Encouraging Healthy Employee Lifestyles

Businesses of all sizes rely on their employees to complete important tasks every day. This means that one key to success is ensuring that each employee is as productive as possible. One way to increase productivity is to make sure that everyone in the office is as healthy as possible. A healthy employee means that less time is spent at home recovering from illnesses, which cuts down on sick days and also indirectly reduces health care costs paid by you. Good heath means increased energy as well and a better ability to focus. Fortunately, there are several things that you can do as an employer help ensure that your employees are as healthy as possible.

Offer a wellness program at work that your employees can use whenever they wish. A wellness program involves gym memberships and education on good nutrition. You can offer to pay all or part of the costs of this wellness program to make it more enticing. Also, consider extending lunch hours as an incentive for those who want to go to the gym during the day. You might consider offering some type of rewards program for employees who set and achieve various fitness and wellness goals.

Of course, you should also set a good example of a healthy lifestyle for the employees in your office. This could mean joining a gym and eating healthy foods at work. By setting a good example, your employees will be far more likely to follow a similar plan themselves.

Finally, create a healthy culture in your office. You might arrange for healthy snacks, lunch items and drinks to be available in the office, as opposed to only sodas and junk food. Work with food venders who will bring in fresh fruits and vegetables every day. You can even set up a small gym for employees at your office, or set up walking teams who walk outdoors for 30 minutes at some point during the work day. Asking for employee input can help you come up with additional ideas. Your options are limited only by your imagination!

Need insurance for You, Your Family or Your Business?
We can match you to a qualified, local insurance expert!
Further Reading
A recent nationwide study found that a growing majority of businesses are providing financial incentives to workers who take part in health improvement and wellness programs. According to the Aon Hewitt 2012 Health Care Survey of more than 2,000 empl...
Cybersecurity is an important concept for all employees to prioritize. New hires are especially vulnerable. These tips ensure your new employees are prepared to prioritize cybersecurity. Learn to Identify Suspicious Emails and Links ...
As a grocery store employee, you expect to get a regular paycheck. However, you may also be eligible for a variety of employee benefits for grocery stores employees. Here's a partial list. Healthcare Access a variety of healthcare options, incl...
The complex interaction among evolving employee needs for medical services, skyrocketing health provider costs, and lingering uncertainty over health care reform is transforming traditional health benefits programs from top to bottom. The lingerin...
Basic health interventions can help your business lower short-term disability rates, while reducing your employees' time away from work. That's the bottom line of a nationwide study of 118,000 employees by CIGNA, a major health services company. C...