Of all the assets your business has your employees are the most important and the most vulnerable. Your workplace should be a safe environment for them to be in, but you should also encourage them to stay healthy where you can. A healthy workforce will be happier, and a happy workforce is more productive. You will also feel the benefit of fewer sick days, which is one of the biggest costs US employers have to face. You may think there is nothing you can do, or that their health is not your concern. However, if you want your business to carry on being successful, it is worthwhile to take an interest in your employees well being.
Talk To Them
First of all, talk to them and let them know that you want to do all you can to help keep them healthy. Point out some of the things you could do such as arranging a discount for on-site flu vaccinations or looking into the possibility of arranging cheaper healthcare cover for your workers and their families. You could even arrange for a physician to visit your premises to chat to them about general healthcare and to answer any concerns they may have.
Once they know you want to work towards preventions rather than cures, you will find that most of them will be very happy to be involved.
Encourage Them To Eat Healthier
This can be a lot easier than it sounds and there are several things you can do to help achieve it. When you have business meetings, provide a healthy lunch as snacks. Put a fridge in the kitchen area so they have somewhere to store any healthy food they bring from home. Fruit is not expensive so have a bowl or two around the workplace for them to help themselves. This can help to stop them snacking on things such as sweets and crisps that are not so good for them.
One of the worst things we consume as part of today’s diet is soda. Arrange a regular bottled water delivery by Hint to replace them, and straight away you will have made a very important step towards a healthier workforce. Less sugar and less calories can make a surprisingly big difference!
If you have in-house catering make sure the canteen serves healthy meals and drinks, and restrict the number of unhealthy options. The same should apply to vending machines. They should always have plenty of water and healthy snacks in them.
These measures will not suit all of your employees, but for those that it does help it is well worth the effort.
Ban Smoking
Smoking should be banned on your premises and in any company vehicles. There is no doubt that smoking is bad for health, and that it is not just those partaking that are affected. Second-hand smoke can be just as dangerous.
This has a two-fold benefit. Firstly, those who are non-smokers will not have to endure the smell or the risk of disease, and secondly, for the staff that are smokers, the restrictions will mean they smoke fewer, which cannot be a bad thing.
More Exercise
Encourage more exercise for your workforce. You could start a sports team or provide a shower for those that would like a walk or run in their lunch break. Give gym memberships as a reward for a job well done, and put an out of order notice on the elevator. Make sure there are bike racks in your parking areas and get a team together to enter the local fun run. Wearing your logo while they are doing this could be free advertising as well.
Some jobs involve a lot of time sitting at a desk in front of a computer. Make sure they take breaks as sitting for too long is not a good health option. Just a ten-minute break to stretch their legs can make a big difference to their general well being. Simple things like providing a rest area and not allowing eating at their workstations can mean they have to move. They will come back from their break refreshed and be more productive because of it.
Monitor The Results
Among other things, you can encourage them to consume less alcohol and to watch their weight. We all know that these things will help to reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, but sometimes we need support to see them through. Finding that support at work, where we spend about one-third of our day, can be a huge help.
After a few months, compare the number of sick days to what they were before you started to get involved in the health of your workforce. The big surprise will be if there is no reduction.