Changes to Exercise & Diet are Top Staff Wellbeing Objectives

According to a recent survey conducted by us, when asked what their wellbeing priorities for change are, an overwhelming 39% of office workers expressed the desire to take more exercise, while 22% said they'd most like to eat more healthily as their top priority.

These preferences illustrate quite clearly what we've suspected for a long time - when it comes to energising and engaging staff and helping them tackle stress, simple wellbeing initiatives that get people active and eating better pay dividends.

Other popular objectives chosen by participants in the programmes provide further insight into how wellbeing interventions should be targeted:

• Improve work-life balance
• Improve my sleeping routine
• Lose weight
• Drink more water
• Reduce caffeine intake
• Make more time for myself
• Reduce alcohol intake
• Improve stress management
• Stop smoking / reduce smoking
• Make more time for my family

It's all pretty straightforward stuff but very worthwhile bearing in mind when you're considering which of the many wellbeing initiatives available to you will have the greatest impact for your staff.

Read more about our findings on the Employee Benefits Magazine Website

Email info@the-tonic.com to request a copy of the full Press Release on our Study

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Solutions for Sleep Deprived Staff

Here's an interesting idea from one company on how to help people deal with sleep issues.

Sleep deprived staff offered a siesta

The statistics in the article are quite frightening, particularly that 'the average worker has a weekly sleep debt of 12 hours - due to only getting an average six hours and 21 minutes sleep per night. This is one hour and 39 minutes below the recommended quota of eight hours sleep per night.'

There are many ways to ensure a good night's sleep - here are a few interesting links you might like to share with your colleagues to help them feel rested and energised throughout the day:

How to sleep like a baby

Eat your way to a great night's sleep - part 1

Eat your way to a great nights sleep - part 2

Sleeping your way to weight loss

How to stop feeling tired all the time

Sleep well!

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10 Professions with the Highest Levels of Depression

Someone sent this to us today. It makes for worrying reading. It's one thing to find your job boring or stressful, but depressing? It's upsetting to know that some people find themselves in this position.

The 10 Professions with the Highest Levels of Depression

1. Nursing Home Employees and Childcare Providers
2. Food Service
3. Social Workers
4. Doctors and Nurses
5. Artists
6. Teachers
7. Secretaries and Administrative Support
8. Maintenance Workers
9. Financial Advisers
10. Lawyers

You can read the reasons why these professions are depressing by clicking on the full article. Here's hoping that employers in these sectors are forward thinking enough to take steps to address the wellbeing of their staff before things get too serious for affected employees.

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Award Winning Wellbeing

One of our clients - Amey - was recently 'Highly Commended' in the category of Most effective healthcare and wellbeing strategy for organisations with more than 1.000 staff at the Employee Benefits Awards in London.

Congratulations to them and all the other prize winners and nominees which you can see here.

Another great reason to make wellbeing work in your office.

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Getting Personal with Wellbeing

Wellbeing at work succeeds best when it makes sense on an individual level. Make sure your initiatives cater for the needs of everyone. And we mean everyone...

Read more about Making Wellbeing Personal in Your Business.

Image by lululemon athletica Flickr

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Competitive Wellbeing

Ever wondered how to channel the competitive nature of your staff into successful wellbeing initiatives?

Here's an article on Competition and Your Wellbeing Programme that might help.

Image by STML at Flickr

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Reduce Stress: Increase Productivity

There's a great new wellness website where you can access a whole range of useful articles.

Here's a link to a piece I wrote on how to Reduce Stress & Increase Productivity.

Image by Starlit Beaches at Flickr

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Boost profits with wellbeing

Here's some evidence to support what we've suspected for a long time: There is a direct link between employers’ profitability and investing in issues such as the health and wellbeing of staff and ethical corporate behaviour.

These are the findings of research published by Business in the Community (BITC), a membership organisation with the remit of promoting corporate social responsibility (CSR).

A study undertaken for BITC by Ipsos Mori among 100 FTSE 100 companies found that those firms that actively worked to improve staff wellbeing and enforce workplace health policies saw a 10% boost to their financial performance. This was because they reaped the benefits of higher employee engagement, reduced absentee and attrition rates as well as enhanced corporate reputation.

