Health and wellness is the new frontier and fuel for the successful businesses of tomorrow. Health must be embraced throughout every aspect of the business, no matter how small or large, because it takes a healthy lifestyle and mindset to succeed in business. These pivotal thoughts are the bedrock upon which the “Corporate Wellness Week” was founded.

In an unhealthy work environment, there is decreased productivity, higher absenteeism, poorer work ethic and even less safety in the workplace. The WHO proposes that “a healthy workplace is one in which workers and managers collaborate to use a continual improvement process to protect and promote the health, safety and well-being of all workers and the sustainability of the workplace” knowing fully well that the average person spends a third of their adult life working, making it an integral part of our existence as individuals and as a people.

Culture defines a people, some of it is tangible and some intangible, regardless it is evidently seen in the trait and character of the individuals within that geographical space or plugged into the system. A wellness culture must be engrained and enshrined into the fibre of an organization if it is to reap the dividends of healthy living and wellness, particularly as it impacts the bottom-line.

When a team understands the dire need to embrace a wellness culture as well as the collective responsibility, the people will work harder, be more dedicated and can more easily operate as one unit. If the overall wellness of an organization is evaluated and treated holistically, a company can minimize mechanical and structural problems while maximizing culture and profitability. One could easily surmise that high-performing, well-managed companies care about their people. However, individuals also ought to take the personal responsibility required to put to good use measures installed by the organization to cater to their wellbeing.

There are a number of easy to install actions that can be taken which guarantees quick wins, exercise and movement moments, for example. Incorporate a variety of exercise and movement moments throughout the day for your team. This could be a power walk during meetings to discuss projects or it could be a scheduled motivational moment where everyone gets up and jumps rope for 10 minutes. Incorporate anything that gets your team moving because physical inactivity is usually associated with an increased risk for chronic disease, loss of movement, and decreased immune health.

The on-going pandemic has derailed many global business operations and forced many people to turn to remote work. Not only has this impacted employee wellness and wellbeing but it has particularly taken its toll on our mental health. It is therefore essential for employers to encourage openness about the need for mental health support by facilitating enlightenment sessions and fostering conversations that will help to preserve and maintain positive mental health states.

An efficient workplace wellness culture helps to boost productivity and saves the company a lot in return. Remember, only a happy and healthy person will perform better at work.

Further Reading:

https://www.who.int/activities/healthy-workplaces-a-who-global-model-for–action
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tobacco
https://www.who.int/news-room/campaigns/world-no-tobacco-day/world-no-tobacco-day-2020

For more on wellness tips & wellbeing, please send an email to [email protected]