Encouraging good work lifestyles to support employee health

Employee health is important to both staff and businesses. For individual people, being healthy and well is key to enjoying the work they do. Companies need to consider the health of their employees due to the fact that healthy staff work better and produce more. Around the world and in Dubai, conversations are being had about the role of companies in securing the health and wellbeing of their staff, but the responsibility for maintaining healthy work lifestyles falls upon both businesses and their workers.

Pacific Prime Dubai is looking at the key reasons for supporting employee health in the workplace, what both individuals and companies can do, and how both can build upon local health regulations to really encourage healthy work lifestyles in your workplace.

The benefits to promoting a healthy work lifestyle

By now, most of the advantages to having healthy and happy staff are pretty well known. Besides the obvious benefits of greater performance at work, both individuals and companies can see a rise in satisfaction and morale when they’re feeling supported to be their best in the office. Here are some of the quick benefits that come with encouraging a healthy work lifestyle:

• Reduce absences: Healthy employees not only feel better, they also spend less time away from work on sick leave.

• Better morale: Feeling great has a roll on effect to increasing satisfaction levels at the workplace.

• Increased productivity: Having less time at work and being focused on the work to be done helps employees increase their productivity in the workplace.

• Build corporate reputation: Getting involved with the wellbeing and health of staff demonstrates to both employees and others the level of commitment and care a company dedicates to its people.

• Reduce costs: Particularly for Dubai, where health insurance is mandatory, keeping staff healthy can actually help businesses keep their insurance costs low.

Understanding the benefits to a healthy work lifestyle and considering employee health means both employees and companies are doing their part to promote a healthy work environment.

Employee health tips for staff

For employees, it’s important to remember that a healthy work-life balance is a huge part of making the working week a good one. Whilst there are things a company can do to support staff in the workplace, employees themselves can take some simple steps to ensure they’re taking care of themselves. Here are some of our quick tips to supporting a healthy work lifestyle:

Get enough sleep

The benefits of being well rested are not exaggerated. How much sleep a person needs can vary by age and lifestyle, however the generally recommended level for most adults is between 7 to 9 hours a night. It’s important to pay attention to individual needs and energy levels during the day when working out how much sleep is the right amount.

Stay hydrated

The recommended level of water per day is roughly about 8 to 13 glasses per day but, again, will depend on an individual’s needs. Some experts believe that men and women have different hydration needs, with men needing 13 glasses and women needing only 9. Water helps bodies maintain normal temperatures, helps with joint health (especially important for sedentary office jobs), and helps eliminate waste in the body.

Stay active

Regular exercise should be a priority for everyone, regardless of whether they’re working or not. Strength training can boost metabolism, cardio can help with endurance, and playing sports can also increase happiness levels and meet social needs as well. In the office, employees should take breaks away from their desk where possible and practice workstation exercises to ensure they’re not remaining sedentary for long periods of time.

Be mindful of workplace “noise”

We’re not just talking about that annoying copier that’s constantly printing documents loudly, or the idle chatter of extremely social work colleagues. Being mindful of those audible noises are important but it’s also a good idea to remember that taking a step back from work can also help improve an employee’s mental health. Emails, phone calls, busy projects – they’re all vying for the attention of staff daily. People should take time out if they feel the stress piling up.

Fuel your body better

This means eating healthy lunches, snacking on good foods, and avoiding too many after work drinks when the time comes. People’s bodies run on what they put in and, if they’re eating lots of junk food, they’ll run slower with less energy and focus. Building good eating habits not only benefits people in their personal lives but can help them perform better whilst at work too.

Employee health tips for businesses

Companies can do a lot to help support the healthy habits of their staff. Considering the expectations businesses put on their people to perform, it makes good sense to invest a bit of time and money into ensuring those people are physically and mentally fit to do their work. Here are some ways businesses can support a healthy work lifestyle:

Promote and educate about healthy choices

There are countless resources and tons of information available out there to help individuals make better health choices. For businesses, promoting employee health through education and communication can be a quick and easy win. Big investments might mean running health seminars or providing physical/dietary check ups to staff, but simply providing health-related pamphlets and other resources can be a cost-effective first step.

Being flexible to help manage work-life balance

If there’s room for it in a business, creating more flexible work environments that can accommodate the increasingly demanding personal lives of people can also help support employee health. It may be offering flexible working hours, extending leave balances, or even work-from-home options. When people have their home lives in order, it’s a lot easier to set their work affairs right as well.

Create opportunities to be mindful

Giving to causes or charities help people feel empowered and useful. Creating opportunities for staff to be generous on behalf of the company not only offer benefits for the charity and a significant mood booster for the employee, it also helps raise a company’s profile and reputation within the community. Giving doesn’t need to be a huge investment – it might be something as easy as an office bake sale or morning tea. Being charitable helps people be mindful and can help support the mental health of staff at work.

Support staff with relevant employee benefits

With the DHA regulations that brought mandatory staff health insurance to Dubai, every worker of every company in the Emirate will have medical health coverage as provided by their employer. The minimum coverage requirements are decent, however every person is different. It’s important for companies to regularly review the needs of their staff and ensure that the insurance coverage they provide is actually relevant. Paying for benefits staff don’t use is a waste of money and won’t benefit employees either.

Reviewing Dubai health insurance as an employer or employee

Taking preventative steps to promote and support employee health is great, but there are always times where people need to seek out proper medical treatment. In these circumstances, having the right health insurance in Dubai can help a lot. Employees need to be mindful of what their health needs are when moving to Dubai, and employers should also consider whether the needs of their staff are being met by their current health plan.

Supporting good work lifestyles with comprehensive Dubai health insurance is a winning combination. If you’re a company that believes a review is in order to ensure they’re supporting their staff the best they can, Pacific Prime Dubai can help. Employees who either need to expand on their current employer-provided plan, or may need to secure medical coverage for their dependents, can also get in touch to find the best plans available to match their health and budget requirements.

Contact the team at Pacific Prime Dubai today to arrange a meeting, discuss your options over the phone, or get a free quote.