The Surprising Value of Being Fit At Work

Employers are spending millions of dollars in healthcare for their workers. With the costs skyrocketing and affecting company finances, employers are forced to take care of their employees in order to avoid cases of obesity in the workplace and the financial pitfalls of having an unhealthy workforce. This is why health and wellness are being promoted in a lot of corporations, pushing employees to change their unhealthy lifestyles and embrace the culture of fitness . Having a healthy work environment can promote the work-life balance of employees, which will have a positive overall impact on business.

Healthy workers are happy workers.

Photo from Micki Vandeloo via Pinterest

Initially, employers may have to invest considerable cash in the wellness and work fitness of their employees but given the benefits of having a healthy workforce, the investment is certainly worth the trouble. According to an analysis from the U.S. Center for Disease Control , “individuals who are physically active have significantly lower annual direct medical costs than those who are inactive, getting people to become more active could cut yearly medical costs in the U.S. by more than $70 billion.”

Looking after the welfare of workers will certainly help the self-interests of the company. Here are some of the benefits of being fit at work:

• Reduction in absenteeism

Sick employees have to take time off work to recover. This means a decrease in productivity at work but an employee on sick leave is better than an employee spreading disease in the office. Employees who are cooped up inside the office most of the time are prone to getting whatever bug that’s going around. Healthy employees rarely get sick and will not file for sick leaves often. Having a healthy workforce means lesser healthcare costs for the company.

2. Employees will have more energy for work

Employees who lack good nutrition and exercise are often lethargic at work. This means they will have less energy needed to stay focused at work and increase productivity . Workers who exercise regularly generally have more energy to spare and will be able to give their 100% to the tasks at hand.

3. Employees will have higher tolerance for stress

Stress pretty much ruins everything, from family life to office performance. Employees who exercise regularly are less susceptible to stress. They are able to let out their everyday tensions during exercise and blow off some steam.

4. There’s more positive attitude in the workplace

Employees who are into regular exercise tend to exhibit better attitude in the workplace. Exercise releases endorphins, which is referred to as a happy hormone. This allows them to achieve physical, mental, and emotional balance.

5. Fitness inspires confidence

People who are fit tend to have more confidence with their bodies. This confidence will shine through when they are in the office and it reflects on how they interact with other people.

6. Employees will learn how to set and achieve goals

The road to fitness is all about setting and achieving goals, whether it’s losing the last ten pounds or running a mile more. The ability to go beyond the limits is a trait that can be brought to the workplace. An employee who is a go-getter and aggressive when it comes to achievements is considered a great asset to any company.

7. Teambuilding sessions will be so much fun

With a group made of physically fit employees, the possibilities for teambuilding activities are endless. They will be able to participate in strenuous activities such as sports and relay games. It will be easier to think of fun stuff to do without having to consider the health and physical capabilities of the employees.

Fit employees make better team building sessions.

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8. Fit employees are more likely to take charge

Employees who are confident of themselves are more likely to go after leadership roles. Because healthy employees are of sound mind and body, they are the best persons to lead groups of people to get things done in the workplace.

9. There will be less employee turnover

Employees are aware if the company has their best interests at heart. An organization that cares about the health and well-being of their workers earns the loyalty of their people. The more loyal the people are, the more likely they will stay with the company. This means less turnover costs and more happy employees.

1. Fit employees are bound to inspire others

A fit employee is a happy employee and will encourage other people to follow his path. If he inspires other employees to become just like him in terms of health and wellness , it will become a great advantage for the organization.

How Employers Can Promote Wellness

Companies with generous budgets encourage physical fitness by providing free or discounted gym memberships for its employees. Organizations who can’t afford to provide comprehensive wellness packages can still opt for small components that can still make a difference in making employees fit and healthy. If your company doesn’t have any wellness programs on board yet, you can talk to the HR and suggest the following:

This will lessen the need for sick leaves.

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• Offering preventive care in the form of vaccinations, especially during flu season. Making employees immune to flu means less day offs and less health insurance costs, which will more than make up for the costs of vaccination

• Inviting nutrition experts for seminars to educate employees on cooking healthy meals, managing stress, and how to stay fit at work . The company can also invite yoga practitioners and aerobics instructors. The organization can also educate employees on getting healthy even while they’re working. They may want to take a cue from an article from IBEX, which teaches work exercise you can do in your stations.

• Bringing on-site doctors that can check up on employees immediately. This will eliminate the need for taking time off from work for medical check-ups.

• Providing healthy meal options on the cafeteria. It can be as simple as replacing sodas with fruit juice or stocking the vending machine with nuts and dried fruits instead of chips and other junk food.

• Creating incentives for employees who engage in exercise and other healthy habits . The company can provide free and secure parking for bikes. They can also install shower facilities and locker rooms to encourage employees to jog to work or workout during their break times.

Establishing programs for health and wellness may involve some trial and error before settling on something that is beneficial for both employer and employee. Time and funding will be definitely spent on these projects but employers have to keep in mind the benefits they will reap in the end when they manage to turn their employees into happy and healthy individuals.