April 6, 2020
COVID-19 has temporarily altered workplaces around the world, and we all anxiously await when things will get back to normal. When they do, having a healthy workplace will be more important than ever.
Employees who are mentally and physically healthy are more present in the workplace, thus a stronger asset to the team. Fortunately, much can be done to encourage healthy habits in your employees and create an active and health-conscious workplace.
Provide Employee Wellness Programs
In order to help foster healthy lifestyle choices in your employees, consider a corporate wellness platform like Terryberry’s Wellness Program. Our multi-pronged approach offers health assessments, education, fitness tracking integration, individual and team challenges, social encouragement, rewards, and more.
Foster an Environment of Health
Health-conscious decisions modeled from the top down are one of the best ways to encourage employee health. Building a culture of healthy habits can be as simple as swapping out donuts for healthy snacks, or as complex as incorporating these behaviors into everything you do. It is easy to offer healthy meal choices for employees during catered meetings, in break areas, and at other events. Companies who are desiring to be especially health and fitness-focused can take it a step further by incorporating health-conscious ideas into employee gifts, staff celebrations, company swag, and more. For instance, your company could gift fitness watches for anniversary milestones or offer sports water bottles as branded gear.
Participate in Active Team Challenges
These days, there is no shortage of 5K runs and other active team events that your organization can participate in. Participating as a team in competitions is a great way to encourage a healthy employee base. Kill three birds with one stone by building workplace camaraderie, giving back to your community, and encouraging a healthy lifestyle. Look for events local to you such as the YMCA Dragon Boat Team Challenge, the BPMS150 bike ride, the J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge, or the March of Dimes Walk.
Offer Discounts
A very simple way to encourage healthy employees is to seek to create partnerships with your local YMCA, fitness club, or gym franchise. Many large office buildings now have on-site gyms that are happy to offer discounts for corporate tenants and their employees, or you can search out the largest and most popular gyms nearby. Corporate gym membership discounts are a simple and cost-effective way to get your employees on board with an active lifestyle. Other employee perks you could explore offering include discounts on healthy meal kits, dietitians and nutritionists, or juice and smoothie bars.
Social Activities & Team Building Exercises
With your organization’s support and guidance, employees could start a daily walking team or a healthy lunch club. If you have the space, an extra conference room can be converted into a small gym or studio for on-site yoga classes, sports massage appointments, and other fitness offerings. And if you can swing it, many companies are finding great success with offering fun and active options in the breakroom such as table tennis or air hockey. Terryberry’s Workplace Walking Challenges are another great opportunity to get your entire workplace moving together.
Small Habits Lead to Big Benefits
The more you can do from the top down to create a healthy workforce and encourage beneficial habits, the more rewards both you and your employees will reap. At Terryberry, we’re here for you anytime with our many flexible wellness and recognition programs. Contact us to learn more.
