them achieve a better work-life balance with a priority placed on wellness. Chances are the outcomes will benefit you all.