Fit or Feeble? Seven Healthy Strategies to Improve Productivity and Create a Caring Corporate Environment
By
Vistage member Barbara Bry
Is there a connection between productivity and company morale and the physical fitness of your employees? Some Vistage members think so. In fact, they're paying for employee gym memberships, encouraging group athletic activities, and running and biking together.
These members admit that their healthy initiatives haven't yet translated into lower health insurance premiums or a measurable increase in profits, but they do believe that they:
- Increase employee energy levels and productivity.
- Improve camaraderie and communication.
- Help resolve conflict.
- Encourage less sick time away from work.
- Provide a caring corporate culture and environment.
They also believe that these programs are key to financial benefits in the long run. How do these members achieve all this? Here are their seven strategies:
1. Provide reduced-cost gym memberships.
Scott Hobbs , CEO of luxury home builder Hobbs, Inc., provides reduced cost gym memberships for his 115 employees. Currently, about 18 out of the 50 office employees take advantage of the program, which allows them to pay only $100 per year vs. the normal rate of $1,200. “We could give membership away, but I believe that if you do, the employees won't value it and won't use it,” he said. The company also has a shower and changing room at the office for employees who ride their bikes to work or run at lunch.
2. Encourage wellness through testing.
Stalcop, a metal forming manufacturer, offers a semi-annual wellness assessment that examines several key indicators such as blood pressure, body mass index, cholesterol, diet and smoking. “We encourage people to change to a healthier life style, and as CEO, I have to set the example," said Ron St. Clair , president and CEO. "Ultimately this leads to a more productive work force, which generates a higher profit margin.”
3. Jointly set goals for business, professional, and personal growth.
“We jointly set goals for business, professional, and personal growth at our one-to-ones," said St. Clair. He believes professional development is both business and personal, in that he and his staff should look at healthy lifestyle activities just like any other goal.
Also consider inviting a professional speaker on health to speak to the group. St. Clair and Mark Pavlansky , president of Hibco Plastics, Inc., both invited Vistage speaker Joe Dillon to speak to and help motivate their employees to live healthier.
4. Find incentive programs through your health care provider.
“Through our health care provider [Blue Cross of North Carolina], we started a program where after you've finished your exercise routine, you log onto a web site and earn blue points," Pavlansky said. "Every 250 points earned, you get a prize.” Currently, almost half of the company's employees participate.
“My health insurance provider has thrown out potential savings numbers of between 5% to 15%,” Pavlansky added. Encouraging healthy behaviors is also part of the culture and leadership he wants to support.
5. Re-enforce healthy principles and requests.
After Stalcorp employees heard Dillon's presentation about nutrition and exercise, many said they wanted to follow his advice. “Our human resources director began stocking nutritional supplements that Dillon recommended at the company so that people would have immediate access,” said St. Clair. The goal is to re-enforce positive principles and get people to incorporate healthy changes into their daily lives. In addition, the company stocks healthier food in its vending machines.
6. Encourage walking meetings or buddy workouts.
Jeff Call , shareholder and managing director of personal financial services firm Bennett, Thrasher PC, exercises with his partners (a core group of four men and one woman) three times a week at lunchtime. They meet at a nearby health club where they use the treadmills, elliptical trainers, free weights and nautilus equipment. “This has instilled quite a bit of camaraderie in our group and has also improved our communication. We have many business discussions during our time together at the club,” said Call.
Exercising is a great way to spend special time with an employee. “I like to hold meetings on the treadmill,” said Gini Dietrich , president of Arment Dietrich, a public relations firm. “My employees love it because they get me one on one.”
7. Play together to resolve conflict and improve energy levels.
St. Clair has encouraged his executive team to play racquetball and basketball together. “I see higher energy levels and more confidence in my executive staff,” he said. Every Wednesday, his company reserves one racquetball court at the local YMCA. When they play racquetball together, they expend a lot of negative energy, and it also brings them closer together and helps to resolve conflict.
Barbara Bry is COO of Blackbird Ventures, an early stage venture capital firm, and is also the producer and co-host of a weekly radio show and podcast on entrepreneurship, I'm There for You Baby: The Entrepreneur's Guide to the Galaxy .
Copyright © 2007 Vistage International. All rights reserved.
About Vistage International
Vistage International and its affiliates have 14,000 members in 16 countries representing the world's largest CEO membership organization based on revenue. Vistage members generate nearly $300 billion in annual revenue and have more than 2.1 million employees around the world. Vistage is dedicated to increasing the effectiveness and enhancing the lives of chief executives. Member companies are better run and grow their revenues, on average, at twice the percentage growth rate after joining Vistage.
Vistage International includes operations in the United States , the United Kingdom , Ireland , China , Mexico , Argentina and the Netherlands . Vistage affiliates include TEC, The Executive Committee and The Executive Connection in the following areas: Florida , Michigan , Wisconsin , Australia , Brazil , Canada , Chile , Germany , Malaysia , New Zealand , Singapore and South Africa.
Find out more at www.vistage.com
|
Education
