Encouraging healthy employees

Businesses can benefit greatly by employing healthy people. Healthy employees mean less sick days being taken, more work efficiency, lower health care costs, and a whole host of other benefits. Imagine how much better your office would run if no one was ever out sick. You can help make this happen by simply encouraging health at work. Chances are you have some unhealthy people on staff, as many Americans are unhealthy. However, this does not mean you have to settle for this. The following are some great options for encouraging employee health:

Provide healthy food options- Most offices have some kind of food option in the office. This might be a company store of sorts in the HR office, or vending machines, etc. Many companies also provide lunches from time to time, or other food items. As a business, you can encourage employee health by providing healthy food options. Rather than stocking candy bars and chips, try granola and fresh fruit. Instead of a candy dish at the front reception, try a fruit basket. Instead of a catered lunch that is full of sugar and fat, why not serve gourmet salads, or fresh fruits and whole grain sandwiches? The point is, you can start by encouraging healthier options in the vending and snacking provided in office.

Supplement exercise plans or have an in office gym- The next thing you can do to have healthier employees is make it easier for employees to work out. Do this by providing them with a subsidized gym pass, or an in office gym. You can set it up with a gym to have their membership fee deducted from their checks, thus ensuring they pay it, and helping them to not miss the money because it comes out first. If this does not work for you, consider providing a space for employees to exercise in the office. They can use their lunch hour, or come in early, or stay late, and get fit right in the office. This is easy since they will already be there, and can really improve both employee morale, and health.

Have incentives for smoking cessation, etc.- It is a good idea to create a smoking cessation plan for your employees that may smoke. Offer incentives to help encourage quitting, and provide the support they need to make it happen. Just think how much lower insurance premiums will be.

Provide a long enough lunch hour to encourage healthy eating- If employees feel rushed at lunch, chances are they will opt for fast food, or unhealthy, quick meals. Be sure to provide sufficient time to employees to eat something that is not pre-packaged, cooked in the microwave, etc.

Foster a health conscious, upbeat atmosphere- Just remember to keep health and fitness on the minds of your employees by creating an atmosphere that encourages and rewards health. This can make a huge difference in the health of your staff.