Access to physical and mental resources promotes healthy and happy employees. When employees are healthy, both physically and mentally, it ultimately increases overall productivity in the workplace. For more information on how to promote healthy habits in your workforce, read on.
Proactive Health Strategies for 2025
In 2025, a growing trend in workplace health is wearable technology and personalized health insights. Encouraging employees to use smartwatches or fitness trackers to monitor steps, sleep, heart rate, and stress levels can help them make proactive lifestyle choices. Many companies are now integrating these devices into wellness programs, offering incentives for meeting fitness goals. Additionally, AI-driven health apps provide personalized nutrition and exercise recommendations, making it easier for employees to maintain a balanced lifestyle.
Another emerging trend is holistic health approaches, such as gut health and stress reduction techniques. Research continues to highlight the connection between gut health and overall well-being, so providing probiotic-rich foods and nutritional guidance in the workplace can significantly impact employee energy levels and immunity. Stress management programs, including guided mindfulness sessions and workplace yoga, are also proving effective in reducing burnout and increasing overall job satisfaction. By encouraging these habits, businesses can cultivate a healthier, more engaged workforce while reducing long-term healthcare costs.
Encouraging Movement in Hybrid and In-Office Work Models
With the rise of hybrid work, employees may spend long hours at home without built-in movement breaks like walking to meetings or commuting. Employers can encourage physical activity by offering incentives such as gym reimbursements, step challenges, or flexible lunch breaks for workouts. In-office teams can benefit from structured wellness activities like Friday yoga sessions, standing meetings, or team outings that incorporate light exercise, such as hiking or outdoor games. Providing employees with walk-and-talk meetings or promoting active breaks during the day can help counteract sedentary habits while fostering engagement and camaraderie. By integrating movement into the work culture, companies create a healthier, more energized workforce.
Telehealth
Telehealth creates the opportunity to communicate with a doctor without having to go into the office. It provides convenient and easy access to medical professionals via video chat or direct messaging. In today’s increasingly virtual world, hospitals and clinics have increased their telehealth services to improve accessibility.
Virtual visits with alternative providers are also a great resource when your primary care physician isn’t immediately available to assist you. Telehealth visits are a great resource for physicians to stay updated and proactive on patient health.
Overall, the implementation of telehealth enables employees and their families to stay proactive with their health care without the stress of planning and scheduling an office visit.
At SBMA, we believe in the power of telemedicine services, especially during the current pandemic. Because of this, we offer our clients telehealth services that meet the needs of their employees. Telemedicine services are convenient, reliable, and easy to use.
Healthy Eating
Encouraging employees to maintain a healthy diet is an important pillar of positive health habits. There are numerous ways to promote healthy eating in the workforce. A few options include:
- Catering free healthy lunch options
- Bringing in a nutritionist to educate your team on healthy eating choices
- Providing healthy snacks in the office such as fruit, nuts, and water
- Encouraging employees to drink water and stay hydrated throughout the day
- Sharing healthy recipes and encouraging employees to share new healthy recipe discoveries
Implementing healthy eating habits into employees’ lives will likely in turn promote higher overall energy levels. Put good in, get good out.
Exercise
Consistent exercise creates long-lasting health benefits. Promoting regular exercise improves heart health, lowers cholesterol, increases brain function, reduces cancer risk, lowers stress, improves sleep, and so much more.
All of these come together to facilitate a more productive lifestyle and work environment because your team is more capable of managing their stress and responsibilities. Additionally, healthy employees take fewer sick days and miss less work due to health-related concerns. Yet another example of how encouraging healthy habits promotes productivity in the workplace. A healthy team means you spend less on healthcare costs and more on reinvesting into your employees themselves.
We suggest getting creative to encourage employee physical activity. Some suggestions include:
- Provide weekly group workout classes
- Develop walking or running groups
- Partner with local gyms or yoga studios to offer discounts or added benefits
- Offer employees free or subsidized gym memberships
- Create friendly exercise competitions
- Try a hula hoop challenge
Preventative Care
Visiting your doctor for an annual physical is one of the best long-term health strategies. You grow your health history and build a relationship with your physician. The routine physical exam keeps you up to date on important vaccinations, assesses lab results, and addresses any concerns your doctor or you may have. Additionally, attending these visits can potentially catch any more serious health issues that may arise before they become something potentially more dangerous.
Wellness Check-ups
Maintaining good mental health is just as important as physical health. Increasing awareness of stress management strategies and sleep habits can help employees stay well-balanced. Additionally, employees that are supported with access to resources to combat mental health are more likely to be positive, engaged, and determined.
Investing in employee health and well-being is critical to the ongoing success of most businesses. Try different methods to promote wellness in your employees such as:
- Team retreats
- Breathwork and reflection
- Solicit the expertise of a sleep expert to educate your team on the importance of sleep
- Keep work at work
A Healthy Workforce is a Productive Workforce
All in all, promoting healthy lifestyles and providing employees with the tools to live successfully healthier lifestyles can lead to many benefits. Employees will be less likely to take sick days and more likely to stay loyal to your company, and be happier in their work environment. Overall, you gain increased productivity in the workplace.
If you’re looking for a comprehensive, affordable, ACA-compliant benefits plan to offer your employees, look no further. At SBMA Benefits, our goal is to provide affordable health coverage to help keep your employees healthy and promote their overall well-being. If you’re interested in offering SBMA benefits to your team, call or contact us today.
