Kick Start 2015 by Promoting a Healthy Workplace

Want to make 2015 the most productive year for your organization?

Implement a health and wellness program.

Acknowledging and supporting employee health doesn’t just make you a better employer; it can make the company healthier financially.  Employees who feel happy and supported at work are more productive and produce higher quality work.  On the other hand, unhappy employees are more likely to experience stress and illness, which can take a major toll on workplace productivity.

In today’s workplace, having a healthy company means investing in employee health.  More and more companies are implementing wellness strategies to create happier, healthier employees.  As 2015 kicks off in the midst of flu season, here are a few simple strategies for creating a healthier workplace.

Promote flu awareness and prevention.

According to FLU.gov, over 110 million workdays are lost each year due to the flu.  It spreads rapidly and can affect an employee’s health for up to two weeks.  If even one employee comes to work while sick with the flu, others will start falling to the symptoms.  Prevent the risk by educating employees about flu shots.  Contract with a local occupational health center to offer low cost flue vaccinations to your employees or offer to pay for flu shots at a nearby pharmacy.  Encourage employees to take advantage of flu shots and post signs educating employees about hand washing and other germ preventative behaviors.

Offer healthier food options.

When employees are hard at work it’s often convenient (and sometimes necessary) to quickly grab a soda and chips from the vending machine.  Encourage healthy eating by offering better snack and meal options that will help fuel employee performance.  Try replacing the chips with nuts and dried fruit and the sodas with water and juice. If your office has a cafeteria, make sure it offers healthy options.

Encourage a better work-life balance.

Wellness programs don’t work unless you make them a priority.  Decide that you care about your employees and don’t want work to be a contributor to poor health.  If you want your workplace to be healthy, being supportive and caring is a must.  Encourage employees to take advantage of the wellness benefits you offer.  Find out what your employees are most passionate about and figure out how to incorporate those personal interests into their work assignments.

Encourage employees to use their vacation time for a mental and physical break from work.  Offer a lunch hour walking club or yoga class.  Offer discounts or partially subsidize memberships to a local gym or exercise club.

Provide health education.

Lunchtime seminars are a perfect opportunity to help employees learn about healthy habits. Bring in guest speakers to lead sessions on healthy eating, how to stay healthy while traveling, or how to manage stress.  Keep forums fun but informative, and provide lunch for those who attend.

Mandate a five-minute stress break. 

Implement a companywide or department-wide stress break that happens at least once a day.   Encourage employees to take a five-minute break from their desk, get up and stretch, go for a walk, or participate in another relaxation exercise. Sitting in the same spot, staring at a computer for 8-10 hours a day isn’t good for anyone’s health.  If you designate time for quick breaks, you’ll help rejuvenate employees.

Putting a little effort into creating a healthier work environment can go a long way in growing the success of your company.  Organizational health often begins with hiring the right employees.  Let the experienced recruiters at BOS Staffing help.  For more than 35 years we have helped clients throughout Northeast Georgia and nationwide complete work cost-effectively, hire smarter, and manage their workforces more efficiently. Contact us today to start recruiting happy, healthy employees for your open positions.

 

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