Promoting physical health
There’s a strong link between physical and mental wellbeing; evidence shows that exercising at least three times a week, can reduce the risk of depression by almost 20%[2]. This is important to bear in mind if you’re noticing that the effects of Coronavirus are beginning to take their toll on your workforce.
To help, employers can:
- Allow flexibility within the working day. This could be a longer lunch break to allow employees to take some exercise in the sunshine, or perhaps a later or earlier finish so they can catch a Zoom fitness class or join in with the kids doing Joe Wicks’ morning P.E!
- Offer health benefits. 94% of organisations offer one or more health promotion benefit to employees[3]. These can range from subsidised gym memberships and health screenings, to free eye tests and flu vaccinations. A preventive healthcare initiative such as a health cash plan can also be a great way to help employees maintain their physical wellbeing.
Mental health should remain a constant, year-round focus. So whether you’re relaxing your policies, or looking at new ways to better support your employees during this period, consider how these measures could be extended post-lockdown, where mental health support might be more crucial than ever before.
- People Management: https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/news/articles/one-in-four-expect-to-make-redundancies-coronavirus
- Mind: www.mind.org.uk
- CIPD/Simplyhealth Health and Well-being at Work 2019 report