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How Can Employers Encourage a Healthy Lifestyle?

How Can Employers Encourage a Healthy Lifestyle?

Why is it Important to Have a Healthy Lifestyle?

We all know how good exercise is for us, and how good many of us are at avoiding it. Exercise doesn’t only make you physically healthier, it also increases your productivity and motivation as well. Lack of exercise or a healthy diet leaves people tending to feel sluggish and less creative at work. Exercise and a healthy lifestyle will also mean you sleep better and have more energy both physically and mentally.

Best Ways to Encourage Your Employees to Stay Active?

Obviously as an employer, you cannot force your employees exercise, however you can encourage it and promote it through your actions. You are a role model and guide to many of your employees, so try and set a positive example for them to follow.

• Lunchbreaks

Encourage your staff to take their full lunchbreak away from their desk, perhaps suggest going for a team walk or to eat lunch outside to get some fresh air. Having a change of scenery will increase productivity in the afternoon.

As it is getting closer to winter, and the weather is turning colder how about suggesting grabbing a coffee and going for a quick stroll or going to a café or shop to buy lunch to get everyone out of the office, even for a short amount of time.

• Gym Membership

Why not seek out your local gyms and see if you can offer your employees discounted gym membership for them to use before, during and after work. Equally, if you have space on site, why not build a gym in your office space for everyone to use.

• Exercise Groups

Taking part in a group class or exercising together is always more fun and motivating than doing it alone. Why not set up an office running, walking and/or cycling group. You could then sign up for a local race or charity event to ensure the team stay energised and motivated. This means you can exercise and motivate yourself to keep going by raising money for charity.

Equally, set challenges within the group, who can walk/run/cycle the farthest? Work towards a prize or drinks out or something which will encourage people to keep going.

• Promote a Healthy Work/Life Balance

It’s important that employers promote a healthy work/life balance. Where possible, encourage your team to leave their work at work and enjoy their time at home especially on the weekends. Many people will leave work late and skip workouts because they have too much work to do, try and get your employees out of this habit and encourage them to leave in time to have a break and relax.

• Encourage healthier eating

You can encourage healthy eating in the office but providing a fridge, microwave, oven etc. This will encourage employees to make their own lunch. Other healthy ideas, a fruit bowl, smoothie maker etc.

It would be a lovely idea to have a chat or a page where your team can post recipes and meals, to give others in the office inspiration.

 

We hope this has inspired you to get your team up and moving to create a more energetic and hard-working environment.

 

Stay Safe,

Team Affecto.