Having employees who are in better health is in the interest of a business in many ways, but that doesn't always mean that it's easy to do. Indeed, a lifetime of habits can be hard to break, and particularly for an employer, who may not be in the best psychological position to influence the behavior of an employee. However, it is absolutely in that employer's interest to do so, as studies show that employees who are in better health miss fewer days at work and are more productive. To that end, here are three ways an employer can encourage better health in their employees.
Healthy snacks matter. Employees who have healthy snacks tend to spend more time working, and are more productive and more flexible with other mealtimes. It's a nice benefit to have and a good way to treat your employees well, but the snacks you get should be healthy ones. This will not only encourage your employees to stay in good shape but also help them break bad habits of eating junk food.
Supporting and rewarding your staff through an employee wellness program is great for boosting morale and team-building. But more importantly, there are a number of benefits of having employee wellness programs, including encouraging employees to exercise and get preventive health care check-ups that can stop a health problem before it starts. There are many types of programs that do this, including discounted gym memberships, financial incentives programs or outside companies like AFLAC, which can provide financial rewards for employees who get preventive care.
Culture creation matters deeply at a company. If you are a boss or manager, you have an obligation and opportunity to set the tone at work. Make sure you are letting your employees know about their various benefits that encourage them to seek the health care that they need and deserve. Tell them about times in which you do so, and use employee communication methods, such as employee newsletters, to stress the types of health care opportunities that are available to them. Furthermore, as a manager, make sure you lead by example: Prioritize your own wellness and communicate with your employees about it.
In a busy day and age, it becomes all too easy to forget about taking care of oneself. However, as an employer, it is in your best interest to make sure that your employees are watching out for their own health. Doing so will keep them healthier, happier and help them be better employees.
If you’re looking for healthy snacks to stock your cupboards, we’ve got you covered.
