How to Encourage Employees to Stay Healthy
Encouraging employees to stay healthy can have multiple benefits. A healthy employee is less likely to take sick days and more likely to function well on the job. Finding ways to encourage employees to stay healthy can also discourage employee turnover and discourage job hunting. This can help reduce funds spent on training costs.
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Provide healthy snacks. Get rid of snacks that have lots of sugar. Replace them with cut-up vegetables, high fiber crackers and low-fat cheese. Bring in a water cooler to encourage employees to stay hydrated. Remove snack machines in the cafeteria or break room that stock unhealthy choices as well as any soda machines. Provide ice cubes to make cold water more palatable. Healthy snacking can help employees maintain proper blood sugar and a stable weight.
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Give employees incentives to use public transportation. People who use public transportation tend to walk far more than those who commute by car. Take advantage of local programs that may even make using public transportation a tax-deductible expense for you and the employee. Daily exercise helps makes people healthier.
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Use ergonomic seating. If your employees spend a large portion of their days sitting, provide them seating that reduces neck and back strain. A chair should provide adequate support and allow people to rest their feet on the floor. Chairs should also encourage correct posture.
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Make sure that all employees have health insurance. Access to health insurance means that employees can see a doctor when necessary. This can help reduce health care costs by catching conditions before they become more advanced and necessitate more expensive treatments. Contact your local state business office. Many such offices have resources to help even very small businesses find low-cost health insurance.
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Give employees adequate time off. People need to rest periodically to perform well. An employee who has enough time to refresh her mind and body is an employee who can concentrate harder on her work. Avoid night and weekend hours if possible. Allow employees time to see a spouse and attend their children's school activities. Avoid mandatory overtime unless absolutely necessary. Overworked employees can easily make mistakes that may be costly to fix.
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Make every effort a team effort. Encourage employees to think of themselves as part of a team rather than just another cog in the company. Employees who have a sense of teamwork and purpose will feel more valued. This can lead to decreased staff turnover and a more psychologically well adjusted workforce. A more stable workforce will use fewer costly social and mental health services.
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