Most working individuals spend at least 30% of their waking hours at their workplace. Given this significant time investment, it’s crucial to prioritize healthy behaviors such as proper nutrition and regular exercise. By creating a culture of wellness at work, we can enhance employee well-being and productivity. We interviewed Registered Dietitian, Sharon DeSesa, to take a deep dive into the importance of nutrition in the workplace and discuss practical ideas companies can take to nurture these healthier behaviors in the workplace.
Why Environment is Important
“Our environment can play a huge role in determining the foods we end up eating”, explains Sharon. “When food is visible and easily accessible, like donuts, chips or pizza, it becomes increasingly difficult to avoid that food if you pass by it a few times a day. Our willpower gets lower and lower every time we pass those donuts, until eventually we give in.” She goes on to say, “And if you’re working remotely, it can be easy to take frequent breaks and head to the kitchen for a snack, making your at-home environment just as important to support your healthy eating habits.”
The Link Between Nutrition and Productivity
Sharon emphasizes how “Healthy eating is not just about weight-loss. The foods we eat have a major impact on our cognitive health, behavior, mood, and concentration.” According to the World Health Organization (WHO), optimal nutrition can boost productivity levels by as much as 20%. Sharon notes that a healthy lifestyle can cause a cascade of positive behaviors for employees. “Eating well and exercising can help people sleep better, have more energy, be happier, focus better, and ultimately be more productive at work.”
Physical Activity and Nutrition in the Workplace
We know it’s important to eat a healthy diet and avoid ultra processed foods, but we can’t forget about movement. Sharon emphasizes, “Including exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle can reinforce and encourage healthy eating and also enhance health benefits.” Sharon continues, “Studies show that the interaction between a healthy eating pattern and physical activity can have a significant impact on health outcomes including reducing chronic illnesses.”
In fact, she states that “These behaviors combined together have a significant impact on overall health including reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.” Not only do these behaviors support physical health, they can also improve mental health and well-being. “If you exercise, you are more likely to want to eat healthy and vice versa” says Sharon.
“However, maintaining a healthy diet and regular exercise can be very challenging, given all of the other demands we encounter, including work obligations. If companies can provide support to their employees with access to healthy food and nutrition resources, as well as access to exercise programs, we can implement healthy behaviors during the majority of waking hours. This approach can significantly enhance employees’ physical and mental well-being, as well as boost productivity in the workplace.”
Promoting Healthy Eating and Wellness
Health and wellness initiatives in the workplace can be an effective method to improve employee health as well as mental well-being. Sharon shares some practical ideas that companies can take to support employee healthy lifestyle behaviors.
- Offer healthy food choices in work cafeterias (like fruit, veggies, and nuts)
- Provide webinars and resources on healthy eating
- Start a recipe sharing challenge via Slack or email
- Provide access to fitness and wellness benefits
- Encourage physical activity like walking meetings or short movement breaks
- Implement fun wellness or fitness challenges for in the office and remote employees
Aaptiv: A Tool for Employee Wellness and Nutrition Support
Aaptiv is an effective resource providing comprehensive fitness and wellness support and resources for individuals. A one-stop shop providing fitness programs and workouts for all fitness levels, as well as expert tips and support through nutrition articles and well-being content. Along with access to 10,000 on-demand classes and a fitness network of 20,000 gyms and studios, Aaptiv can help encourage healthy behaviors, provide easy access to quick workouts, as well as provide articles to educate individuals on healthy eating.
Learn more about Aaptiv employee fitness and wellness benefits
