Health Activity Ideas that Health Muscle Body can help set up at your work place. Listed are a few ideas to start right away thinking about introducing right away. Health Muscle Body is happy to discuss your business needs and be part of implementing strategies right away!
* Set up a health and wellness in the workplace committee and have them take responsibility for implementing the selected ideas for health promotion activities.
* Designate a wellness coordinator for implementing action plans.
* Allocate a budget for health and wellness in the workplace activities.
* Develop good employment practice and policies, eg, communication systems; training and personal development; supervision, appraisal and mentoring; attendance / absence management; equal opportunities; return to work/rehabilitation for people with illnesses or disabilities; time off for career responsibilities (children, other dependants); job sharing; flexi-time and flexible hours / days; dealing with harassment and bullying; grievance procedure; disciplinary procedure.
* Include health and wellness in the workplace activities in managers’ objectives.
* Link green transport issues with opportunities for physical activity - walking and cycling to work.
* Assess the needs for different kinds of health and wellness in the workplace activities.
Health and Wellness in the Workplace: General health activities that Health Muscle Body can organise straight away for your company...
* Health and wellness seminars / discussions – with guest speakers
* Wellness information – notice boards, leaflet racks, information points, wellness handouts
* Regular supply of specific information / leaflets to all staff individually via wage slips, email
* Participate in national health and wellness in the workplace campaigns
* Health and wellness in the workplace articles in regular staff newsletter
* Employee Health and wellness newsletter
* Awareness raising, workshops, training sessions on health topics
* Training in team building, assertiveness, time management, communication skills
* Health promotion videos playing in waiting areas
* Health and wellness in the workplace awareness days or events
* Brief sections on health awareness in health and safety training and first aid training
* Health policies and procedures – alcohol and substance use, general health and well being, healthy eating, HIV/AIDS, physical activity, smoking, stress and mental health
* Health Risk assessments to take account of health and lifestyle related behaviors
* Paid time off for staff to go for employee health screenings (via GP or other facilities, rather than at work)
* Give employees some paid time off (a certain number of hours per month or year) to pursue activities they feel are good for their health
* Share health and wellness in the workplace activities and resources with other local workplaces
* Allow staff with back or musculoskeletal problems paid time off to attend appointments with physiotherapists or other health professionals
Health and Wellness in the Workplace: Alcohol and Substance Abuse
* Policy for all staff to raise awareness of issues
* Training for all involved in implementing the policy
* Support and referral for staff with an alcohol or substance use problem
* Information about agencies and organizations dealing with alcohol or substance misuse problems
Health and Wellness in the Workplace: Healthy Eating
* Ensure healthy options are available in canteen / vending facilities
* Training for catering staff
* Negotiate with local restaurants or cafes to provide some healthy options
* Allow staff to take paid time off for appointments with dietitians about any eating problems
* Let staff eat or drink at regular intervals if they need to as part of medical treatment for various eating disorders or diabetes
Health and Wellness in the Workplace: Physical Activity
* Encourage people to use stairs rather than elevators
* Provide marked routes, with distances, for walks during breaks
* Provide bicycle racks, showers and changing facilities: to encourage people to cycle to work or to do some physical activity during breaks
* Allow people to arrive 5 or 10 minutes late and leave 5 or 10 minutes early (without loss of pay) if they walk or cycle to work
* Arrange for intra-company games and sports teams
* Provide an onsite fitness center
* Provide onsite group exercise classes like yoga, tai chi or similar sessions before work / in lunch breaks / after work
* Arrange corporate memberships or negotiated reduced fees for local health clubs and facilities
Health and Wellness in the Workplace: Smoking
* Policy on smoking and protecting staff from passive smoking
* Total ban in the workplace to provide a smoke-free environment
* If smoking is allowed then restrict it to designated smoking areas
* If smoking is allowed then restrict it to designated smoking times
* Help for staff who want to give up smoking: paid time off to attend stop smoking counseling or group sessions
* Training for volunteers who want to help others to give up smoking
Health and Wellness in the Workplace: Stress and Mental Health
* Stress audit to identify problem areas / jobs
* Develop a stress action plan to tackle problems
* Awareness raising sessions for all staff on recognizing stress and mental ill health symptoms in themselves and others
* Training for managers, supervisors, trade union representatives on recognizing stress and mental ill health symptoms in themselves and others
* Avoid stigmatization of people who have taken time off or sick leave for mental health reasons
* Relaxation, aromatherapy, yoga or similar sessions before work / in lunch breaks / after work
* Counseling service in-house or referral to outside agency
* Rehabilitate back into the workforce anyone who has been off sick with mental health problems
* Encourage social activities among work colleagues