We now live in an era where we are surrounded by an array of technologies designed to help us improve our well-being, where healthy lifestyles can now be maintained and measured at just the click of a button. With enough statistics proving that more people are choosing plant-based diets and focusing on their mental and physical health, it is now becoming increasingly important for companies to aid their employees’ desire for a healthier lifestyle by incorporating wellness into their corporate strategies.
The Benefits of Focusing on Wellness
Healthier employees are, generally speaking, happier and more productive. As such, wellness is becoming a key focus for many businesses, as they look to tap into the operational benefits that come with better engaged employees.
An American study by Gallup shows that physical and mental health are closely linked to productivity at work. According to the research, 78% of engaged workers feel their work lives benefit them psychologically. The research clearly shows that giving employees the chance to look after their physical and mental well-being allows them to be more engaged at work.
More companies are making health and well-being a priority. Consultancy firm Cundall has a WELL-accredited office, meaning that its office space meets certain wellness standards that are designed to have a positive effect on employees’ health. Factors including light, nutrition and air are measured against Cundall’s WELL standards.
Google is also well known for its employee retention levels. It offers community bikes to encourage physical activity, on-site healthcare services and colour-coded meals for employees to select healthier menu options.
Facilities such as on-site gyms, smoothie bars and relaxation areas are becoming more popular among big companies, but if you can’t afford to have all these luxuries in your office, incorporating them into a team building activity or a company event is a great alternative.
Organising Wellness Into Your Employee Events
One way to engage employees and show them you care about their health and wellness is to incorporate it into company away days, corporate retreats or events. This can affect the venue you select through to the activities you organise. We’ve put together some suggestions:
Finding a venue:
If your business is based in a large city, such as London, taking employees out of the bustling city is the best place to start. Finding a quieter location with fresh air can give even city-lovers a refreshing break, and many venues now offer activities that enable guests to be outside. Soho Farmhouse, for example, provides bikes and outdoor activities, such as tennis and swimming, whilst Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire can accommodate groups for horse riding across their 500-acre estate. The luxury Fish Hotel in the Cotswolds is ideal for corporate retreats and offers treehouses and shepherd’s huts to take guests back to nature during their stay.
Think about the food choice:
Diets have a huge impact on health and well-being. For those working long hours, finding time to have a nutritious and balanced diet can be a struggle. Focusing on food at your event can be done in various ways. One simple solution is to have a blender with fresh fruit, allowing people to start their day in a healthy way.
When having a meal at an event, consider healthier alternatives to what your employees might usually eat. This doesn’t have to mean boring salads, as there are a number of caterers who can design healthier menus. Venues such as 8 Northumberland have many healthy eating options on offer.
Get active and competitive:
Picking a venue and away-day activities that are centered around being active is a sure way to get your team thinking about their health. Cycling tours of cities or daily yoga classes can get your staff involved in activities they might not usually participate in, but things they actually might enjoy.
Encourage employees to be more active through daily inspiration, from sharing local running routes, through to timetables of drop-in fitness classes. Whether the location is by the beach, in the city, or nestled in a forest there will always likely be a variety of activities at venue from rock climbing, to surfing to paddle boarding or even golf.
Encouraging people to go for walks between meetings can also help them get off their desks to be outside. A brisk 10-minute walk is part of a healthy lifestyle, but the habit doesn’t have to stop when employees are back at the office.
If people are given the time to focus on their health and well-being, they will come to work feeling refreshed and more engaged. This in turn can lead to a more productive workforce and a better working environment overall.
Eppie Shepherd is a Marketing Executive at the world-renowned events company Banks Sadler. Eppie is part of Banks Sadler’s employee engagement team and is in charge of leading the company’s corporate wellness strategy.
Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash
