Health at work - how?
What exactly is health? Is it good blood counts or going a year at work without a sick day? Maybe exercising several times a week and eating lots of vegetables? A fruit scheme? According to the WHO, health is more than just the absence of disease. It is based on a positive and broad concept of health that goes beyond the absence of disease and pain. Quality of life, lifestyle and living conditions also play an important role. This means that not only physical health, but also psychological and social well-being play a role in one's state of health.
Management has a big responsibility for workplace health
In order to focus on health and well-being in the workplace, management support and visibility of health initiatives are important. This has a significant impact on employee commitment and participation in the initiative. However, working towards a healthier workplace requires more than just management initiatives. The initiative must be fun and meaningful for employees to be on board with the idea. In addition, it must appeal to both individual and collective motivation.
Why should you involve employees?
Employee involvement is crucial to the success of the 'healthy workplace' project. It involves employees in the planning of the initiative and also gives them ownership of it. This can increase their awareness and interest in their own health. It is always worth listening to the needs of employees, because in the end, they are the ones who decide whether the health initiatives work or not.
There are several ways to create a healthier workday
Fruit schemes, gyms and sports activities are tangible ways to establish a good framework for a healthier working day. However, it can take time to integrate these into a regular part of work routines. In addition, it can make sense to have individual health profiles and interviews to give employees some concrete figures to work from. For many, this can increase the desire to get started with some healthier routines in the workplace. In addition to individual health, there should also be a focus on the community and employee well-being should also be on the agenda. A good community can really help to maintain the new, healthy routines in the workplace. It is motivating when you are not alone in a case and are held up to the exercise agreements you have with your colleagues. Employees influence each other and can help to keep each other in the process, which in the long run affects the culture of the workplace. Often the support of the social network provides an extra dose of determination to carry out what you have undertaken. In other words, it is a good idea to talk out loud about the goals you have set for a healthier working day.
By Josefine Huusom
