Stretching your understanding of fitness to nurture a more engaged workforce

The “win-wins” of prioritizing employee wellness have been well-documented: from higher efficiency to increased engagement and retention, a healthy workforce is a strong one (and vice versa!).

When it comes to the “fitness” of your team, there may be some elements you’re overlooking. After all, fitness is about far more than hitting the gym, getting outside and keeping on top of nutrition; according to our own HR team, it includes mental health, emotional and stress management, and our social bonds as well!

We sat down with our in-house experts to wrap our heads around how leaders can (and why they should!) expand their own understanding of these elements to positively influence “fitness” at their own organizations. Explore their insights and let us know in the comments below: what does fitness mean to you and your crew?

Physical wellness programs and nutrition initiatives: how can organizations support their staff?

Your go-to definition of fitness is likely skewed towards the “physical health and vitality” aspect, right? Let’s start there. After all, physical wellness programs can not only improve employee health and reduce absenteeism but also increase productivity, all contributing towards a more engaged workforce.

In the workplace this can look like exercise in an in-house gym, nutrition education, healthy food options, ergonomic work setups, or opportunities for movement throughout the workday (like the ones carved out by members of our HR team, who often choose to take their one-on-one meetings “on the road” and go for a walk together instead of sitting down in a meeting space!). Something seemingly so simple can be a refreshing way to incorporate physical health into the workday and connect in a different setting.

Bonus: activities like these also bolster social fitness, a sense of belonging, and camaraderie among colleagues. In the workplace, providing an environment where employees feel supported to take time to maintain their mental and emotional fitness plays an important role in overall workplace wellbeing. This can include working together to manage stress and competing deadlines, ensuring employees take their well-deserved breaks, and celebrating successes.

How does physical fitness intersect with other areas of wellness?

Think about a marathon runner: the “slow and steady” training they undertake requires a whole lot of motivation, commitment and discipline. Their long-game success depends on mental strength and tactics like visualization, positive self-talk, and setting goals to help them through the race and across the finish line.

Leaders, your team is no different! That’s why it’s critical to understand the whole person at work and to take a holistic view of wellness, which includes mental health among many other aspects.

How can organizations better support employee mental health?

It’s no secret that mental health significantly impacts employee productivity, engagement, and overall satisfaction within organizations. But before we dive in, let’s clarify a couple things…

To start, let’s correct the common misperception that physical and mental health are separate from each other; as illustrated above, physical and mental health intersect. It’s also important to understand that “mental health” is distinct from “mental illness.” Everyone has mental health; not everyone experiences mental illness.

Members of our HR team recently participated in training through the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), wherein they discussed the importance of providing space for people to be their authentic selves and remembering that one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to providing mental health resources like employee assistance programs (EAPs). They also touched on the employer’s role in reducing stigma and encouraging open communication about mental health, as well as implementing practices that prioritize a healthy work-life blend. Offering supports is important, but equally so is normalizing the conversation and creating awareness about any available education, training, and resources. After all, supports are only useful to an employee who might benefit from them if the employee knows how to access them.

Do EAPs support other areas of employee health and wellness?

Beyond the mental health support described above, EAPs are meant to be an all-in-one health and wellness support system for staff. For example, the EAP Payworks offers to our own staff can assist with finding childcare or elder care, help answer nutritional or dietary questions, and provides confidential support for family- or work-related challenges, as well as financial or legal advice.

It’s important for organizations that offer an EAP to build staff awareness of how it can provide assistance, and to actively solicit staff feedback on how it can better suit their needs! After all, EAPs can be augmented with additional employee benefit offerings, like coverage for athletic therapy, clinical dieticians and naturopaths, as well as mental health practitioners. Find out what would matter most to your crew and build your “EAP wish list” from there!

How does work-life blend differ from work-life balance?

The concepts are similar in that they recognize the need to strike a healthy balance between a person’s work and personal life (which has become especially challenging in the era of 24/7 accessibility!).

Work-life balance speaks more to the distinct separation between our work and personal lives, and the time spent in each. It implies that one’s professional and personal lives should be specifically carved out from each other, and has implications of weighing good against bad, which isn’t the intent.

Work-life blend differs in that it implies more flexibility with allocating time, energy, and attention to our work and personal lives. It takes into account that, as humans, our priorities are constantly shifting inside and outside of work.

Leaders, it’s up to you to model good behavior and set boundaries that encourage your employees to create a healthy blend. Organizations can also support staff by implementing flexible scheduling options and ensuring everyone takes all of their well-deserved time off (yes, even you!).

“Resilience” is another hot topic – how does that intersect with employee health and wellness?

Many define resiliency as the ability to bounce back from setbacks. It can also mean thriving in the face of adversity before it even becomes a setback! If organizations can support staff by hosting events that equip them with practical tools and techniques for managing stress and adversity, employee resiliency will naturally grow.  

It’s also up to leaders to remain proactive in addressing employee concerns and recognize signs of stress in the workplace. Supporting a culture with open communication and setting a good example are very important when considering resilience.

Feeling inspired but unsure where to start? To better support the health and wellness of your workforce, your first step should be to understand what that means to your organization and your people. Talk to, get feedback from, and encourage ideas and collaboration with employees. The opportunity to successfully deliver programs and options that resonate with your workforce is far greater if they’re engaged in the process from the get-go.

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