Nothing is better than walking into a workplace that’s buzzing with energy and good vibes – for both employees and customers. We believe with a few simple changes, good intentions and a corporate fitness program, every company can become a place everyone loves to be at, without breaking the bank. Below, we discuss seven steps for a healthier and happier workplace that’ll guarantee your employees come to work with a pep in their step!
Show your employees you care
It’s plain and simple, show you care. You’ll never have a happy and healthy workplace if your employees believe their productivity is more important than their health and happiness.
Along the same lines, ensure you’re setting a good example by choosing your health and fitness over working long hours and putting your health on the backburner.
A great way to show you care about corporate fitness is by creating a Health and Wellness Team.
This team should be made up of people from different parts of the company and will be the voice and planners of health and fitness. Give the Health and Wellness team the time, tools, and budget to organise activities, send out healthy tips and encourage others to get involved.
Understand your budget and goals regarding corporate fitness
To understand your budget and goals, start by looking at what you’re currently spending on health and wellness. At the same time, put together your goals for the future of your workplace wellness by asking yourself what you’d like to see and by asking employees what they find beneficial.
When you have a clear understanding of your goals, put together a plan to reach those goals with an estimated budget.
You may not be able to do everything on your list, but by picking and choosing which parts of your plan to focus on, which parts you can incorporate for free and which parts will cost more – you can make a more straightforward path to your ultimate health and fitness plan.
It may seem intimidating to spend company money on health and wellness, but you’ll see an immediate return on investment with healthier and more productive employees.
Enlist the help of an online corporate fitness professional
Remember, you don’t have to do this alone. As health and wellness have become a priority for employees, numerous companies have come to the table to offer affordable programs.
Instead of trying to organise everything yourself, by enlisting the help of a professional, you’ll have access to a range of tools, workouts and handy tips.
Body Fit Online Corporate Fitness offers affordable packages that combine team bonding, personal training, food guidelines and high-quality workouts.
You’ll be able to design a program that works for your employees and fits well within your budget. To get started, reach out to Shane at Body Fit , and together you’ll chat about the best program to suit your company’s needs.
Keep your team connected with corporate health and wellness
There’s no doubt that employees who feel connected to each other and their employer will be more productive and loyal. Connected employees will also have each other’s back and create good energy in the workplace. To keep your team connected, create ways in which employees can get to know one another.
Consider adding an ice breaker question to the beginning of every meeting, encourage employees to take lunch breaks together when possible, and schedule activities outside of work hours that encourage fitness and connection.
If you choose a corporate fitness program, you’ll have access to weekly online workouts. These workouts are open to all fitness levels and allow employees to get to know one another outside of work.
Encourage healthy eating alongside corporate fitness
The next step in creating a healthy and happy workplace is a big one – encouraging healthy eating. While you can’t expect to change employees’ habits overnight, a few minor changes in the workplace can make a big difference in corporate wellness.
To start, look at your workplace’s current habits and consider what can be changed or replaced. Consider putting out a fruit or vegetable platter instead of offering fatty and carb-heavy snacks at meetings.
If you tend to get together after work for happy hour drinks, consider swapping out some of these for more fitness-related activities. Encourage employees to eat away from their desks and even take a walk before or after lunch. And if you’ve signed up for a corporate fitness program, encourage employees to use their dietary guidelines.
These small changes will add up, and before you know it, your team will unconsciously make healthier decisions both in the office and at home.
Improve the work environment
Once you have your budget and goals for a happy and healthy workplace in mind, the next step to action your plan is improving the work environment. Consider ways to make life easier and more comfortable for employees. Some examples include:
- Replacing standard desks with stand up desks
- Replacing uncomfortable chairs with ergonomic support chairs
- Create an inviting area for employees to have lunch
- Ramp up the amount of green space in the office by purchasing office plants
- And most importantly, ask your employees what would make them happier in the office
Of course, these ideas apply to companies who regularly come to the office. However, even if your workforce is remote, there’s still plenty you can do to improve employees’ work environment. These include many of the same ideas, such as offering stand up desks, extra monitors, office supplies, or even giving employees a stipend to purchase plants and inspiring artwork for their home office.
Support healthy lifestyles with corporate fitness programs
Last but not least is to support healthy lifestyles. Now, more than ever, employees are looking for companies that offer wellness and fitness benefits.
A corporate wellness program is a great benefit to offer to existing and new employees and allows you to join in on the fun without spending valuable time planning.
It’s also essential to encourage employees to take time off to pursue their hobbies and even consider allowing employees to use a few of their sick days to get outdoors and enjoy nature. After all, the happier and healthier employees are, the more focused and productive they’ll be when they’re on the clock!