So if your business is looking to boost its financial results, we can help you design an effective wellbeing programme.

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Work is a pain in the back

Half of employees say they suffer from back pain at least once a month, with more than a third (37%) blaming work as the contributing factor according to a survey of 8000 adults by back specialists Dynaspine.

We work with many people suffering with back pain and here are 2 ways in which we help them alleviate their symptoms in the long-term:

1) Reduce Stress

Successful exercise, nutrition and work-life balance strategies help reduce stress which often presents itself as pain or discomfort in the lower, middle, upper back or neck and shoulders

2) Balance Your Body

Exercise and Yoga sessions show people how to stretch properly to release tension. Pilates sessions teach how to sit, stand and move with good posture

By raising awareness of elements of a modern working life that could contribute to back pain and suggesting simple strategies for better ways of operating, we aim to reduce pain for individuals and and ultimately reduce the estimated £7 billion a year that absence through back pain costs businesses

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Working overtime can seriously increase your risk of a heart attack

Employees working overtime can increase their risk of heart attacks by as much as two thirds, new research reveals.

A recent study of 6,000 British civil servants, published in the European Heart Journal, suggests that people who regularly put in overtime increase their heart disease risk by nearly two thirds.

This is a frightening prospect but not that surprising given the extra hours that many people work and the ongoing stress associated with this.

As one of the areas we deal with is helping people to balance their work and life, we regularly come across people working 70+ hours most weeks.

If people want to reduce the hours they work - it should after all be the quality of the work you do rather than the quantity that counts - there are some simple strategies to adopt. Using these strategies I recently helped one individual reduce their weekly working hours from 65 to 35 without any reduction in results or success.

1) Set some limits. Decide how many hours a week of work is acceptable for you and schedule these hours in your diary. If you don't decide in advance how much work you'll be doing, work will expand to fill all available time you allow it

2) Delegate. You can only do so much with every hour that you work so take some time out to plan how you can be more strategic and set up new resources that you can rely on to save you time

3) Add balance. If you don't have good reasons to get out of the office or close your laptop you'll find yourself still stuck there way too long. Give yourself some good reasons to stop working - something social, sporty, family related or set aside some time for your favourite hobby - and you'll find that you get more done, more quickly so that you can move on to something more fun

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Recession stress' costs employers £26 billion

A further compelling argument for helping staff look after themselves and their wellbeing. All businesses should have the right initiatives in place to sustain their employees through tough times as well as when things are running more smoothly.

As the article says, 'Investing in wellbeing doesn’t have to be expensive and businesses that look after their staff reap the rewards in reduced sickness absence and increased productivity. Small changes can have big results.'

Read the full article here: Recession stress' costs employers £26 billion

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What Good Wellbeing Feels Like

Following our blog on what good wellbeing looks like when successfully implemented in business, we thought it would be worth sharing our experiences on what good wellbeing feels like for those who benefit from the initiatives. It's a topic that seems particularly relevant given the busy week that many people have just experienced...

