Many of us say that work should be ‘more than a paycheque.’ But how can organizations put this aspiration into action to create happy, healthy and productive workplaces? It’s all about shifting away from the ideas that productive work has to drain our energy and that we can only find happiness and balance outside of work. Instead, organizational leaders can foster a workplace culture that values employee mental health, invigorating workers and bringing joy on the job. Prioritizing and encouraging active days at work is a key part of this shift to creating workplaces where employees are happier and healthier, and in turn, perform better.
Support healthy habits that stick
While each organization is unique, research suggests that there are some specific strategies that can help teams form healthy, active habits while boosting morale:
1. Get buy-in across departments, at all levels
Senior leadership needs to be on board to create an engaged and active workforce. Teams need to feel supported by managers as they add more movement to their days. Moreover, senior staff can lead by example, also reaping the rewards of being more active at, and fulfilled by, their work.
2. Set goals
Assess your current work culture and decide on a path forward. Maybe your goal is to encourage a certain percentage of your employees to use active transportation or to book a specific number of active meetings. Goals should be realistic and focused on fun!
3. Measure progress
After creating these benchmarks, share the results with your organization. Keep raising this bar as the culture of movement develops to continue the momentum.
4. Reward success
Recognition and celebration can take many forms – when employees take on healthy active habits, leaders should take note, whether that’s through an organization-wide announcement, a free lunch or a gift. Research shows that acknowledgement goes a long way in rewarding behaviour change, helping teams to feel supported, motivated and happy.
5. Send a meaningful message about employee mental health
Investing in the resources required to incorporate physical activity into workplace culture tells team members that they matter. Putting time and money into employee mental health and well-being can be as vital to your organization’s success as having the latest software or strong stocks.
Teams will reap the many day-to-day mental and physical health benefits of being more active, feeling less stressed and happier. Many of these perks will cross over to enhance your employees’ personal lives, too. For example, as they become more active, employees may find that they can better manage stress and relationships; their sleep quality and duration could improve, enriching employee mental health and well-being and moving them toward that highly sought-after work-life balance.
It’s time for organizations to realize their potential to enhance the lives of their staff members. Creating a workplace culture that prioritizes physical activity and employee mental health says that an organization cares and reflects our growing understanding of the powerful role that positive employee mental health plays in supporting personal well-being and, in turn, organizational vitality.
