Helping your employees stay healthy is smart because it shows you have compassion and it is good for your business. If your employees don’t have to take sick time, then production is on schedule and workflow is not interrupted. Putting into place some incentives for your employees to make healthy choices and giving them access to programs that facilitate a healthy lifestyle will lead to happier people and growth in your company. Here are some tips for promoting a healthy lifestyle in the workplace.
- Preventative Measures
One of the most important ways to keep your employees healthy is by promoting preventative measures, and this should be part of the benefits package. Offering products such as group health insurance Utah, and other incentives to see medical professionals regularly for well-visits will help maintain good health and catch any potential problems early on.
- Exercise Options
Promoting physical activity is key to healthy workers, so providing any type of equipment or environment that can be utilized during breaks or after hours benefits everyone in the company. Depending on what your building is like, paving a path around your complex would give employees a space to walk or run for exercise. Having a room with machines like treadmills is also a great option. If your business is not suited for these options, contracting with a local gym for member discounts could work. Also, encourage regular breaks so employees can rejuvenate, stretch and stimulate circulation.
- Nutrition Alternatives
Instead of having soda and chip machines, offer alternatives that are high in nutrition, such as protein bars and fresh fruits. Keep a blender on the counter in the kitchen area so staff can make smoothies, and encourage lunch to be eaten away from desks. Have a water cooler and provide bottles or cups to make it easy and free to consume. Start a monthly contest to see who can hydrate the most and offer up some swag to the winners. Bringing in a nutritionist to talk about various meal planning topics can turn a standard staff meeting into an interesting lunch-and-learn hour.
- Stress Relievers
It is hard for employees to stay healthy when they are continuously stressed out. Taking care of your worker’s mental health is a key part of the equation to keep them in great shape for their benefit and the good of the company. Stress relievers can come in a variety of forms and the most effective ones depend on the person, but common ones are exercise, hobbies, entertainment and doing things that you enjoy. Reading a book or watching a movie can get your mind off of work and help balance life and work responsibilities. Counseling services should be part of your benefits package and information on how to utilize these should be posted in a common area.
- Sleep Schedules
There are few things as debilitating as sleep deprivation and insomnia, so promoting a healthy sleep schedule in your employees’ lives is at the heart of keeping them healthy. Offering flexible work schedules is a great way to help your workers match their peak performance time with time on the clock. Hybrid work is a current trend that allows flexibility both in hours and locations. Acknowledging how important sleep is for the mind and body begins a discussion that should be an ongoing consideration for scheduling work hours.
Taking care of your employees is taking care of your business because without them, nothing gets finished. Providing great benefits and encouraging your employees to make use of preventative visits and counselors will make sure they have the medical professionals in their lives to help guide their choices. Offering healthy food, exercise spaces and regular break times will help keep workers’ minds focused and clear. Encouraging fun activities and healthy life and work balance will help keep the stress levels down, as well as make your company a desirable place to work.
