3 tips for healthy employees and a healthy workplace

When your employees are physically fit and in good health, it creates a healthier more productive work environment.

Fortunately, there are a number of ways you can put employee wellbeing in the spotlight by ensuring your staff is healthy and happy.

Here are a few examples of how to do just that:

Healthy Companies in the U.S.

If you're concerned about the health of your employees, you're not alone: thousands of companies nationwide are making healthy eating and exercise a top priority.

From Fortune 500 companies to small businesses, the business world is going the healthy route.

Some examples include:

• Target - As one of the largest retail stores in the country, Target is doing all it can to keep its thousands of employees happy and healthy. That's why it gives all employees’ access to the Target Health Program, which encourages exercise and healthy eating through a point-based, reward-based system.
• Astrazeneca - It only makes sense that a pharmaceutical company would encourage employee health. Astrazeneca offers its 13,000 U.S. employees healthy eating options at their onsite cafeterias that include salads, whole grain breads, and fresh fruits.
• Genentech - Even U.S. tech companies are encouraging their employees to eat healthy and exercise. Genentech for example offers its employees complimentary bicycles at their Silicon Valley campus as well as catered daily lunches from local health food restaurants.

Now that you know what other companies are doing, here are a few ways you can keep your employees healthy and fit.

1. Healthy Food Options

The sedimentary lifestyle of the office in combination with poor eating almost always results in poor health and reduced energy levels. To avoid this scenario, make sure you offer your employees plenty of healthy eating options while they're on the clock.

In an expert interview with Lyndi Fultz about eating well, Fultz mentions the benefits of eating healthy foods during every meal, including lunch.

If your office has snack machines in the break room, make sure there are healthy options available such as whole grain snack bars and sugar-free beverages.

If your office has a cafeteria, you can take a tip from the tech company above and put fresh produce on the menu.

When your employees have the option of eating healthy, there's a good chance they will.

2. Wellness Reminders

Sometimes health isn't always a priority for your employees, especially during busy quarters.

By sending out convenient office wellness reminders, you can provide your employees with healthy eating and exercise tips throughout the year.

For example, you can send out a health e-newsletter once a week that includes quick exercise routines and easy health food recipes.

3. Workplace Wellness Kits

Do you want to promote a healthy workplace but you don't know where to start?

Consider using a workplace wellness kit as a framework for spreading the word about health and fitness throughout the office.

National health organizations such as the American Heart Association offer free kits that are filled with hundreds of resources for promoting health in the workplace, including creating fitness programs at the office.

If you want your employees coming to work fit and healthy, then try following some of the pointers mentioned above.

About the Author: Adam Groff is a freelance writer and creator of content. He writes on a variety of topics including employee health and well-being.