5 Ways To Promote A More Healthy Workplace This Summer

Summer is the season for staying fit and healthy, but sometimes, a desk job can often seem like kryptonite to the perfect health plan. Fortunately, experts in health and wellness have devised plenty of great ways for office workers to improve their lifestyle in the workplace. Check out these healthful ways to improve business efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and employee health this summer!

Eating Right

You are what you eat. As the old saying suggests, the right foods have a lot to do with the health of the average person. Promoting good nutrition is a spectacular way to improve all aspects of your business. Not only will employees feel physically better, but a proper diet will also help to increase their effectiveness, focus, and work ethic, as well as reducing the overall health costs for both the company and its workforce. The effort can be as simple as dusting off the conference tables and chairs for an in-house meeting where a nutritionist is the speaker. Bring in a health expert every few months or so to educate the people on proper nutrition and exercise (perhaps providing some good incentive), and your office staff will do the rest on their own!

Stand Up Desks

Stand up desks are a relatively new health trend with tons of amazing benefits. As you may have heard in health class, the human body is actually better designed for standing than sitting in traditional leather office chairs all day. Unfortunately, days of endless sitting has resulted in terrible problems like back pain and spine deformities in many office workers. To combat this, many furniture manufacturers have developed a cool height adjustable desk for standing in the office, such as the HE3048MS Electric Table by Global. With a soft pad to cushion the feet and a comfortable chair nearby, office workers can alternate between long periods of standing and short seated breaks. It takes some time to get used to, but most standers report better focus, higher productivity, and far less pain than the seated individual. (It also helps tone the body for swimsuit season!)

Gym Memberships

Anyone that's ever wanted to lose weight knows that gym memberships can be pricey, but that isn't always the case for companies. In fact, many health insurers and workplaces are realizing that preventive health incentives are excellent ways to save money! By offering things like reduced-price gym memberships for employees, companies all over the nation are reaping the benefits of lower insurance costs, reduced sick days for employees, and even tax incentives from the IRS.

Ergonomic Furniture

For a business on a budget, throwing down enough cash to outfit the whole workplace in gym memberships and stand up desks is not always an option. Fortunately, healthy ergonomic office furniture usually is! With low-cost gadgets such as retractable keyboard trays, adjustable monitor arms for computer users, CPU holders, and advanced ergonomic desk chairs to improve health, companies finally have a cost-effective solution to inadequate workplace. Health these nifty devices are super affordable ways to combat common office problems. Reduced eye strain, neck pain, muscle pain, backaches, and improved circulation are just a few fringe benefits of most ergonomic accessories.

Take the Initiative

When the company takes the initiative to provide healthful alternatives to daily choices, it usually forces better health from employees. Changes can be as simple as offering healthy snacks in vending machines or discouraging fast food at the cubicles. Cheap weekly prizes such as five-dollar gift cards, coupons, and small raises could be given to employees that take improving their personal health to the next level. In fact, many business owners are surprised to learn how much employees want to improve their health - they just lack reminders and information. Sometimes, a simple sign at the elevator to remind that stairs are a healthier option is all that's really needed.