As the old saying goes,” do as I say, not as I do.” When it
comes to balancing work and a healthy lifestyle, this saying is certainly
applicable to me. As much as I would like to have a fair balance of managing
work, a healthy diet, exercise and time with family and friends, it has always
been a challenge. I realize how critical maintaining this balance is to both
happiness and success so although the new job and move have put me a bit off
course, I am working my way to that path.
As leaders, we have the opportunity to create positive and
supportive environments that build and promote team members health and
well-being. It is important to not only encourage our team members professional
development, but also support their personal and emotional health. It is a no
brainer that happy and healthy employees are more productive, more loyal and
support a positive bottom line.
Here are a few tips on how to foster this type of
environment and promote a culture that supports its team members health and
well-being:
Be calm and carry on:
stress cannot only wreak havoc on your health but it can interfere with work
performance and productivity. Lead by example and work on your own stress level.
Take a vacation and/or a day off now and again and encourage your team to do
the same.
Keep moving:
encourage your employees to move about throughout the day. Instead of sitting
in one-on-one conferences, take a walk around the building or campus as you
talk through the issues at hand. Promote exercise by allowing employees to work
it into their day, when possible. At Tampa General, our approach is to provide
outlets for movement as part of our employee benefits. For example, we provide
access to yoga, stretching classes, cycling and more.
Make it a teachable
moment: offer classes on site from yoga to meditation to nutrition. Access
to information and the tools to live healthier can be an incredibly effective way
to engage and encourage team members.
Get off the bench:
lead by example and participate in healthy living initiatives in your
organization. You will not only feel better and more productive, but it will
inspire your team members to do the same.
As I work to find more of a healthy balance in my own life
and designate some time to nurture my own physical and mental health, and
deploy these tactics within my own team, I encourage other managers to do the
same. Not only will we feel more focused and on track, we can help shape our
team members’ well-being and create a more positive, productive and happy
environment.
