Today’s success tip comes from Chris Males.

Chris Males is the Founder of Pro-Fit Corporate Health which is an established provider of “at work” health solutions. Since starting Pro-Fit Chris has also created a fitness BootCamp which has helped over 500 people get fitter and stronger.

What are some low-cost ways business owners can improve the health of their staff and, in turn, improve productivity?

It comes down to creating a healthy workplace culture that the ‘corner offices’ buy into. So many bosses talk to their staff about health and work-life balance, yet do the complete opposite themselves. Often they are the ones that work through lunch, load up on caffeine and work back all night. This sends the message that ‘if you want to get to where I am you need to follow suit’.

The most economical way of improving your staff’s health is to actually invest in action. While seminars, health assessments and online information are great for inspiration, education and need analysis, it is not until you actually start the activity of getting healthier that you will notice a change.

There are a lot of overweight people that know a great deal about exercise and nutrition, yet they never use that knowledge. Knowledge isn’t power, it’s potential power just waiting to be acted upon.

Our clients can choose to do sessions whenever they like, although we will always recommend the lunch hour because it helps raise productivity so much.

Working out at lunch not only helps to break up the day, but also revitalises your thinking and releases positive endorphins into the bloodstream that in turn help create a productive and creative mood. It’s also great for team morale to be doing the workout together instead of visiting a gym by themselves after hours.

Some other ways to improve staff health are:

* organise an incentive program for staff to join in fitness activities

* replace afternoon coffee and cakes with healthier options such as fruit and juice

* hold an annual health expo with individual assessments and education seminars

* have a health column in your monthly newsletter

* organise teams to compete in popular fundraising events such as fun runs and Walk for a Cure.

I hope you’ve learned from this week’s tip for success. If you’d like to see more, check back again next week.

Until then,

Allan Poole