3 Direct Benefits of a Healthy Workforce

For far too many businesses, the health of their employees isn’t an issue until someone actually gets sick. But if they knew the benefits that having a strong and healthy workforce could have on their business’s productivity and bottom line, more would start implementing changes to make sure that their employees work in an environment that fosters health and well-being. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits a healthy workforce could have for your company.

Less Sick Days

The first and biggest benefit of having a healthy workforce is that fewer will be missing on sick days. A Brigham Young University study found that employees that had a healthy diet and exercise routine were absent 27% less than those who didn’t.

You can’t force your employees to eat well and exercise. However, one thing you could do is make it easy for them to make healthy choices in the workplace. Make sure that you have healthy snacks in the lunchroom and give them access to healthy options on the floor as well. One thing you could do right now is install a Bevi machine. Their machines include both a commercial water cooler and office sparkling water machine. They also have a flavored water dispenser that allows people to add flavor to their sparkling water. These are great low sugar alternatives to fizzy drinks and could make a huge difference in their daily caloric intake. These will not only help them maintain a healthy weight but also reduce sugar highs and crashes during the day.

More Productivity

Healthier employees are also more productive employees. Healthy employees have more energy and are better focused, which will influence the amount of work they can do and how efficient they will be. One study by BYU found that employees who had a healthier diet had a 25% increase in productivity on average. Another study by Harvard University and the World Economic Forum found that employees who had a healthier lifestyle were more than three times more productive than their less healthy peers.

More Harmony and Cooperation

As we already know, health can have a huge influence on our mood. Unhealthy eating habits can leave you sluggish and in an overall cranky mood. Huge spikes and drops in blood sugar can also have a big influence on mood and energy levels.

Healthy employees have a tendency to have higher morale and be happier in general. This translates into more a cooperative environment for everyone. You could compound these benefits by adding things like standing desks and allow your employees more range for movement. This will allow your employees to stay alert and active all day and facilitate cooperation even more. Healthier employees also tend to be more confident in themselves and their decisions and are less likely to feel threatened as far as their status in the company goes.

Conclusion

As you can see, having healthy employees could have a huge impact on your company. An investment in your employees is an investment in your business, and by neglecting your employees well-being, you are ultimately cheating yourself out of profits.