As we enter the second month of the New Year, it’s the perfect time to focus on a healthy workforce. You don’t have to be in the C-suite to promote a culture of wellness at work. Anyone can implement these small, healthy changes and invite their colleagues to do the same:
- Take walking breaks. Prolonged sitting is associated with increased disease risk. Get up from your desk and on your feet once an hour. Walk a lap around your floor or walk to a co-worker’s office instead of picking up the phone.
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Start slowly by taking at least one flight of stairs once a day and gradually increase the flights and frequency.
- Bring your lunch to work. Replace one day of eating out with a healthy meal from home. A simple sandwich, wrap or salad is easy to make ahead of time. Check out this list of cheap, healthy lunch ideas for work from Eating Well.
- Park at the back of the lot. Something as simple as parking farther away will add steps and movement to your day.
- Drink more water. If you find yourself drinking sodas or sweet tea during the day, switch out your sugary beverage for water. Add slices of fresh fruit – such as oranges, lemons or cucumbers – for some healthy flavor.
The benefits of a healthy workforce include increased productivity, reduced absenteeism and better performance to name a few. An Integrated Benefits Institute study
of 1,268 employees at 53 employers found that employees who worked in strong health cultures reported better job performance than those in weak health cultures.
Additionally, many insurers offer wellness programs, including health assessments, chronic disease management, tobacco cessation programs and more. Contact your benefits broker for details.
