Employee health is a crucial factor pertaining to workplace productivity. Healthy employees are the key to an organization's opulence and the level of energy and motivation that they bring with themselves is what drives a company towards its goals. This is why it's important to establish a work culture that promotes employee wellbeing and motivates them to inculcate healthy habits in their daily lives. Moreover, healthier employees mean happier employees. There will be far less absenteeism, enhanced productivity and lowered health care premium costs. Isn't this a win-win situation for both you and your employees?
So, in order to ensure that your employees stay healthy not only physically but also mentally, you need to educate them about the merits of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. And if you are looking for a few constructive tips to share with your employees, don’t worry, because this article has got you covered.
Here are a Few Simple yet Effective Health Tips that Your Employees Will Love
Get Adequate Hours of Sleep
Nowadays being a workaholic is considered to be very high-toned and trendy. We need to stop romanticising the over-work culture. Losing sleep frequently for work is not a habit that we should promote. A person running on an improper sleep cycle has less efficiency and is more prone to make errors. Whereas, an employee who is well-rested tends to have better morale, motivation, and efficacy.
Keep a Check on the Coffee Cups
Coffee has gradually become a workplace beverage. Many employees may even find it impossible to get through the day without several cups of coffee. They believe drinking coffee keeps them alert and on their toes. But consuming caffeine relentlessly can quickly become an addiction without one’s knowledge. So moderation is the only solution when it comes to curbing the dependence on caffeine. Also, replacing regular coffee with a decaf one in the office can make a big difference.
Consume Power Snacks
A lot of employees complain about not eating healthy during the weekdays. They usually blame it on the long working hours but what actually happens is that they try to replace the work fatigue by eating junk food. One of the main reasons why they may feel tired in the first place is because they are not feeding their body with enough nutrients and minerals. This is where power snacks can help. Power snacks are ready-to-eat snacks such as dry fruits, berries, dates, fruits, nuts and seeds. These snacks are a powerhouse of energy and employees can munch on them while working. This will also help them stay satiated so that they do not eat any processed carbs or sugar.
Stretching at Regular Intervals
Sitting for long hours and a sedentary lifestyle are the two main culprits causing bad health at the workplace. Research shows that sitting for hours on end can engender various health problems such as obesity, high blood pressure, and chronic muscle pains, to name a few. A simple piece of advice to your employees can be to do a stretch or take a small walk after 1-2 hours of sitting. Stretching hands, neck, legs, and arms removes stiffness from the body and also feels freshening.
Daily Walks
Encourage your employees to inculcate the habit of walking in their lives. Walking relieves hypertension, joint or muscular pains and reduces the risk of strokes and heart disease. They can do it during their lunch breaks or early mornings. You can also have a small area with plants and foliage in the office premises where employees can go to take a break and walk for a while. Another excellent idea could be to put a poster near the elevator button that says, why not take the stairs instead?
Increase Your Water Intake
Recommend your employees to replace their caffeine drinks with water. Advice them to set a target to drink at least 2 litres of water a day because staying hydrated is the key to keep the diseases at bay. It also reduces lethargy and also keeps them hydrated and active. You can provide them with personalized water bottles with your company’s branding to encourage them to drink more water.
Take Care of Your Eyes
With the rise of work from home culture, everyone is spending more time than usual in front of the screens. It is advisable to encourage employees to use anti-glare glasses, keep the screen brightness soft, and relax their eyes after every half an hour or so. It will prevent concerns such as dry eyes or headaches.
Practice Meditation Daily
In this highly volatile and fast-paced world, everyone should spare at least 15 minutes each day for meditation. It helps the mind to relax, gain a new perspective and also increases self-awareness. By inspiring your employees to meditate, you are not only ensuring their health but also their improved ability to focus at work.
Maintain Basic Hygiene
Ensuring cleanliness in the workspace is now more important than ever. Make proper arrangements for maintaining a clean environment in the office and encourage hygienic behaviour among employees. Especially now that the offices are reopening after lockdown, ask employees to wash their hands frequently, sanitize their workstations, and wear masks at all times.
Normalize Asking for Help
If the employees feel overwhelmed with their professional or personal life, suggest they get professional help. Talking to a professional will help them identify the problematic areas in their life and how they can overcome them. Besides, if you normalise asking for help in the workplace, it will create a safe space for your employees where they are not judged and belittled.
Conclusion
If you want to motivate your employees to follow these tips, you should first set an example yourself. If you are health conscious and prioritise your well being, it will help your employees follow in your footsteps. Consequently, it will also create a sense of team spirit and unity, which will make the work all the more streamlined. Make sure not to force any of these tips on your employees. Your main focus should be to nudge them in the right direction and help them foster work-life balance.
