Employers recognize the benefits of having a healthier workforce. In addition to lower health care costs, employees are generally more satisfied, resulting in a more productive workday.
The month of May is Global Employee Health and Fitness Month and is a perfect time for employers to promote healthy habits in the workplace.
Here are five ways your office can celebrate Global Employee Health and Fitness Month:
1. Encourage office fitness activities.
Promote regular, short breaks throughout the day for your employees to engage in some sort of physical activity or stretching. Organize a walking group for 30-minute strolls during lunch and invite your employees, or encourage your staff to go for a walking meeting instead of the usual meeting in the conference room. If you’re looking to go a step further, consider hiring a fitness instructor to lead a group class that is fun and appropriate for all fitness levels.
2. Have healthy snacks available.
Healthy eating is a necessary aspect of leading a healthier lifestyle. Be sure to make it convenient for your employees by providing healthy snack options in your break room. During the month of May, consider recognizing the importance of eating well by treating your employees to a fresh fruit arrangement or providing fruit and veggie snacks during weekly meetings. Along with making good choices with food, challenge your employees to drink enough water – a good rule of thumb is half one’s body weight, in ounces, every day.
3. Consistently communicate health tips.
Find people in your company who can effectively communicate wellness tips. These individuals can be dedicated “ambassadors” in your workforce. This idea is a way to get others engaged, empowering employees to form a support group for extra encouragement. Have your ambassadors send memos with health tips, social media messages, or simply keep the conversation going around the office.
4. Provide incentives.
Everyone is more likely to go after a fitness goal if there’s a prize attached, right? Launch an initiative where employees commit to making a healthy choice this month, like exercising daily, giving up soda or losing five pounds. Make it fun for participants by offering small rewards for those who stick to it and accomplish their goal.
5. Host health screenings.
Offer employees a chance to learn about their health status this month with biometric screenings. A quick 15-minute screening is all it takes to capture a valuable snapshot of overall health. While a biometric screening should never replace an employee’s annual check-up with their doctor, it is a great service to those who don’t make the time to see a doctor and are therefore unaware that they have early indicators of health concerns.
These tips for celebrating Global Employee Health & Fitness month will benefit employees by lowering stress levels, increasing well-being, self-image, and self-esteem, improving physical fitness, increasing stamina, potentially reducing weight, and hopefully increasing job satisfaction.
After a month of trying these new ideas, your company just might decide to prioritize a healthy lifestyle even more and create a company-wide wellness program.
Share with us how your company plans to celebrate Global Employee Health and Fitness Month by tweeting us at @WorksmartPEO using hashtag #GEHFM.
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