As people get more conscious of health and fitness, it’s important for businesses to promote workplace wellness. There are quite a few ways you can do this but it does take some effort and planning. You also need to find solutions that are appropriate for your employees and workspace. Let’s look at some of the most effective ways to create a healthy company culture.

Encourage Healthier Eating

There are several ways you can encourage employees to improve their diets. The specific actions you take will depend on the size of your company and the resources you’re able to provide.

  • In vending machines, you can replace soda, candy, and chips with healthier options such as juice, bottled water, and trail mix.
  • If you have a cafeteria, offer more salads, vegetarian options, and more natural menu choices. If you outsource food service, inquire with the company you use or consider switching to a service that’s more health-oriented.
  • Rather than bringing donuts or pastries to meetings, bring fruit, energy bars, or perhaps whole grain crackers as an alternative.

Not everyone may be ready to accept drastic changes to their eating habits for workplace wellness. If you don’t want to eliminate items such as soda, candy, and chips you can at least offer alternatives.

Organize Physical Activities

Exercise is a crucial aspect of wellness. With so many people working mostly sedentary jobs these days, it’s helpful if you promote some healthy physical activities around the workplace.

  • Introduce yoga or other exercise classes if you have space for it. Otherwise, arrange special rates at a local yoga studio.
  • Provide gym membership as a benefit for your employees.
  • Start a walking program. Apps can track participants’ steps. You could even start a friendly competition between individuals or departments for clocking the most mileage each week.
  • Organize your own 5K event. Participants can walk, jog, or run, making it accessible to people of different fitness levels.
Provide Wellness Education

When you provide educational resources on wellness, your employees can be inspired to make appropriate changes in their lives.

  • Remind everyone to move around. Aside from scheduled breaks, encourage employees to stand up, stretch, and take short walks frequently.
  • Hire an on-site healthcare expert. This could be a nutritionist, wellness coach, or another professional who can provide personalized advice to employees. If it’s not practical to have a full-time expert on staff you could arrange regular visits from a health coach.
  • Include wellness information and resources in company newsletters. A health and fitness column that encourages readers to eat well and exercise more can be helpful. You could also include links to resources for people who may have challenges in specific areas such as weight loss, substance abuse, eating disorders, or mental health issues.
Other Ways to Create a Healthier Environment

Health and well-being are about more than eating and exercise, though these are certainly important. There are also a variety of other changes that can make your workplace healthier.

  • Place plants inside and outside. Plants and flowers are not only decorative, but they can also actually enhance moods and well-being. Outdoor landscaping (when feasible) creates a pleasing environment and can be appreciated during breaks.
  • Play music. While people love many types of music, some varieties are especially helpful for creating a productive and positive environment. Classical music, for example, has several benefits such as boosting memory and even reducing symptoms of depression.
  • Upgrade your ergonomics. This includes furniture, equipment, and the arrangement of your workplace. A few ways to improve ergonomics include introducing chairs that promote better posture, making workstations adjustable to suit individual needs, and offering standing desks.
  • Improve lighting. Lighting can have a significant effect on mood and productivity. Natural light is best of all. Lamps often provide gentler and more flexible lighting than overhead lights.
Learn More About Workplace Wellness

A healthier workplace benefits everyone, from the owner to every single employee. There are quite a few actions you can take to promote health and well-being both at work and throughout people’s lives. Once you start looking for ways to improve wellness, you can probably think of some additional changes that are ideal for your business.

For more tips on creating a dynamic work environment, check out this blog post.

Bishop & Company is a locally-owned company that’s been serving Hawaii residents and businesses since 1986. To learn more about our staffing services, contact us.