Employee Wellbeing: How to Encourage Healthy Habits in the Workplace

Although the health consequences of a sedentary lifestyle are well-known, there’s now ample proof that this type of work actually thwarts productivity, creativity, and motivation as well.

With this information in mind, it comes as no surprise that more and more companies are investing in employee wellbeing. This may seem like a significant expense for a company, but that's not necessarily the case - it's actually quite possible to encourage healthy habits in the workplace. All you need is some patience and a couple of creative ideas.

Are you ready to contribute to your team's wellbeing by making a few changes around the office? If the answer is yes, then here are six tips you can try and implement in your company.

1. Offer rewards

When it comes to the willpower needed to make difficult changes, most people need a push in the right  – they need external motivation.

With healthy habits, things are the same. We all want to feel, look, or perform better, but most of the time, this means we have to leave our comfort zones and shed some sweat. In these cases, having an accountability partner can be a lifesaver, especially on days when we'd rather just stay in bed.

As a business leader, you can take over this role by implementing a few motivational programs, you can give them that extra push towards achieving their health goals

For example, you can encourage your team to commute by bicycle. Do this either by offering a monetary incentive or giving a monthly day off to anyone who cycles to work more than three times per week.

2. Friendly competitions

If you're on a very tight budget but still wish to encourage healthy habits in the workplace, you'll need a cost-effective motivator. An extrinsic incentive that relies on people's competitive spirit may be a good solution.

Organize weekly or monthly competitions to see who can walk the most steps, do the biggest number of sit-ups, or last the longest without junk food. Any of these can be fun ways to introduce some healthy practices into the office. What's more, even those who don't end up winning hold a great chance of walking away with a sense of accomplishment and feeling better about themselves.

There are, however, two things you should keep in mind when it comes to competitions:

1. They pose the risk of "crowding out" important intrinsic motivators, like the need to keep healthy or fit.
2. They may lead to the opposite effect once the actual competition ends.

To avoid these problems, you should attempt to organize these events over shorter periods. This way, they won't lead to employees getting overwhelmed. Furthermore, change the end goal every so often so that everyone gets a chance to win, no matter their strong and weak points.

3. Make wellness a bonding experience

As a business leader, you're aware of the importance of interpersonal relationships within your team.

Ideally, you want the people in your organization to have strong and healthy bonds that allow them to cooperate, innovate, and solve any problems that come up. How do you achieve this? In addition to making healthy communication part of your company culture, you can also organize team-building events.

The standard team-building activity includes a night out or a visit to an escape room,  but you can center yours around health and wellness.

Sure, a group visit to the dentist doesn't sound like too much fun. But a cooking class that teaches your employees how to prepare healthy lunches or a hiking adventure can both be great ways to spend quality time together.

4. Give wellness-oriented perks

In addition to the standard benefits like health, life, and dental insurance, you can look for other ways to contribute to employee wellbeing.

You may not be able to provide an on-site gym, masseuse, or fully functional chef's kitchen, but you can still find ways to help your team stay healthy. Consider organizing on-site flu vaccinations or offering a rebate on preventative medical expenses. Alternatively, provide your employees with a membership to a fitness center or a personalized meal-planning service.

Other things you can do that have a big impact include stocking your office fridge with fresh fruit, arranging healthy catering during team meetings and offering mental health support for your employees.

Finally, if you can, spruce up your work environment. Add lots of greenery and air purifiers for better air quality. Invest in high-quality lighting. Consider switching out your standard desks and chairs for more ergonomic versions that support proper posture.

5. Encourage rest

If promoting healthy habits in the workplace is your goal, then you need to get serious about much more than just physical exercise and nutrition. You also need to come to terms with the fact that one-third of the US population is sleep-deprived.

Factors like stress, blue light exposure and poor sleep hygiene all contribute to low-quality rest. Naturally, you can't go around ordering your employees to get a good night's sleep. What you can do is give them the resources to rest when they feel like they need it.

For example, a 20-minute power nap can be much more effective than caffeine at promoting cognitive, verbal and motor skills. So why not provide a space for your employees where they can unwind during the day? Or, alternatively, you can encourage your team to work remotely once a week so that they can sleep in.

6. Talk to your team

As you can see, there are numerous solutions for encouraging your employees to practice healthier habits at work. Nonetheless, you must be open and honest about your intentions.

Don't try to force your team into doing something they don't want to. It will only cause the opposite of what you planned.

Instead, talk to your employees and tell them why you care about them being healthy. After all, no matter how badly you wish to invest in their mental and physical wellbeing, everyone has a right to lead their life as they wish.

So, remember that it's your job to provide your people with options and benefits. But ultimately, it will be up to them to decide whether they are ready to accept those offers as solutions for their needs.