So, as a new Prime Minister arrives at Number 10, the question arises as to how you take care of your wellbeing as you take on one of the most demanding roles in the country? And does looking after your wellbeing really help you to perform better and cope with the challenges of a demanding job? We believe it does and many world leaders agree. David Cameron is a keen runner and cyclist, and President Obama loves basketball and the gym. And it's not just those in the top jobs that benefit from looking after themselves. So what results do people experience and how does wellbeing change their life? Read the two examples below of how far reaching the benefits of good wellbeing can be. They both came from people we've worked with and illustrate how straightforward getting great results with wellbeing can be if tackled in the right way. What Good Wellbeing Feels Like ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Good Wellbeing 1: Weight Loss, Stamina and a New Lease of Life I want to thank you indeed for your good suggestions about fitness, and I want to update you about my performance: When I started the programme my personal weight was 93 kilos and now after 10.5 month, my weight is 73 kilos. Last Saturday I ran my first marathon (previously for me to run 5 kilometers was a mirage...) and I'm starting training for NY2011. My work and personal life is totally different and I feel better, in particular for headache and stomachache: now only good food in correct quantities. Good Wellbeing 2: Confidence, Balance, Energy and Positivity Weight loss continues. I am very pleased to say I have dropped a dress size. I put an old suit on today and I couldn't wear the pants - they were too baggy. I have now lost 11kgs and have had to buy a new wardrobe!!! I feel great! Still wearing the pedometer and on average am doing 10,000 steps per day (yesterday I did 17,000 just in the course of work) . Am taking the stairs at work when I don't have heavy bags to carry and am now run/walking 4kms in 30 mins, three times a week and it's having a very good effect on my tennis game and at netball. I have bought a Pilates band and DVD and am doing a session at home a couple of times per week and am really watching what I am eating (and drinking!) I am receiving a lot of positive support from family and colleagues about the changes I have made and the changes they can see. I have more energy and am feeling really positive about work and life in general. Can I thank you sincerely for your encouragement to give new things a try. Do keep in touch - it's lovely to be able to give a positive account of how things are going. Success Strategies for Corporate Wellbeing ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We've recently added a new download to our website: 5 success strategies and 9 quick tips to boost engagement, motivation and energy in your business. Click here to download your copy Visit our website to read about organisations are already experiencing fantastic results with wellness programmes.

Helping Businesses Achieve Fantastic Results By Energising Their People The Tonic 020 8995 1302 info@the-tonic.com www.the-tonic.com Become a Fan of The Tonic on Facebook Follow Jeff's updates on Twitter

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Being in control of your own work patterns has clear health and wellbeing benefits

Flexible working might be beneficial for employees' health if they are allowed to have input into their own working patterns, a review by Cochrane Researchers at Durham University suggests. Click here to read more about the review.

This makes perfect sense and bears out what I've been saying for a long time.

People find work stressful if they perceive they're working in a way that feels beyond their control - that includes working hours that don't suit them, projects they don't enjoy or working with people they don't get along with.

All of these situations leave people feeling compromised, and feeling compromised for too long leads to stress, and stress impacts on health and wellbeing.

Taking responsibility for the hours we work is one way to take back control of our working lives and, as the review suggests, will have a positive impact on our health and wellbeing.

Taking back control for our health and wellbeing itself is a further step in the right direction.

Too many people blame work commitments for not being able to take exercise, eat the right foods and take time to live a life of balance. Once again, this leads to a feeling of being compromised and creates a negative effect on how we feel on a day to day basis.

I spend a lot of time demonstrating to employees of all levels how to take back responsibility for their wellbeing, make the right healthy living choices on a regular basis and reap the rewards of doing so every single day.

So imagine the success of organisations that helps staff to manage their time more effectively and also take control of how they manage their health, their wellbeing and their energy.

Many organisations we work with are doing all this and more and as a result are cosolidating their reputations as great places to work.

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What Good Wellbeing Looks Like

18 months ago, one of the businesses we work with was looking for new ideas to improve the health and wellbeing of their staff. Since then we've helped them with the following initiatives:

• Wellbeing days
• Nutrition consultations
• Fitness assessments
• Lifestyle consultations
• A company wide healthy eating programme
• More Energy, Less Stress workshops
• 5-a-side football tournament
• Sports massage taster sessions
• Chair massage taster sessions

These are just a few examples of wellbeing initiatives that make a real operational difference to a business and its people.

Feedback from some of the initiatives includes:

'This afternoon's stress workshop was very enjoyable. Apart from being very well organised, the whole event seemed to put everyone in a very positive mood. The techniques used were very useful and upon leaving the workshop all attendees were definitely more energetic than when they arrived'.

'I have had great feedback, the event was a roaring success'.

'Your team were as always very professional and friendly – which is exactly what we needed'.

Isn't it great when taking time to plan a strategic approach to wellbeing pays dividends throughout the business.

Click here to read more on how other companies have already achieved great results with wellbeing programmes.

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Photo by myyogaonline (Flickr)

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National Sickie Day?

