Health, and how to inspire it in employees

Employee health is important for a well-run, successful company. Employees who are healthy are more productive, more alert, have better morale, and keep health care costs lowered.

What is health?
There are different aspects of health that you should be concerned with in your employees and include:

• Physical health. Employees who are physically healthy don't miss work, so absenteeism rates are down and productivity stays up. While everyone gets the common cold or flu now and again, physically healthy employees are not overweight, they don't smoke, they keep their cholesterol and body fat in check, they exercise, and they eat right and get plenty of sleep. This keeps them alert and healthy in every facet of their lives, including work.
• Mental health. Mental health also plays a huge role in overall health. Employees who are under stress or depressed, whether at work or at home, will have a harder time focusing on the task at hand. High stress levels and depression are also directly linked to physical well-being as well.

How to inspire health in employees The following are a few ways you can inspire health in your employees:

• Educate them. Perhaps your employees don't know how being overweight or not getting enough sleep can affect their lives. Have a wellness class or seminar on the importance of health and the effects not being healthy can have, and inspire your employees to take action.
• Make it convenient. If you have wellness benefits onsite, employees are more likely to use them. Hold weight loss support groups or flu vaccinations in conference rooms, or consider putting a workout room somewhere in the office. Some companies also bring massage therapists in during particularly stressful times. In addition, you can pass out health and wellness packets to help encourage employees to stay on the right track.
• Make it a group activity. You can inspire wellness by involving everyone. For example, take time during lunch or after work a few days a week to train for a charity 5k run/walk that your department or company will participate in. Or, have a relaxation break every day. When it's a team activity, everyone stays inspired.
• Be an example. Your employees will be inspired when the company's owners and members of top management take the first steps towards health. When the company's leaders are enthusiastic about the programs, they can influence the company culture and change it to one of health and wellness.
• Incentives. Some companies have found success in inspiring health by offering incentives to employees, either through point systems or honor systems. For example, you can offer cash reward to employees who manage to stay smoke free for 6 months. Or give gift certificates to those who work out 3 times a week for 8 weeks.
• Provide recognition. Employees are more likely to stay inspired when they are recognized for their efforts. This could be as simple as complimenting an employee for keeping hand sanitizer on their desks, or making fun awards for everyone who participates in a group activity.

Health is necessary for employees not only for their own personal well-being, but for the success of their company as well. You can inspire mental and physical health in your employees with these simple and effective ideas.

More Employee Health and Fitness Articles:

• The impact of smokers on health costs
• The impact of smokers on employee health
• The high cost of employees who smoke
• The different benefits of employee health (physical, mental, productivity, creativity)
• The costs of poor employee health
• Successful ways to improve employee health through diet and exercise
• Simple workplace changes that make a big impact on employee health
• Reducing health costs for your business
• Reducing expenses through wellness programs
• Reducing business expenses by improving health