Since the 2016 Rio Olympics there seems to have been various stories in the news about health and wellbeing. That isn’t at all surprising, as many people will have been motivated to get out of their chairs and get more active. Long may it last.
Even the most dedicated of couch potatoes would have struggled not to feel inspired by the achievements of the athletes from across the world, and as an employer, now’s a great time to think about how you can encourage your staff to adopt a healthier and more active lifestyle, especially with the holiday season looming just around the corner (I didn’t actually say it!!).
Promoting health and fitness at work isn’t just a nice idea, or a fluffy initiative with no measurable business impact. Fitter staff are likely to be:
- Happier and more confident
- Have a more positive attitudes towards work
- Suffer less from stress and related illnesses
They’re also much less likely to have to take time off. In short, promoting activity and healthier living can help you increase productivity and ultimately achieve your business goals.
We’ve all heard about massive corporations offering fancy benefit packages, such as private healthcare and on-site gyms. This approach may be a recipe for success for some, but the reality of the situation here is that smaller businesses often have smaller budgets. However there is good news to – there’s plenty you can do, even if you’re trying to keep an eye on your costs.
One option is to get a team of eager individuals together, and work towards completing a challenge together. It could be something big and ambitious, like a marathon or Tough Mudder (never seen the appeal myself, but each to there own), or something on a smaller scale, such as a local Parkrun, or a daily stroll around the office grounds. Remember your staff will have differing abilities, so consider how you can get everyone involved, without creating any pressure to perform.
An element of competition can sometimes be motivating, so it’s worthwhile considering how you could create a healthy challenge for you staff to take part in. It could involve hitting a certain number of steps each day, or taking part in some form of exercise every working day, or something a little more creative. It’ll be a great talking point in the office, and it’s often a great way to strengthen working relationships.
With the Olympics still in everyone’s minds, holiday season looming in the distance and hopefully a few more weeks of sunny Autumn weather left to enjoy, there has never been a better time to make sure that health and fitness are firmly on your business agenda.
So what can you do to help your staff? Have you ever thought about designing your own health and fitness initiatives for your staff?
We’d love to help. Why not have a chat with us about doing just that. Give us a call today, and we’ll book you in for a no-obligation consultation to help get your staff and business holiday season ready.