We’re kicking off the new year and I’m willing to bet that there are more than just a few of us who have resolved to live healthier lives this year. This resolution doesn’t have to be the cliché that is forgotten about mid-February. Resolving to live healthier is one promise that we should help each other keep.
The workweek has steadily gotten longer over the years. As of 2012, we were up to a solid 46-hour workweek for the average American. Taking it further, 1 in 3 professionals work more than 50 hours per week. Well, enough with depressing stats, my point here is that we’re spending a whole lot of time at work. The promises we’ve made to ourselves to live healthier lives will have to bleed over to the workplace if we have any chance of success.
Building a company culture with an emphasis on healthy living practices doesn’t have to start with a huge budget or grand initiatives. Start this process with the small things. Here are 5 ways to facilitate a healthier company culture at work.
1) Cut out bad food as a reward. While it’s super convenient to reward a workforce with cakes, donuts and bagels, you aren’t doing your team any favors loading them up with sugar and carbs, only to crash an hour later. These such foods are people pleasers and they’re cheap, but they will wreak havoc on productivity and energy levels in the office.
Instead, offer protein rich, low calorie foods that will energize workers. You should also consider that food isn’t the only reward you can give. Simple little things like an extra half hour for lunch, or company logoed water bottles will be appreciated and facilitate keeping those resolutions. Here are several great tips from Lifehacker on a healthier workday.
2) Look into group gym discounts. Many gyms will offer corporate, or group discounts on their memberships. It takes very little time to call around and see what a gym can offer you. This is a great opportunity for co-workers to bond outside of work and maybe even arouse a little healthy competition. Many gyms will over half hour classes at noon specifically for workers on their lunch breaks. Want to learn more? Check out this wellness program guide form the American College of Sports and Medicine.
3) Tie these initiatives in with a good cause. Most companies have volunteer requirements for their workers anyhow, why not kill two birds with one stone? There are countless walks, runs and bike rides that benefit causes of all sorts. Even simple volunteer work like sorting cans at the food banks is more physical activity than sitting at a desk, and it actually makes a difference in your community.
4) Tweak the existing culture to make room for healthy practices. Depending on the type of business or industry, small changes can be made to traditional corporate standards that can really facilitate a worker’s ability to get healthy. If it works for your business, allow more flexible hours for gym time or cooking a healthy lunch over the noon hour. Let workers know that coming back to work with wet hair is acceptable. There currently isn’t a lot of room in traditional business setting for healthy practices. Make room! It will benefit the entire company.
5) Stop penalizing those who request time off for vacations or illness. Time off is completely necessary. Time off is known to encourage creativity and actually increase production. Furthermore, there are way to many workers showing up to work with contagious illness. It only takes one bad flu case to knock an entire office floor out. One study shows that 60% of people go to work sick. Don’t be stingy with time off, especially if work doesn’t suffer for it, but rather improves.
With impending health care initiatives costing companies a whole lot of money, it is vital to start working toward a healthier company culture. These small and easy ways to encourage healthy living in the workplace can come with some serious benefits on the individual level, as well as for the organization as a whole.