Hot on the heels of Blue Monday - see Get Rid of Monday Blues Forever - comes 'National Sickie Day'.

February 1st is reputed to be a day of extremely high staff absence as people struggle at the hands of winter illnesses, fatigue, uninspiring weather and seasonal mood swings.

So what can businesses do to minimise the likelihood of employees favouring staying at home over coming into the office?

We are in the fortunate position of being able to visit many different organisations and observe what makes a productive and dynamic office environment that people want to spend time in.

Here are three aspects of successful organisations that stand out:

1) Energy

People want to spend time in an environment that energises them. An office that is a hive of productive activity encourages employees in each day. An atmosphere of lethargy will quickly turn them away.

2) Knowledge

Most people find it stimulating to learn and develop themselves. If staff leave each day feeling that they've learnt something new they'll not only make sure they don't miss a day at work, but they'll also arrive each day with a positive and motivated mindset.

3) Inspiration

People appreciate spending time in inspiring surroundings, interacting with like-minded people, sharing a common purpose and working on projects that have an impact.

So if you'd like to ensure that your staff are always motivated to show up for work and give 100% while they're there, take a look around and see what you can do to improve in these three areas. Think about how you can make your office a great place to work and you'll have no problem attracting great people, day in, day out.

If you'd like further inspiration on how keeping your colleagues fit and healthy will help reduce absenteeism, take a look at this post: How Fit is Your Office

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Reasons Why Corporate Wellbeing Programmes Work

We completed a wellbeing programme for one of our clients this afternoon. We reviewed the progress that participants made during the programme and awarded prizes to those who had been most successful.

The entire group made a fantastic effort to engage in their wellbeing and think about the behaviour changes that would really make a difference to their personal and professional lives. Below is a summary of the changes they made, and the benefits they experienced by making these changes. It’s quite a long list and it illustrates brilliantly how effective wellbeing programmes like this can be.

It makes you think how great it would be to work in an organisation full of people like this operating in an environment where everyone is thinking about how they look after themselves and their colleagues, and all are experiencing positive, tangible results from just a little extra focus on this key area of their lives.

Consider how results like these would affect your organisation and the people within it, and if you’re in a position to help set up wellbeing initiatives, think about how you can put them in place sooner rather than later. There’s nothing to be gained by delaying results as positive as the ones we witnessed today.

Changes the group made:

· Increased exercise

· Increased fruit intake

· Increased vegetable intake

· Decreased coffee intake

· Design of a wellbeing programme for their team

· Increased nuts and seeds as snacks

· Reduced consumption of biscuits

· Implementation of regular eating habits

· Drink more water

· No more skipping meals

· Thinking about the relationship between food and energy

· Taking breakfast regularly

· Reduced alcohol consumption

· Applying a finishing time at work

· Adopting a more positive attitude at home

· Managing technology such as email and telephone in a more productive way

· Reduced smoking

· Stopped smoking

· Taking short breaks through the day

· Reduced consumption of cakes / sugary / fatty snacks

· Increased ‘me’ time

· Decreased weekly working hours

· More time for reading

· Adopted personal food strategy

· Actively managed sleep routine – quality and quantity

· Block out time for self and team reflections

· Taken up a new sport / activity

· Created a healthy snack routine

· Joined the gym with friends

· Reduced TV time

· Increased family time

· Changed portion size of meals and snacks

· Started taking children to school

Benefits experienced by making these changes:

· Feel healthy again

· Feel slimmer and fitter

· Family following good example

· Colleagues following effective leadership

· More time for family / friends

· Quality time with family

· Increased free time

· Better quality relaxation time

· Reduced stress levels

· Feel more relaxed

· Feel Calmer

· Increased energy

· More consistent energy through the day including evening

· Weight loss of up to 5kg

· Improved patience / tolerance

· Control of blood pressure

· Reduced stress, not shouting in the office

· Feel fresher

· Feel more in control

· Positive impact at work and at home

· Smile more

· Feel less nervous

· Better balance between work and personal

· It feels good

· Lightest I’ve been in 5 years

· I like being fit

· Feel more human

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