For most people who work a steady nine-to-five job, it can be tough to find the time to stay in shape. However, when a business works to promote a general sense of “wellness” (or, in other words, an attitude of being health-oriented) in the workplace, the benefits can be tremendous for everyone involved. From an increase in energy and productivity to a decrease in overall health-related issues, the advantages of encouraging employees to be healthy and active are undeniable. Here are a few suggestions on how you can encourage employees to be active.
Walk the walk: First off, it’s important that managers and business owners set a good example for employees to follow. By eating right, taking steps to stay physically active and by showing that it’s possible to balance work and fitness, managers and business owners show that health and wellness is a priority in the workplace. Furthermore, they also show that they have an understanding of the challenges and benefits that are associated with staying active while working fulltime.
Fitness at work: Oftentimes, it’s easy for an employee to stay seated for the duration of the workday, and studies show that sitting for more than seven hours every day can have negative health consequences. However, there are a number of basic things that employees can do to stay active at work. For instance, employees can organize walking groups during their lunch breaks, they can take the stairs instead of the elevator or they can take short breaks throughout the day to stand up and stretch. Thirty minutes of simple activity during the workday (even walking during a lunch break) can be extremely beneficial over the long run.
Talk the talk: Education is an important part of promoting wellness in the workplace. Communicating topics about health—such as newsletters about the value of walking, news about local charity race opportunities or updates on wellness features—can help to remind everyone in the workplace to stay active. Also, it’s a great idea to share pictures or social media posts of anyone who’s engaged in healthy activities too.
Providing benefits and incentives: Managers and owners can provide a number of incentives or benefits in order to encourage employees to stay in shape. For instance, providing healthier snack or meal options at work (such as providing fruit and health bars over chips and candies) can help to make it easier for employees to properly manage their diets. Also, providing health benefits, such as medical plans, gym discounts or even occasional discounts on fitness products such as Fitbits, can help to make it easier and more practical for employees to work on being active
Encouraging employees to be active can help an organization to boost both its productivity and its bottom line. Even something as simple as motivating employees to take the stairs or walk more will positively impact the entire workplace, so its important that managers and owners do what they can to keep their employees healthy and active.
