True health is achieving balance in all areas of your well-being, but when you work in an office, it can feel particularly difficult to care for your health, let alone prioritize it.
For many people, the lack of accessible resources in the workplace causes them to all but entirely neglect taking care of their physical (and mental) health.
Why does a “healthy” workplace matter?
Promoting a healthier workplace matters because not only does it raise office morale, but it carries a multitude of benefits for yourself and your employees. Some of these benefits include:- Improved (literal) mental and physical health, and well-being
- Increased focus, productivity and overall performance
- Greater job satisfaction (and therefore better corporate image)
- Lower turnover rate (and better reviews from those who move on)
1. Establish a company program with a local gym
Gyms are beneficial for practically everyone, but many people choose not to sign up due to limited finances or inconvenience. If your company unites with a local gym—offering either a discounted or free membership to employees—it’s a powerful incentive.2. Provide more and healthier break-room foods
Conventional break-room food, like cafeteria food, is not only devoid of nutrition, but is often downright toxic to your body. Consider choosing vending machine services that offer healthier alternatives, providing a complimentary bowl of fruit, or even pairing with local healthy restaurants to offer coupons to your employees.3. Allow workspaces to be personalizable
We all know that the standard office layout is simple and typically plainly colored, but individual workspaces don’t have to be. Allowing your employees to decorate their desk with a variety of personal trinkets, bring pictures, keep fresh flowers or plants and even have the opportunity to implement a standing desk can go a very long way.4. Encourage employees to take true breaks (and outside)
Let’s face it, working all day in an office is rough. If you’re lucky, your desk might be at a window, but most of them aren’t, and most people take their breaks in a break room or at their desk. Even when they’re on a break, they’re still deeply submerged in the work environment, and often aren’t actually truly giving their minds a rest. Encourage your employees to not only take their breaks, but regularly step outside and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine to give both their minds and their eyes a rest.5. Educate around healthy work behavior
While it might seem obvious to some, not everyone knows exactly how they can best take care of themselves mentally and physically throughout their shift. One option would be to send out a company-wide email discussing various benefits to stepping away and getting fresh air on breaks. This could also be done as a pamphlet breaking down the consequences of staring at a computer screen for too long, poor posture and countering that with the benefits of movement and fresh air.6. Promote mental health care
It’s one thing for a company to absently remind their employees that mental health is important, it’s another to directly provide resources and opportunities for your employees to care for their mental health. This can look like:- offering rebates to see a counselor
- encouraging positive and honest communication in the office
- being trained in the signs of poor mental health
- having strategies and consequences in place for inter-workplace bullying and harassment.