In 24 hours a day, most employees spend one-third of their time in the office. No wonder that healthy working environment is as important as healthy residential settings. As a consequence, harnessing simple yet effective healthy work habits to encourage employees to have healthier life is highly recommended.
According to a survey, 91 percent employers believe that adopting healthier lifestyle at work can reduce healthcare costs. Besides financial advantage, healthy work habits will reduce sickness-related absences and boost greater productivity.
As a leader, you need to be committed in helping the employees manage healthy lifestyles by setting a good example. Below are some tips to inspire healthy work habits.
Although health practitioners suggests eight hours of sleep in a day, not many people are actually able to do that. A study found that 40% people in the U.S get less than seven hours of sleep.
Sleep deprivation can impair concentration, performance, and cognition. On the other hand, when one has enough amount of sleep, they will be more aware and alert in their workplaces, thus upturn productivity.
Take some time to do some stretching at work will help employees to relax themselves during tight schedule. Simple mini stretching can also be done without leaving desk. To refresh minds, employees should take couple of minutes walk around the office to feel fresh and return back to desk.
See: Work-flexibility Giving a Boost to Employees’ Productivity
Check your office refrigerator and do some shopping. Replace unhealthy snacks full of calories such as potato chips, candy bars, and cookies with protein bars, oats, and nuts. For healthier drink, change soda or syrup with fresh water, infused water, or iced tea with less sugar. All these changes could cost some additional snacking budget, but it will promote healthier work habits.
When your employees form a good camaraderie, they tend to work happily in harmony. This condition will tend to create healthy relationships among employees, which will help overcome strain and anxiety in their jobs, arising out of conflict with a co-worker or unhealthy workplace politics.
Social media majors today such as Twitter and Facebook have adopted wellness programs for their employees as a part of talent retention strategy. In the office, yoga and Pilates classes are held free.
Promoting healthy lifestyle that is more convenient and affordable for employees has resulted in a motivated workforce and less stressed staff. When employees are healthy, they feel good. They innovate, solve problems and take initiative, which is imperative in a tough global marketplace.
When one morning you see an employee looks like under the weather, just ask him to go home and come back when he feels better. If he insists on coming to work, tells him that having one sick man in a room might lead to bigger numbers taking day off in the future.
No need to ‘work through the day’ when you feel the employee cannot perform. Being professional and showing dedication to work can mean anything, and showing up when you are sick does not count.
In addition, discourage your employees to take work-related calls or emails after work-hours. It will help them relax at home as well as reduce stress and fatigue from overwork.
Exposing your office with natural lightings will create better atmosphere and increase productivity. Investing money to purchase better chair is also a good step such that your employees can work comfortably without strain on their backs.
In addition, there are times when you should turn off air conditioners and keep windows wide-open for fresh air to come in and employees to breath fresh oxygen to relax senses.
Read also: Singapore’s Best Companies to Work For in Asia for 2016
