Workplace Wellbeing: 3 Simple Ways To Create A Culture Of Health At Your Company

Keeping your employees healthy can have an excellent return on investment. Not only will your insurance premiums plummet, but you will also have staff members who are much more efficient and driven. Here is a look at three ways you can start promoting a culture of health at your company today.

Create An Incentive Program

Many business owners shy away from incentive programs unless they are directly tied to work performance, but your rewards for healthy living don't need to be extravagant. Even smaller rewards such as a slightly longer lunch break or a gift card for coffee can work wonders. Before establishing the incentive program, you first want to speak with your HR department about coming up with a system that is as fair as possible. Your program can track how many footsteps your employees log or how many times they check-in at the gym.

If you would like to improve teamwork within your company, then you can use a buddy system that allows your employees to create groups of two or three to meet their goals. The sense of camaraderie that is created between the team members will often translate over to their work and help improve your bottom line.

Allow For Physical Activity At Work

Very few smaller companies have the finances to build an on-site gym, but that doesn't mean you can't promote physical activity in the workplace. One great way to get your employees moving is to offer flexible work schedules. Allowing them to come in an hour early so that they have enough time to go to the gym after work could be the final nudge they need to start living a healthier life. You can also create a system that rewards employees who decide to walk to work or ride their bicycles. Every employee has slightly different needs, and you might have to come up with a few different systems to meet those needs.

Another option that business owners have is to work with a local gym to see if they can get discounted monthly memberships. Gym owners love to sell bulk accounts, and they will often reduce their monthly costs by quite a bit in order to sell a few dozen memberships at the same time. You can even offer to have the discounted fees taken directly out of your employees' checks so that they do not have to worry about paying them on their own.

Update Your Vending Machines And Cafeteria Options

When many people think about food in the workplace, their minds often drift to cheap vending machines and sugar-laden snacks at office parties. Exercising will drastically reduce your employees' risk of many different medical issues, but their diet is probably the single most important factor when it comes to their overall health. You can start by replacing the unhealthy snacks in the vending machines with high-quality snacks like fresh fruit and vegetables, and healthier drinks like the products offered by ASEA. Those who have cafeterias at work should always offer a number of healthy dishes and sides that are filled with fresh produce, lean protein sources, and whole grains. You can also make sure that all of your corporate parties have healthy options instead of foods that are packed with sodium, refined sugar, and saturated fats.

Trying to motivate your employees to be healthier is not always the easiest of tasks. While you will inevitably run into some employees who simply refuse to make lifestyle changes, you might be surprised to find out that most will welcome the changes. They will not only notice improved performance at work, but many will quickly begin to realize that those changes positively impact their lives at home. What started off as a few minor adjustments at work can easily turn into a lifelong passion for healthy living.