The ongoing health and wellbeing of your staff plays a crucial role in the overall performance of your organization. Poor health in the workforce can result in increased levels of absenteeism, lack of engagement with tasks and the need to recruit temporary or permanent staff to fill roles that are currently vacant due to worker sickness. Conversely, a staff base that enjoys higher levels of general health and wellbeing is one that will work to higher levels of productivity and produce the best quality work. It may be difficult for managers and leaders to find unique strategies that serve to improve health and wellbeing, as there are often multiple causes for poor health. However, this article attempts to provide some unique solutions for improving worker health. Three ideas are discussed that can be adopted by businesses in a variety of sectors and each of them will play a part in improving worker health and wellbeing.

Cycle-to-work schemes

Cycle-to-work schemes are becoming increasingly popular across industries as they offer a range of unique benefits. Obviously, cycling to work is far more beneficial than simply commuting by private car or public transport. The exercise gained from this journey into work can help to energize staff before they start the working day, resulting in improved levels of focus and concentration. Cycling is also a great way to improve your cardiovascular health and may reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular problems such as high blood pressure and heart disease in later life. This form of exercise can help to reduce stress levels, promote high-quality sleep and improve a person’s mood. Cycle-to-work schemes are also easy to implement in your organization. Simply, contact a cycle firm that runs the scheme and sign up to it for your business. Staff will then be able to choose from a range of new bicycles and pay for the rental of it with a small monthly deduction from their salary. 

Healthcare benefits packages

One of the most effective ways to take a multifaceted approach to improving worker health is to offer staff a comprehensive healthcare benefits package. Organizations can build a better Medicaid program for their workers by offering a health benefits card that encourages healthy diet choices to be made when shopping. In addition, this scheme can include rewards for members who adopt healthy lifestyle choices such as joining a gym or taking part in wellbeing exercises. A healthcare benefits package can also be beneficial to family members of the employee as they can offer a range of additional healthcare services, such as access to opticians and dental work. Put simply, this form of health benefits package helps both the employee and their family members to make healthy lifestyle choices and promotes lifelong good health. 

Encourage wellness breaks

Briefly, taking regular breaks from a busy working routine can be a key way to stay mentally focused and can reduce the likelihood of suffering from exhaustion or even burnout in the workplace. Studies show that a five-minute break every hour can help staff to achieve higher levels of concentration over the working day. Ideally, staff should be encouraged to have a brief walk around the workplace to help them minimize the risk of developing musculoskeletal pains and strains from extended periods of sitting at a desk.