Corporate health programmes are a win-win for both employers and employees.
Sleep to Lose
A new study funded by the National Institute of Health's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the US found that people trying to lose weight were more likely to reach that goal if they have enough sleep. The study measured whether sleep, stress, depression, TV viewing and computer use were correlated to weight loss. Several previous studies have found an association between these factors and obesity, but few have looked at whether they influenced weight loss. "This study suggests that to lose weight, people should try to get the right amount of sleep and reduce their stress," says Charles Elder, the lead author of the study.
Long Hours At The Office
An employee spends his or her most productive hours in office. Hence, sticking to a health programme when the hours are long and the food choices limited, leads to problems. In India, companies like GE offer a regular buffet and a special one for those on diet. Those on a low-calorie diet can thus stick to the lighter lunch and snack options.
Getting It Right At Home
Eating right at work and wrong at home is one of the biggest blunders that healthy employees often make. But, like in the case of American Express, if the company can help you take home the things you learnt at work, that's great. American Express actually teaches kids of employees via workshops to eat healthy, so that they go home and push their parents to eat healthy.
More Pro-active Employees
If your employer has a doctor or a nutritionist who comes on fixed days of the week, as in the case of Cargill India, employees can spend quality one-on-one-time and discuss their health issues with them. This reduces stress (since now you have authentic information from the expert) and benefits the organisation since employees won't be spending time searching for health experts on the Internet!
It's Great For Teamwork
When employees feel good and lose weight, they perform better and get more competitive. It's simple, really. Microsoft (in the US) and BMW (in India) have successfully conducted weight loss programmes for their employees. The employees competed among themselves to lose weight and found that those who lost weight were more active and in a better mood!
It Saves Companies Money
Companies lose about 14% of their annual working days when their employees fall sick, according to a study by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations. Less than a third of them provide their staff with preventive healthcare measures. Reducing just one health risk increases an employee's on-the-job productivity by 9% and cuts absenteeism by 2%, the study says.
The Other Side Of Anger
You cannot afford to get angry if you are a woman, according to Yale University psychologist Victoria Brescoll. Brescoll explored a phenomenon that may be all-too-familiar to working women: People accept and even reward men who get angry but view women who lose their temper as less competent. The studies, published in Psychological Science, provide women with recommendations for navigating emotional hazards at the workplace. Brescoll says it pays to stay emotionally neutral and, if you can't, at least explain what ticked you off in the first place.
Reproduced from Outlook Business's Wellness Column by Rachna Chhachhi.