Employee morale should be a top priority of any company. Studies have shown that positive work culture makes for more productive businesses. Office wellness comes in many shapes and forms, extending from mental health to physical well-being. Employee wellness extends beyond workouts and healthy eating and also concerns emotional, financial, intellectual, and occupational elements as well. Thus, a holistic approach is the best one to take to ensure a healthy, productive, positive workplace.
Not every solution works for every employer, so take some time to research a variety of wellness programs and determine a plan that works best for your company. Offering various incentives, ensuring there is a clear work-life balance, and promoting health and wellness are just a few ways to invest in employee morale.
Invest in physical health.
A simple way to curb employee burnout is by encouraging physical health. Providing a standing desk is a great place to start but isn’t necessarily enough. Staying active, whether it be through running, walking, yoga or dance class, or cycling, keep our bodies healthy. Exercise also offers significant mental benefits, serving as an outlet to release stress.
Offering employees gym memberships is a fantastic incentive to boost morale while also encouraging your staff to stay active. Some companies even have onsite gyms or offer onsite fitness or yoga classes a few times a week. Physical activity coordinates well with productivity, so bringing exercise to the workplace could benefit both the company and the employees. Providing comprehensive health insurance is imperative to keeping your team healthy. Consider having onsite clinics or telemedicine to make wellness as accessible as possible.
Provide healthy snacks and diet coaching.
Replace soda, sugary snacks, and chips with healthy alternatives. Stock the kitchen in the office with healthy snacks that promotes good health and benefits your employees physically and mentally. By offering healthy options such as water bottles, fresh juices, granola bars, nuts, and veggies and hummus, you are encouraging healthy habits and a like-minded wellness mindset in the office.
Ensure an office is a place for education as well. You may consider providing information on healthy habits by bringing in a health coach for one-on-one or group classes. In these classes, you and your employees may learn about healthy diets, general health information, and various vitamins and supplements, such as those offered through Makers Nutrition. Supplements are a great way to boost daily wellness. Available in a range of products such as CBD-infused capsules to immunity formulas, these supplements can improve everyday health, energy, and productivity.
Promote work-life balance.
One of the biggest sources of burn out is a lack of work-life balance. It is all too easy to let work dominate the culture of the office. Sometimes it can be a challenge to find a stopping point with work so it is important to strike a balance between productivity and personal life. Encourage time for employees to stop answering emails so they can enjoy their evenings and use their time at home to invest in family, friends, and hobbies. This practice will encourage a good work ethic and promote better health outcomes at the same time while also reducing absenteeism. Another way to promote work-life balance is to offer flexible work schedules. This means allowing employees to start and end their workday at times that work best for them, and when possible, offering work from home options.
Offer perks.
A sure way to keep employees feeling motivated and appreciated is by offering small perks. These might be monthly bonuses or employee discounts. Incentives can include reimbursement for education, workshops, or training programs that further their training or skills. Maybe you can even include a wellness or fitness challenge, offering prizes to the program participants who meet monthly fitness goals. Your options are wide and varied. Don’t be afraid to get creative and make your team excited to come into the office.
Build trust and invest in team-building.
Few things are more important in company morale than a sense of trust. Your team members should feel comfortable coming into the office and confident when coming to you with a problem or a question. Establish this sense of trust with open-door policies, regular check-ins, and one-on-one meetings. All of these elements contribute to a healthy mental and emotional environment in the workplace.
Team-building is another important aspect of maintaining a healthy and collaborative culture in the office. Out of office team-building is just as important as it is onsite. Organize events where everyone has the opportunity to get together outside of work. This may include a sports or music outing, happy hour, a hike, or another activity appropriate for your team. These activities promote a work-life balance and provide opportunities for employees to get to know one another in a non-professional setting.
