Top Tips on Encouraging Employees to Eat Healthily

With staff being present within the office for the majority of the week, workplaces should be aware of how the atmosphere produced may affect them on a day-to-day basis. Whether it's installing the latest technology to help them better go about their work, more comfortable seating to make them feel at ease or making time and creating facilities for them to take a break from the stresses of work; workplaces can implement ideas to help to improve the experience of their employees.

This is why more businesses than ever are placing more thought into giving over areas of their office design in London to facilities such as breakout rooms and larger kitchens. Designed to encourage staff to take breaks, reflect and refresh, they work as an ideal antidote to the stress caused by constant work. By taking stock and eating healthily, employees can go back to work feeling better and more focused – ultimately helping the business in its aims.

The Ill Effects of Unhealthy Eating on an Office Design In London

Another example of what businesses can do to positively impact their staff is by encouraging them to eat healthily. In the hustle-and-bustle of the business world, many workers will forgo wholesome and/or healthy meals such as breakfast and lunch, simply because they are 'too busy' in doing their work. This is never a good sign. Firstly, not eating wholesome food will mean that less energy will be going into their bodies. This will result in tiredness, bad moods, stress and a downturn in productivity and the quality of work produced. Secondly, for pure health reasons, replacing meal times with the odd snack could lead to negative physical health effects, such as weight gain, fatigue and even long-term illnesses, such as diabetes.

Encouraging healthy eating in your office design in London will also play into creating a positive culture in the workplace. By ensuring that everyone is able to take breaks in bespoke facilities will create a sense of 'togetherness' – that everyone is valued by the business and this in turn, will play to their commitment to producing great work for the company.

Tips on Encouraging Employees To Eat Healthily

Working hand-in-hand with a modern, bespoke office design in London, healthy employees will mean happy employees. When they're happy at work, they'll enjoy their tasks and this will be reflected in the work they produce. So you can see why healthy eating is a vital aspect of your office culture. With that in mind, here are some tips on encouraging employees to healthily:

• Provide the right facilities. For most workplaces, the temptation to go out and grab something 'quick and easy' during an especially busy day, will be too much to turn down. A reason that makes this decision easy for someone is that their workplace lacks the facilities to store, prepare or cook food. By using your office design in London to create a kitchen area that has worktops, refrigeration units and cooking appliances, you will be able to encourage your staff to bring in, prepare and/or cook their own food at work. Not only will you be making it easier for them to choose healthier meals but you'll also be saving them money too. Now THAT'S a choice too good to turn down!
  
  
• Offer Healthy Alternatives To Sugary Snacks. Whether it's a chocolate bar, umpteen cups of coffee or energy drinks, these sugary snacks may paint the illusion that they give a boost of energy, when in fact, they're unhealthy and counter-productive. If you want to change eating habits at work, why not provide healthier alternatives as incentives for your staff to snack healthily? Items such as fruit, low-fat yoghurts and flavoured-water drinks are a great alternative and won't cost the earth.

• Discourage Eating At Desks. With so much to do, it can be understandable if staff eat their lunch whilst working – but you should really discourage this. Even despite eating healthy foods, by sitting in the same seat they aren't being active and by carrying on working through their lunch, they aren't doing their mental wellbeing any favours either. Encourage them to move away from their desks during lunch hours, go outside to snack (not with fast food!) or to sit down in a purpose-made breakout room or kitchen for them to reflect and relax away from the stressful work arena. No matter how much of a rush they think they're in, they will be better off for it – and so will your desks. Imagine the mess that will happen through eating lunch at your desk?

• Set an Example. It should really go without saying that as a leader, you should always lead by example. Who will buy into your business ethos if you don't carry it out yourself? By promoting healthy eating as much as possible, whether it's by eating healthy snacks, NOT snacking at your desk, encouraging staff to take their proper breaks or providing the means for them to snack healthily, you should always practice what you preach. With an everyone is in this together sense of feeling around the workplace, you'll likely find that everyone will buy into your ethos, follow and reap the benefits that it will provide, ultimately creating a fantastic atmosphere and a high quality of work.

By keeping these tips in mind when approaching your plan-of-action in regards to improving your office culture, you will be giving yourself the best opportunity to gain the many benefits it can have on your business. In a similar manner, the same could be said of your office design. By improving your facility and giving your employees the right tools in which to create their best work, can you truly progress your business to where it should be. Is your office design in London up to scratch?

Create Your Ideal Office Fit Out, With Oaktree Interiors

Here at Oaktree Interiors, we have a long and varied experience in creating bespoke, multi-use workspaces in the South East of England. Our office design in London service is able to create the ideal office environment for you – no matter your company's size, business or the requirements you have.

If you're interested in learning more about how a brand-new office fit out can help to transform your interiors, making for a fantastic long-term tool for your business, why not get in contact with us today? You can call us on 0845 474 3556 or alternatively, you can e-mail us at hello@oaktreeoffice.com