You don’t need a complicated, expensive wellness program to promote health among your employees. By implementing simple initiatives and making small changes, you can significantly change people’s mental and physical health, thus resulting in a better work environment with more motivated employees, fewer sick days, and reduced medical expenses. Here are some ways to encourage healthy living both inside and outside of the office:
- Provide resources for your employees such as lists of local establishments that offer healthy meal options (bonus points if you include a discount!) or maps for local running and biking trails.
- When choosing a menu for company luncheons, include plenty of healthy choices. Those being said, don’t nix all of the cookies (you don’t want to start a riot), but make the healthy food more visible and accessible. Substitute water for soda and iced tea for lemonade.
- Facilitate healthy recipe exchanges. Hold potlucks or competitions to see who can create the most creative and yummy vegetable dish.
- Hold active social events such as group bike rides, hikes, or a weekly running/walking club. Our team has a social initiative to walk the TART trail.
- Set up a Facebook page or group chat where employees can link up with one another to recruit gym or running buddies. Working out is easier and more enjoyable with a friend.
- Install bike racks at work to encourage biking to work.
- Make your workplace smoke-free.
- Put healthy food in the vending machine. Replace the Snickers bar with a low-sugar granola bar, and opt for popcorn or wheat crackers rather than chips.
- Don’t forget about mental health. Encourage employees to seek assistance and give them resources to help them do so. Share the importance of taking a personal day or why it’s important to get away from the desk every now and then.
- Invite speakers to come and talk to your employees about nutrition, mental health, or exercise.
- Rather than simply advocating for weight loss, make sure to encourage employees by educating them on how their healthy choices will benefit them physically and mentally, regardless of the numbers they see on the scale. Instead of focusing on weight-related goals, set a daily target of 10,000 steps or 30 active minutes. Hitting these realistic goals will motivate employees to engage in healthy routines. In the past, some of our team members have participated in a running challenge.
- Lead by example! Show your workers how a healthy lifestyle can be enjoyable and feel great by doing things such as biking to work or walking during your lunch hour. They will be more likely to adopt these beneficial behaviors if they see an authority figure doing the same.
Article written by:
Alex Schweitzer
Marketing Intern