There has been a long-standing belief that producing successful high yielding results means working employees to their absolute maximum. Although this method of work might lead to a quick burst in financial gain, it is not sustainable in the long term. It can lead to unhappy employees, which means higher turnover and ultimately more cost down the road.
A company should provide a place of nurture and trust for their employees, and in turn they will respond positively and more productively. No longer is it about bosses wielding a whip, but instead by developing a working relationship built on trust and teamwork.
An important aspect of this is overall employee health. Boosting your company’s bottom line can be as simple as providing the support they need for a healthy and happy work environment.
We aren’t just referring to health insurance programs here. We’re talking about small changes that can go a long way to creating a more stress-free community, that builds a stronger foundation for any business.
Tips for supporting health in the workplace:
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Create programs to encourage healthy lifestyle changes.
Give some type of incentive to those that give up their parking pass to commute by bike, or on foot. Make healthy snack and beverage options available in the break room in place of sugary sodas and chips. Find a local yoga teacher to come in and teach a free class once a week in a meeting room during lunch. These types of changes not only boost physical health, but the bond of camaraderie between coworkers - a key component in workplace satisfaction.
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Encourage people to speak up and ask for help.
Mutual respect and understanding allows employees to be a part of a bigger more universal team. It creates an environment for collaboration, and stress does not. One large-scale study of over 20,000 employees conducted by Anna Nyberg at the Karolinska Institute found a strong correlation between heart disease in employees, and the amount of stress placed on them by an overbearing boss. The negative link of emotional exhaustion to physical health was unmistakable, showing that building a positive relationship is vital to a nurturing and happy work atmosphere.
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Reward the right things.
An employee gift or reward shouldn’t just go to the people who put in the most hours. Celebrate the strengths of different individuals, like the team that came up with the most creative marketing strategy, the most innovative training program, or that just pulled it together and really synced up that month. -
Support social connections between employees.
A number of studies have shown that when employees can be friends outside of the workplace, they are more content overall. They call in sick less often, are more productive and more focused, and even experience less depression. Give employees the opportunity to get to know one another outside of the workplace, and encourage it!
For these reasons (and many others) we’re proud to team up with Teatulia, and feature their premium organic teas on Clove & Twine.
Teatulia understands the importance of seeing the bigger picture, and the long-term impact that daily business decisions make. They have one of the largest organic tea gardens in the world (sustained by using only natural farming methods), have created jobs in an impoverished region of Bangladesh (as well as their own farming cooperative), built a sustainable business model with their earth-friendly recyclable and compostable packaging - all through creating absolutely delicious award-winning teas!
Gift Remarkably,
David
