7 Ways To Encourage Employee Health At The Office

Your team should be your most valuable asset and promoting their health and wellbeing is a key aspect of maintaining a positive work culture, optimum productivity and staff retention. You don’t need a big budget to make a real difference – there are many low-cost ways you can support your team’s physical and mental health in the workplace. Here are seven relatively straightforward strategies that can positively impact your staff’s overall wellbeing.

1. Offer Gym Memberships

Providing subsidised or discounted gym memberships is a great perk that demonstrates you value your employees' physical health. Partner with local gyms such as this one and negotiate a corporate rate to save on membership fees. This makes fitness more accessible and affordable for your staff.

2. Promote Active Commuting

Offer bike parking and subsidised public transport to encourage employees to actively commute to work. At the office, providing stairwell prompts and artwork makes stairs more inviting to use. Small incentives can motivate staff to reduce their carbon footprint while fitting physical activity into their day, boosting cardiovascular health.

3. Install Standing Desks

Explain the very real benefits of standing desks for better health and productivity and invest in adjustable standing desks for interested employees who want to move more during the working day. Alternating between sitting and standing improves posture, engagement and focus while reducing the risk of musculoskeletal disorders.

4. Encourage Walking Meeting

Incorporate more movement into the workday through walking meetings and active breaks, ideally taken outdoors in the fresh air. According to recent research, this is said to increase creative thinking by around 80%, boost working relationships, provide a mental break from the desk and help with the daily step count. 

5. Provide Spaces For Active Breaks

Opportunities for active breaks improve both physical and mental health. Consider providing dedicated spaces like quiet rooms, yoga rooms or calming outdoor areas that enable employees to take active meditation and mental breaks. Even short breaks from the desk to move or unplug allow staff to refresh and refocus.

6. Supply Healthy Snacks

The food options available at your workplace can make a big difference in the nutrition choices employees make while at work. Stock the office kitchen with fruits, nuts, yoghurt and other healthy options and cater for lunches with nutritious choices. Avoid vending machine junk food or too many cakes and biscuits.

7. Allow Pets In The Office

Scientific studies have shown that interacting with animals provides stress relief and mood-boosting oxytocin, so why not let employees bring their dog to work on certain days? Pets in the office can create a welcoming environment, fostering fun and connectivity during the workday. Just be sure to set clear guidelines regarding cleanliness and allergies.

Start with small steps…

Even small changes to promote employee health and wellness can make a big difference in engagement, productivity and satisfaction. Start with one or two low-cost, high-impact options, then build momentum by adding more health-focused policies and perks over time.