An Apple a Day Keeps The Doctor Away
An employee’s health has a tremendous impact in their productivity at work. That is why educating employees on staying healthy and taking care of themselves is necessary in the workplace. Making healthy decisions such as smart eating choices, incorporating exercise in their life style and maintaining a good mental health through stress management programs are critical for employees and organizations. Healthy employees promote success and provide a return on investment for the company. In order for companies to promote health and wellness within the organizations they should keep in mind the following initiatives:
Create innovative programs that are fun for the employees. Exercise challenges are very attractive and fun to develop. A very popular practice is providing a pedometer so employees can measure the number of steps or their walking distance per day.
Promote healthy meals for company events and meetings. Whether it is a company meeting or a fun event, companies should encourage employees to eat right by offering healthy and tasty options.
Create a healthy environment. Designate areas that are smoke-free in and around the company’s premises. This will protect all employees from being exposed to secondhand smoke and will protect those who are allergic to smoke.
Provide incentives. Let employees know that good healthy choices are rewarded by giving them gifts such as gift cards to sports stores or healthy grocery stores, healthy food baskets, gym memberships, etc.
Communication. Provide different sources of information with wellness initiatives. Use social media posts and websites about fitness and nutrition to educate employees on the latest information on wellness.
Commitment. Most importantly, the development of a comprehensive wellness program is only possible if there is a commitment from top management and willingness from employees to get involved.
Written by: Ana Davis
Ana was born and raised in Colombia, South America. Ana has been in the United States for eighteen years and is now an American citizen. She has an undergraduate degree in Economics and a Masters in Human Resources and Management. Ana’s wealth of knowledge comes from a background in international business, human resources and finance. Her community involvement spans from serving on the Board of Directors of Loaves and Fishes, Greer Relief Agency, The Greer Chamber of Commerce and the Spartanburg Human Resources Association (SHRA). Ana has been with Godshall Professional Recruiting and Staffing since 2004 as a Recruiter and was promoted in 2010 to the Human Resources/Business Manager. She is a member of Fairview Baptist Church in Greer, SC and is married to Jerry Davis. Together they have one son Chase (23) and twin daughters Kayla and Jessica (16).
