The wellbeing of your employees is of the utmost importance.
According to an article by the Irish auditor, Ireland lost up to 11 million days worth 1.5 billion euros to health absence last year.
In the UK, a 2018 study by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found employers lost more than 30 million work days in 2017/18 due to absences due to work-related illness and non-fatal injuries in the workplace.
Various studies have linked the relationship between employee wellbeing and employee retention and engagement. When your employees are physically healthy, you are likely to see increases in productivity and satisfaction as well as fewer absenteeism and presentations.
In this article, we'll explore the importance of positive physical health and make suggestions on how employers can promote healthy lives for their employees.
The connection between physical and mental wellbeing
When a person is sick, the condition adversely affects their physical health.
The same applies if the roles are reversed. Ill physical health can adversely affect a person's mental health.
When we suffer physical injuries, it affects the way we think, feel, and what we do. That said, our thoughts and feelings can also affect our bodies and how we feel physically.
According to a study by Mentalhealth.org, depression is linked to an increased risk of coronary heart disease. In some cases, it can even increase your risk of developing a mental health problem.
The importance of physical wellbeing
Have you noticed an increase in sick leave from work? Do your employees in the office have lower energy levels? Or a shorter attention span?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you need to emphasize the importance of positive physical health.
Aside from increasing productivity, healthy physical health brings many other benefits, including:
- Reduction of absence due to illness.
- Increase in energy levels.
- Increase motivation and concentration.
- Growth in commitment and satisfaction.
How to Promote Positive Physical Health at Work
When it comes to promoting positive wellbeing, the good news is it doesn't have to break the bank.
There are several inexpensive methods to consider. From encouraging employees to step away from their desks regularly, to offering fresh fruit, there are many options.
Keep the following tips in mind to encourage positive change:
Regular breaks: It is not only a rest period for the brain, but can also serve as a rest period for the body. Moving away from the desk allows employees to relax and reset their bodies. To help prevent musculoskeletal issues, encourage staff to take short walks or have lunch outdoors or in other assigned areas.
eat: It is not uncommon for employees to have a snack. Mostly these are unhealthy and contain a lot of sugar and salt. As an alternative, many companies are investing in healthy snacks and fruit boxes for their workforce. This not only contributes to the general well-being of your employees, but also to an increase in productivity.
Trip to work: As with any business, your employees will no doubt travel to the office from different destinations. To relieve the stress of commuting and promote physical well-being, consider a cycle-to-work program. Cycling is considered to be the least stressful way of commuting to work. The government introduced this program to promote environmental friendliness and encourage people to make better health choices. As an added incentive, you can also install bike racks and showers for convenience.
Work-life balance: After all, creating a corporate culture that encourages your employees to have a healthy work-life balance goes a long way toward improving physical and mental health. You can make sure your organization encourages this by educating employees about the importance of a healthy balance between work and social life. Employees who know their organization cares about them are more likely to be loyal and spend longer with the company.
Wrapping
To sum up, the undeniable link between mental and physical health requires stimulation on both ends.
While counseling and other stress management efforts are required for the mental wellbeing of your employees, you should also remember their physical health.
