Creating a positive and healthy company culture isn’t easy, but it’s something that can make all the difference for productivity, staff happiness, and staff retention.
Today company culture is more important than ever, and gone are the days where the definition of it is going for a few pints after work. In fact, in many cases this could be considered a toxic company culture given the rising number of people with alcohol problems and needing help from an alcohol treatment centre. Of course, a hungover workforce is going to do nothing for productivity either!
Developing a healthier company culture can be transformative, bringing people closer together, cutting down on the likes of gossip and generally creating a much safer working environment. What’s more, it’s also a top priority for job seekers these days too.
So, how do you create such an environment?
Lead by Example
If you’re at the top, it’s important to lead by example. By visibly showing you’re dedicated to your own mental and physical health, it sends down a message to the entire organisation. That’s not to say you need to become a fitness freak, or indeed any of your staff do, but by taking lunch away from your desk, getting involved with fitness challenges or speaking openly about your mental health, you’re creating an environment where it’s ok to do so and healthy habits are encouraged.
Essentially, you should model the behaviours you want to see in your company, and employees are far more likely to take them up as a result.
Prioritise Mental Wellbeing
One thing you should certainly prioritise in the workplace is mental health. No matter what the industry, the workplace can affect a person’s mental health. In fact, according to a report from Analytics365 that looked at the culture around call centres, almost 40% admitted they were going to quit their company as a result of their well-being. But that isn’t exclusive to call centres either, with the likes of hospitality, finance, and many more industries facing similar battles.
By introducing wellness programmes around mental health, you can encourage work-life balance and promote mindfulness, whether that be by opening up access to counselling if needed, hosting mindfulness sessions or workshops, or even giving staff mental health days to go off and recharge.
It’s all about creating a safe environment, and as a result, employees will be open and feel like they can get the help they need if they need it, while also focusing on their mental health long term.
Make Healthy Choices the Easy Choices
Subtle changes to the work environment can make a big difference. Providing nutritious snacks, filtered water, standing desks, or encouraging walking meetings are small but effective ways to embed health into the daily routine.
Promote active commuting by offering bike storage or shower facilities. If the business offers a cafeteria or vending machines, ensure healthier options are available and clearly labelled. When healthy choices are accessible and appealing, employees are more likely to adopt them.
Encourage Movement Throughout the Day
Sedentary behaviour is one of the greatest health risks in modern workplaces. Encourage employees to take regular breaks from their desks and incorporate movement into their day. Consider implementing short daily stretch breaks, subsidising fitness classes, or setting up office challenges that reward steps or active minutes.
Even a 10-minute walk outside can boost mood, energy levels, and focus. The goal is to reduce prolonged sitting and normalise movement as part of the working day.
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Foster a Supportive, Inclusive Environment
Finally, if you’re looking to create a healthy workplace culture then you need to ensure what you’re doing is built upon respect, trust and inclusion. You want to encourage staff to open up and, most importantly, listen to their needs and concerns when they do.
You could provide training to management teams to help with this, or bring in HR managers and support that know how to create this.
Be mindful that everyone is different and a one-size-fits-all approach won’t necessary work, so flexibility is key and if you can get that right you can go an awful long way in making everyone feel valued and supported in your business.
