Working and Working Out: 5 Ways to Help Your Employees Stay Fit and Productive

Fitness can mean different things to different people. But in general, healthier employees mean a more alert and productive workforce. This also means reduced cost in sick time and tardiness, fewer mistakes, and possibly lower insurance. There are some practices you can follow to encourage your workers into a healthier lifestyle.

 

Make Fitness a Part of Company Culture

Have an HR rep or manager start a walking or diet club employees can take part in. Put up posters celebrating fitness, good nutrition, and sports. Provide some regular fitness tips and wellness-related discussions on the company intranet. Send out weekly emails praising employees for their athletic or healthy achievements, such as entering a marathon or a significant weight loss.

 

Supply Fitness Products at Work

If you have some spare room, you could create a modest gym with treadmills and exercise bikes, and provide free water or sports drinks to encourage their use. Allow employees to adjust their schedules to permit exercise time. You could also visit a business furniture site and get ergonomic office furniture like posture-improving chairs or adjustable-height desks. Ergonomic furniture helps reduce physical strain and improve attention spans.

 

Wellness in the Break Room

Consider asking the vendors to remove junk food and introduce healthier alternatives in the vending machines. You could even start providing free healthier snacks like dried fruits, granola, nuts, or green tea in the mornings. Companies like Aramark Refreshment Services will customize the types of snacks they deliver to your office and will provide healthier options. Keeping a digital weight scale and full-length mirror in the break room can also make employees more weight-conscious.

 

Fitness Activities

If there are leagues in your area, recruit and sponsor a company softball or soccer league. Encourage employees to support the team by attending their games and celebrating their success. In good weather, hold company picnics that include activities like kickball, touch football, or volleyball. Special events like paintball, company golf tournaments, or cycling and hiking tours can also get employees out and active.

 

Provide Incentives

Some employees just won’t be motivated if there isn’t some reward in it for them. Make it a policy, for instance, to give away a $10 gift certificate to those who lose the most weight each week. For some of the above-mentioned activities, provide prizes such as a paid day off, a gym membership, or a trip to the spa. You could also give away wearables like Fitbits or portable radios to encourage wellness.

Healthier employees aren’t just more productive, they’re happier. Offering fun contests, informational resources, and incentives will make them more engaged with their jobs and more loyal to the company. This will also prevent employees from having to take too many sick days or suffer from low productivity while trying to work through sickness. These benefits should be well worth the small costs you’ll pay to keep them motivated to stay fit and healthy.

 

About author:

Dixie Somers is a freelance writer and blogger for business, home, and family niches. Dixie lives in Phoenix, Arizona, and is the proud mother of three beautiful girls and wife to a wonderful husband. For more about office furniture, click here.

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