With the new year approaching, it’s time to start thinking about adopting healthier lifestyle habits. Incorporating a healthy lifestyle into your company culture is essential to the health of your business. A study by researchers at UCLA and Washington University showed participation in a basic wellness program increased workers’ productivity by at least five percent.
Companies that make employee health and well-being a priority not only experience higher productivity, but higher engagement and lower retention costs. Healthy employees are less stressed and less prone to fatigue and illness. While some companies like Google offer onsite chiropractors, physical therapy and message services, fitness classes and nutritious meals to keep Googlers energized throughout the day, even small and mid-size businesses can look out for employees’ wellbeing by encouraging a few healthy habits at the workplace.
Offer Fitness Perks
You don’t have to have an onsite gym to promote exercise. To encourage employees to get active after work, Entripy offers employees a health and fitness allowance of $200 a year to spend on fitness equipment, a gym membership or fitness classes.
Start a Corporate Sports Team
Consider sponsoring an after-work softball or ball hockey team. Corporate sports teams not only promote exercise, but are an effective way at encouraging team building as well. Outfit your team in custom team jerseys to boost company pride and team spirit.
Encourage Daily Movement
Encourage employees to get up from their desks by having areas around the office for standing meetings. Fitness trackers are a growing trend in workplaces, many of whom host step counting challenges to encourage employees to be more mobile throughout the day.
Host a 30-day fitness challenge that allow employees to encourage each other to adopt healthier lifestyle habits. Include things like eating 5 servings of fruits/vegetables, drinking 32oz of water, increasing your step count. You can reward your employees’ efforts with branded corporate swag that encourage healthy behaviour such as a custom water bottle or custom gym bag.
Have a Lunchtime Walking Club
Encourage employees to get active during their breaks by sponsoring a lunchtime walking club. Encourage participation by handing out custom t-shirts branded with your company logo for members of your walking team to ensure they don’t get their work shirts sweaty during their walk.
Encourage Healthy Eating Habits
When hosting lunchtime meetings, opt for healthy sandwiches and vegetables rather than pizza or greasy takeout. Decorate your staff lunchroom with graphics that promote healthy thinking and living and introduce monthly lunch and learns with nutritionists and other health professionals to promote healthy habits.
Support Employee Mental Health
A study by Moreau Shepell indicates that 33 percent of employees have or have had a mental health condition and a further 27 percent report significant stress. Entripy recognizes that mental stress is bad for business and can cause higher rates of absenteeism and lower productivity. In our renovated office space, we introduced the principals of colour theory to help combat mental stress. The colours orange and green were chosen for our walls to help reduce anxiety while also energizing our team.
