As well as recognising how important our health is to our own well-being, we also need to recognise how important health is in our workplace. Staff productivity, retention and building team dynamics are just some of the benefits that can be enjoyed from encouraging a healthy workplace.
So how do you as a CEO support this? In short, by taking the lead. At the end of the day it all comes back to you. You need to lead by example, by taking the initiative. No matter what the size of your company, you should be involved in a fitness program with your staff.
A good place to start, is to look at a group activity. Ask your employees for their input and find something that everyone will enjoy.
For example, a company where I provide group training conducted a survey to establish what type of fitness training they would enjoy. The majority chose boxing. They organised a class after work, in their boardroom, practising different boxing drills and getting fit.
What was even more appealing, was that the CEO himself was involved in the class. The whole class worked as a team. Not an 'us and them' mentality. The CEO not only encouraged his fellow participants, but he wasn't afraid to show that he had weaknesses as well!
Everyone working-out together, one purpose - to get fit together. This reason alone should be enough encouragement to promote fitness, let alone the huge benefits to productivity, self-esteem and self-awareness for you and your workforce.
As a CEO, only if you keep yourself active and monitor your own diet will you understand the benefits involved. You will learn to appreciate how important health and fitness is, and alternatively become a passionate advocate for it. Only then can the process of a fitness campaign in the workforce begin.
Some strategies you can employ to create an environment which supports fitness and being physically active are;
- Provide shower facilities for workers
- Give staff the opportunity to work out during the day
- Provide fitness campaigns for the employees to paticipate in, eg. fun runs
- Offer incentives or a reward system for the employees to join a gym or a fitness club
- Invite a fitness motivator to come in regularly and talk about health and fitness
- Encourage a healthy diet by providing fresh fruit
- Provide access to information regarding keeping fit