Improving Health and Wellness in an Office Environment
Health and wellness have become increasingly important in the work environment. Modern-day employers are paying more attention to how they can help their employees look after themselves better, as this ultimately affects their ability to do their jobs.
Studies have shown that investing in employees’ health and wellbeing increases employee morale and team engagement, makes for a more inclusive work culture, and minimises employee absences due to illness. So, the question is, how do you improve employees’ health and wellness at work?
Why make a fuss about health and wellness at work?
Working adults spend more or less a third of their lives at work. Since we spend so much time at work, our work environment impacts what we eat and how active we are. To help employees take care of themselves better, employers are now looking at ways to encourage healthy eating and promote physical activity while at work.
The increase in people suffering from chronic lifestyle diseases has also contributed to this change in attitude. Poor dietary choices and sedentary lifestyles, together with an ageing population, mean that more people are suffering from conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. To combat this, governments, organisations and the general public need to start taking proactive measures to get people to make healthier choices.
Enhanced nutrition at work
Although our diets are a personal choice, our place of work can impact it positively or negatively. When trying to impact employee’s health, employers can start by encouraging their employees to follow nutritious and balanced diets. Our diets play a significant role in our overall health and help us to manage our weight, cholesterol, blood pressure, and heart health. Proper nutrition also impacts our cognitive functions and, therefore, our productivity.
Another factor that should be considered is stress. Working in high-pressure environments heightens our stress levels. This can trigger emotional eating and cravings for comfort foods that are high in fat and sugar. Other negative influences on our eating habits at work include:
- Limited access to food options/cooking facilities
- Time constraints/deadlines
- Sedentary behaviour
- Social events and peer pressure
A healthy diet contributes to our overall wellness and affects us physically, emotionally, and mentally. It directly impacts our:
- Energy levels
- Focus time
- Moods
- Management of stress
- Immune function
- Mental health
- Problem-solving skills
All of these impact an employee’s performance at work.
To give employees the best chance to perform well at work, they should be able to consume a balanced diet while working. This balanced diet should be rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins to help manage stress hormones and promote overall health and wellbeing.
Wellbeing at work
Defining wellbeing at work is difficult as it has different meanings from one organisation to the next. It is also influenced by cultural and social norms, as well as regulations and constraints. But, in a nutshell, workplace wellbeing is about creating an environment where employees can enjoy a state of contentment which allows them to flourish and achieve their full potential. Ultimately, wellbeing at work is for the benefit of the employees and the organisation.
This also links to employee engagement and creating an organisation where employees want to work because they feel safe, motivated, valued, and supported. This is sometimes called the ‘psychological contract’, which lists the expectations that employees and employers have about each other. The psychological contract recognises and emphasises that job commitment and contentment aren’t achieved only through money.
Strategies to improve health and wellbeing at work
Leading a healthy lifestyle and following a nutritious diet is each employee’s own responsibility, but it’s in every employer’s best interest to ensure that their employees have healthy dietary options at work, and are well looked after.
Below, we share a few useful strategies to help create a healthier work environment. Employees can also make use of these strategies to improve their own workplace wellness.
Revising food options
Typically, office canteens and vending machines don’t provide a variety of healthy food options for employees. These should be revised to make healthy eating more accessible, convenient, and affordable for employees.
Employers should include more nutritious choices like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and lean proteins for employees to eat during lunch or snack on during the day. Employees can also take responsibility and pack their own healthy lunches and snacks, so that they’re not tempted by the wide range of unhealthy snacks at work.
Some popular and tasty options for your own lunchbox include wraps, like these BBQ Chicken & Cheddar Wraps, and salads, like this Chicken and Tomato Rice Salad.
Offer employee wellness programmes
Employee wellness programmes can be implemented at work to teach employees about healthy eating, wellness, physical activity, stress relief, work-life balance and more. Through these kinds of programmes, useful resources can be distributed to employees to empower them to make healthy eating and lifestyle choices.
To encourage employee participation, incentives can be created such as getting access to registered dietitians and nutritionists for personalised guidance and support.
Encourage mindful eating
Mindful eating should be encouraged at work to promote an overall healthier approach to nutrition. Employees shouldn’t have lunch at their desks, for example, but should instead be urged to have lunch in designated areas. By encouraging employees to be more mindful of what they’re consuming, they’ll savour their food more. This could lead to healthier food choices in future.
Foster a supportive work environment
If employee’s health and wellbeing are part of the workplace culture, it’s already a bonus! Taking proper care of yourself and eating healthy should be encouraged and celebrated in any organisation. Physical activities can also be organised between coworkers, such as lunchtime walks, yoga breaks, and so forth, to increase social support and camaraderie.
Providing education and resources
Organisations can provide educational resources on nutritional health and physical wellbeing in the form of seminars, workshops, and online courses. With the right knowledge and tools at their disposal, employees are in a better position to make healthy dietary and lifestyle choices.
Lead by example
The leaders in the organisation need to set an example. This can be done by ensuring that there are healthy food choices at work events, meetings, and conferences. Leadership should also take the time to savour their lunch away from their desks. This way, they can set an example for employees to eat more mindfully.
In the end, the responsibility of healthy eating and wellness at work falls on both employers and employees. By implementing the strategies discussed above, employers can create an environment that promotes healthy eating and supports employee wellbeing and productivity. Similarly, employees should make healthier choices and back a healthier culture in the workplace.
FAQs
Is health and wellness important at work?
Yes, studies have shown that investing in employees’ health and wellness increases employee morale and team engagement, makes for a more inclusive work culture, and minimises employee absences due to illness. Taking care of employees’ health and wellness is, therefore, beneficial to both parties involved.
Do dietary choices impact work efficiency?
Yes, our dietary choices directly impact our performance at work as they influence our:
- Energy levels
- Focus time
- Moods
- Management of stress
- Immune function
- Mental health
- Problem-solving skills
How can employers encourage health and wellness at work?
It’s in every employer’s best interest to ensure that their employees have healthy dietary options at work, and are well looked after. There are different strategies employers can implement to further enhance health and wellbeing at work – these are discussed in length in this article.
How can employees take responsibility for their health and wellness at work?
Employees should take responsibility for their own nutrition and overall health by following a healthy diet and maintaining an active lifestyle. They can pack their own healthy lunches and snacks, so that they’re not tempted by unhealthy snacks at work.