Modeling Healthy Habits For Your Team
Set your employees up for success by showing them how to eat better, move more, and get rest.
In today's fast-paced work environment, stress and burnout have become common challenges for both employees and organizations.
What’s even more alarming are the high costs associated with workplace stress. Healthcare costs are 50% greater at high-pressure organizations, and the health expenditures associated with workplace stress lead to an annual spending of almost $190 billion. When you look at employee performance, workplace stress results in 550 million lost workdays in the United States, while depression and anxiety cost the global workforce $1 trillion in lost productivity.
According to Deloitte, leaders could do better in promoting workplace well-being: “Just 35% of employees say they have a clear picture of how well their manager takes care of their own well-being—even though 73% of managers agree they should be modeling healthy behaviors for their team members."
To address these issues, it is crucial for leaders to model healthy habits and create an environment that promotes well-being. Here are some key strategies for leaders to consider.
Eat Brain Foods
A nutritious diet plays a vital role in maintaining mental well-being.
Research has shown that a clean diet protects against future health issues by reducing inflammation in the body, including the brain. Limiting sugar and processed foods also promotes a healthier gut microbiome, which is lined by over 100 million nerve cells and forms the gut-brain connection.
To promote healthy eating habits among your team members, consider an alternative to the usual free pizza lunch meetings. Instead, opt for foods that can fuel your brain and boost productivity.
Nutritional psychiatrist Dr. Uma Naidoo recommends the acronym BRAIN FOODS as a way to remember what to eat: berries and beans; rainbow colors of fruits and vegetables; antioxidants; including lean and plant-based proteins; nuts; fiber-rich foods and fermented foods; oils (with limited saturated fats); omega-rich foods; dairy (especially with probiotics); and spices.
Host Walking Meetings
Zoom fatigue persists past the pandemic and disproportionately affects women. Female employees score higher on all five types of fatigue associated with video calls - general, social, emotional, visual, and motivational - resulting in almost 14% more fatigue.
Along with staring at a screen, sitting for long periods of time has proven to be harmful as well.
When employees sit for an extended period of time, they put themselves at risk for metabolic conditions like diabetes by burning fewer calories, and for mood disorders like depression by reducing blood flow to the brain.
Given that “sitting is the new smoking,” regular physical activity is essential for combatting both physical and mental health issues. Breaking up long periods of sitting, even if just for 11 minutes, provides immense value.
Leaders can encourage their teams to incorporate physical activity into their workdays by organizing walking meetings. Walking meetings not only provide the benefits of exercise but also offer an opportunity for fresh air and increased creativity.
In order to ensure a successful walking meeting, stick to a small group of around three people and notify employees ahead of time so that they can prepare accordingly (i.e. dress comfortably or pack a change of shoes).
Save Emails For The Morning
The "always on" work culture, where employees feel the need to constantly monitor their emails, leads to chronic stress and emotional exhaustion.
Disconnecting from work is crucial for maintaining optimal performance and well-being. Leaders can support this by minimizing late-night email communications.
Regardless of a leader’s intention, sending late-night emails sets an example for workers to do the same. Workers will inevitably feel pressured to respond immediately in hopes of impressing their leader, blurring the boundaries between work and personal life.
Leaders must clearly state expectations for work communications in order to stop unhealthy assumptions from harming productivity and workplace well-being. For example, establishing a team policy to discourage non-urgent after-hours communications can be helpful.
As leaders, it is our responsibility to prioritize the well-being of our teams. Lead by example and create healthier, more fulfilling work experiences for everyone.
