A Healthy Workplace Equals a Happy and Productive Workforce

The workplace is where most people spend a large portion of their waking hours.

That’s why it’s so important that employers collaborate with fitness professionals and wellness agencies to encourage activity during the workday.

As a society, we can’t ignore the fact that many Americans find it difficult to fit anything else into their day. Outside of the home, the workplace is where most people spend the most time.

That is why working with employers to encourage activity during working hours is so important.

Good health and well-fit employees are fundamental to social wellbeing and workplace productivity.

Healthy workplaces are not just a social concern however. They are economically driven as well.

In fact, per Forbes magazine, “Injuries, illness and medical appointments are the most commonly reported reasons for missing work”. This absenteeism comes at a great cost to employers. Absenteeism costs associated with chronic diseases and health risk factors can be substantial. Employers incur these costs through lower productivity, and employees incur costs through lost wages.

The Centre for Disease Control estimates the economic cost of lost work time in the United States to be $2 billion dollars per risk factor.

The most prevalent risk factors or unhealthy behaviors costing employers the most money are; smoking, physical inactivity (being sedentary) and obesity.

While the most expensive disease processes are hypertension (high blood pressure) and diabetes. Good news is on the way. Regular movement can positively affect all these conditions and the workplace is the perfect place to implement change.

Healthy workplaces can help make businesses more productive and keep employees more engaged. An August 2017 study at the University of California Riverside found that companies offering employee wellness programs saw a significant gain in productivity among workers.

Researchers found that all employees who participated in wellness programming improved productivity an average of one full workday per month.

Additional research found that by implementing healthier workplace policies and wellness programs, employers benefit from improved performance, a reduction in absenteeism and sick leave, decreased overall health care costs, and improved morale, satisfaction and motivation.

In addition, as the workplace becomes increasingly demanding via expedited deadlines, competition and outsourcing, bringing wellness into the workplace has become more important than ever. Increased satisfaction at work is directly linked with increased productivity, and workplace wellness programs have been found to effectively increase productivity due to this link between satisfaction and productivity.

Basically, workplace wellness programs engender happier employees, and happy employees work harder and more efficiently.

From local to international levels, it behooves us to work with and offer employers assistance in introducing a variety of cost-effective initiatives to suit their workplaces.

These initiatives could include team challenges, educational lunches, group training sessions, individual pre-screening tests, smoking cessation programs and discounted fitness facility memberships.

As you probably know, I'm an exercise physiologist from Fort Myers. As well as a USA Triathlon Advanced Level 2 coach, USA Cycling coach and has a Specialty in Sports Nutrition certification.

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For more training tips, visit my blog at: www.GearedUp.biz/blog.

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Let's go on this journey together and change your life as always, “Practice with Purpose and Live with Passion!”

Angie