Take Care: 6 Ways To Cultivate Your Wellness As a Leader

Eating well at work can contribute to your overall health.

The narrative on health and wellness for women in the workplace is changing. Companies are moving away from a world where employees clock in and out, sit in grim cubicles all day, and make do with five sick days a year. A good leader knows that a healthy, thriving workforce is a productive and engaged workforce. Take the lead in employee wellness. Here are six ways to cultivate personal health in the workplace.

“A good #leader knows that a healthy, thriving workforce is a productive and engaged workforce. #Takethelead in employee wellness. ”

1. Engagement Matters: Smoking cessation and weight loss and exercise programs are all aimed at keeping employees healthy. But Gallup reports that just 24 percent of employees at companies offering wellness programs actually take part. The trick, according to Gallup, is an engaged manager who cares about workers and leads them to the programs that will benefit their health. Engaged leaders empower workers to take care of themselves, both physically and mentally. You can help someone make a dramatic change, just by caring about him or her as a person. That doesn’t mean you have to be the most likable boss in the company, but maybe a caring one.

“@Gallup reports that just 24 percent of employees at companies offering wellness programs actually take part. #Workplace #Wellness”

2. It’s easier being green: When employees feel good, they work better. Research shows that green space is good for mental health. While you can't turn your office into a wildlife preserve, you can green it up with plants and natural elements to give everyone a real wellness boost. Some of the most popular plants for indoor offices? Money trees, philodendrons, peace lilies, and succulents. Potted plants freshen the air and lower stress and anxiety in the workplace — and that’s good for everyone.

“When employees feel good, they work better. Research shows that green space is good for mental health. #GreenSpace #GreenOffice”

3. Get moving: Exercise is good for body and soul. An active workplace helps people stay fit, and the benefits of a good workout on one’s mood and energy are well documented. That doesn't mean you should hold group Zumba classes in the lobby. Instead, consider getting rid of barriers to physical activity. Offer gym memberships for employees or a walking path on the grounds of your business. You can also arrange flexible physical activity breaks that accommodate an employee’s 3-mile run or yoga class at the studio down the street. An active staff is fitter, happier — and more productive.

“ #GetMoving. Exercise is good for body and soul. And an active staff is fitter, happier — and more productive. #StayActive #WorkWellness”

4. Be in the moment: Mindfulness is a therapeutic technique. Oxford defines it as "a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.” Sounds easy enough. But the average employee has a thousand distractions. They might be thinking about the latest notifications on their cell phones, the stress of the morning commute, and how to pay their bills. Encourage your people to be in the moment, and not only are they more focused on the work at hand, but they'll also be less stressed about it.  Keep in mind it's not as easy as telling workers to put their phones down. It’s a technique they need to learn from an experienced professional. More research is needed, but one study showed that when taught properly, mindfulness helped workers reduce work-life conflict, increased their ability to pay attention and increased their job satisfaction. It sounds like mindfulness might have a good return on investment!

“Be in the moment. Not only will your workers be more focused on the work at hand, but they’ll also be less stressed about it. #WorkTips #Wellness”

5. Food for thought: It will surprise no one that the contents of the standard American vending machine are not good for anyone’s waistline or their health. Chips, cookies, and candy bars are the standard offerings in most break rooms — not choices to cultivate personal health in the workplace. About 3 in 4 Americans have diets low in fruits, vegetables and oils, and most are overdoing it on the salt, sugar and saturated fats. Consider offering fruit and veggies alongside the potato chips, and providing employees with enough time to eat lunch.

“#FoodForThought: Consider offering fruit and veggies alongside the potato chips, and providing employees with enough time to eat lunch. #WorkWellness”

6. The 8-hour day? It might be time for the eight hour day to go the way of the Model T automobile. Back when Henry Ford instituted the 40-hour workweek, it was revolutionary. At the time, most (miserable) Industrial Age workers were putting in work weeks of 80, 90, or even 100 hours. A century later, the world has changed, and science shows a six-hour workday may be more productive than an eight-hour one. Today’s workers aren’t manually assembling cars (not even auto workers assemble cars manually). Century-old working guidelines may be wreaking havoc on personal health.

“The world has changed, and science shows a six-hour #workday may be more productive than an eight-hour one. #WorkplaceCulture”

The long term success of your workplace can be contingent on how your employees feel, both physically and mentally. Cultivating personal health in the workplace increases productivity. It also proves your mettle as a leader who cares about more than just the bottom line.

“The long term #success of your #workplace can be contingent on how your employees feel, both physically and mentally. #Leadership”

 Rachael Elizabeth is an avid gardener, both indoors and in her backyard sanctuary. She can often be found exploring nature off the beaten track or entertaining friends at home.