We all know that a healthy workforce is a happy workforce, and most importantly a productive workforce, which in turn increases the bottom line.
Here at Be Strong, we know a thing or two about getting healthy, and we have also worked in organisations of varying sizes. So we have put together our top tips to help businesses to encourage their employees to improve their own personal health and wellbeing.
- Health and wellbeing should be at the heart of a business, and this is demonstrated if the boss leads by example. When the people at the top display healthy behaviours, it will encourage the staff to do the same thing.
- Encourage healthy food choices – whether you have vending machines, on-site catering, or off-site event catering it doesn’t always have to be junk food. Check out the healthy options that are available from your suppliers. If your catering is in house, ask the catering manager to look at the government guidance on healthy catering.
- Encourage fresh air time – we all need a break from our work stations, whether it’s a computer, a machine, a production line or a room full of people – having a regular break and getting some fresh air can refocus our minds and refresh our bodies – leaving us feeling ready for the next part of the working day. Encourage staff to get outside on their breaks – outdoors shouldn’t just be for the smokers – maybe a set of tables and chairs for employees to sit on during their coffee break, or invite a local coffee van to pitch on your site for your employees to walk to.
- Encourage movement – whether it’s with walking meetings, a regular walking or jogging club, sports teams, weekly workouts, an onsite gym, or access to exercise out of work perhaps with a Be Strong Group Membership, moving more keeps us all strong, fit and healthy.
- Communicate about health and wellbeing – if you have a regular staff newsletter or regular team meetings, include health and wellbeing as a topic. Get ideas from the team about how they can improve their own health and wellbeing, and how the organisation could facilitate that. Be Strong provides weekly articles as part of their membership to help people think differently about food and exercise, these could be shared with your staff, through our workplace package.
- Check out your environment – are there some green fingered staff in your organisation? A staff gardening club will encourage members to get out into the fresh air, network, move their bodies and of course ultimately improve the aesthetics of your site. That is surely a win win.
- Health and wellbeing ambassadors – there will already be people in your organisation who are living a healthy lifestyle already – could they be health and wellbeing champions and encourage positive lifestyle changes in others? They could set up a Be Strong group of their own within your business with our workplace offer.
Whatever you do, don’t force it on your teams, it has to be something they enjoy doing, but don’t give up at the first hurdle either, try different methods until you find the one that fits, then build on it.
If you are worried about the health and wellbeing of your employees, and would like some help send us a message, we would love to hear from you.