Encouraging employees to adopt healthy habits not only helps them improve their overall health but also helps increase their happiness and productivity! And summertime is the perfect time to get out of the office and recommit to their health with new workplace wellness ideas! Whether you’re looking to boost your existing wellness program or start a new, the following tips can help you and your employees improve their health.

Here are some ideas to incorporate more outdoor time during your workday:

• Take outdoor breaks. During the workday, your brain needs time to recharge, your eyes need screen breaks, and your body needs to move and stretch. Taking two 10- or 15-minute walking breaks around your office building each day can help you feel more focused and refreshed.
• Ditch the conference room. When possible, hold walking meetings rather than meeting indoors. Whether you stroll down the block, around your office building, or even in your parking lot, walking meetings offer great exercise and help keep your teams more engaged.
• Eat outside. Rather than eating lunch in front of your monitor, pick a spot outside your office and enjoy the fresh air. Encourage employees to eat lunch outside by installing picnic tables or other outdoor seating areas.

Get outdoors

Spending time outdoors improves short-term memory, restores mental energy, reduces stress, and sparks creativity. Getting employees to go outside encourages productivity and helps keep them healthier year-round.

Since many of us spend so much time at the office, it’s the perfect place to begin forming healthier habits. A good starting point is to take breaks from sitting and get outside when you can.

Host team outings.  

Spending time together outside the office helps your team bond, build trust, and improve interpersonal skills. Encourage summer outings and spend more time outside, getting more physical activity during the workday.

Some ideas include:

• Host company picnics and encourage employees to bring their families for a day of fun.
• Plan an employee field day with team-building challenges.
• Take a field trip to a local park or attraction.
• Volunteer as a team at a local nonprofit.

Enjoy fresh, seasonal food.

Good nutrition is a major part of any healthy lifestyle, and summer is the perfect time to eat a nutritious diet full of fresh produce. Encouraging healthy eating will help your employees feel more energized and productive—and it boosts their immune system, too.

There are several ways you can encourage eating fresher, healthier foods at work including:

• Supplying fresh, local produce in the office kitchen and break rooms.
• Starting a company garden.
• Host a healthy potluck and ask employees to bring their favorite fruit and veggie dishes.
• Offer employee discounts for local farmers’ markets.
• Take group trips to local farmers’ markets.
• Send out healthy, summer-themed recipes each week.

Create team challenges.

Employees can lose interest in the same activities year-round, so shake it up! Stir up excitement for your wellness program by adding fun, summer-themed activities, like:

• An outdoor walking challenge. The employee who walks the most steps outside wins.
• Biking. The employee who rides the most miles throughout the summer wins.
• A fitness tracker challenge. Encourage employees to track their steps or active minutes for a prize.
• A company sports team. Employees can play softball, volleyball, flag football, or kickball to get active and enjoy time outside with their colleagues. Add some extra fun by inviting other local companies or partners to compete against your employees!

May this summer be your best yet

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