Unhealthy Eating and Employee Absence

Unhealthy eating and employee absence is a growing issue for employers in the UK. The Health Survey for England found that in 2019, 28% of adults in the UK were obese, with a further 36.2% being overweight. These figures have only risen since 2019, as inflation has heavily impacted the cost of healthier foods resulting in households turning towards cheaper, unhealthier options. With increased weight gain comes added risk of heart problems, diabetes, and several forms of cancer.

Studies have also found a correlation between obesity and absenteeism, the practice of regularly missing out on work. This level of absenteeism costs the economy over £50bn a year however there is a marked impact on individual employers, with employees taking an additional four days of sick leave and having shortages in productivity and skillsets.

Tackling these problems needs to be a key priority for employers, however losing weight is easier said than done. Employees may be overweight due to financial reasons, motivational reasons or they might not see it as an issue which should be brought up in the workplace. Instead, employers should seek to create healthier work environments, which aim to tackle unhealthy habits and encourage positive physical and mental wellbeing.

 

Share Ideas to Make Healthy Lifestyles More Affordable

As inflation is impacting everyone, how to make healthier lifestyles more affordable benefits everyone and is a conversation worth having. Quick tips such as buying frozen fruit and buying produce that is in season, is a sure-fire way of incorporating fruit and vegetables into your diet at a reduced cost. Choosing affordable cuts of meat, such as cooking chicken thighs over chicken breast, can make a huge difference to the cost of our weekly shopping. You can even go the extra mile and incorporate meatless Mondays into your diet, which is cheaper and has a positive impact on our weekly nutrition.

 

Leading by Example

When employees are spending eight hours of their day in a working environment, creating a well informed and healthier work culture can have a marked impact on their physical health. Leading by example and encouraging employees to follow a healthier mindset can be key for employee’s level of progress. Implementing full lunch breaks if not already in place, and then walking or running during that time can have a marked benefit to our physical and mental health. Employers can also include incentives to encourage employees to hit health-orientated goals. Provide fitness vouchers and guidance where possible and consider offering flexible benefits, which help motivate employees to follow a healthier lifestyle.

 

Offer Employees the Chance to Make a Healthier Choice

There is a huge number of workplaces that do not have the facilities which offer a healthier choice. Too many workplaces have kitchens which only offer fried, beige foods rather than nutritious alternatives. For workplaces which rely on staff to bring in their own food, prepping lunches can be a time-consuming task and they spend more time going out for food instead, buying food which is more expensive and spending money on fuel.

Rather than pies and chips, workplaces can instead offer nutritious alternatives. Where staff must bring in their own lunch, managers can provide quick and easy recipes which allow employees to have fulfilling meals to hand. Even taking the time to sit away from their screens as a group will encourage employees to make the most out of their lunch break. Motivating those working from home to do the same and take a walk outside will also have marked benefits.

 

 Support Those Who May Be Struggling

Losing weight and taking the steps to get into a healthier lifestyle is a mental battle which everyone struggles with, but for some it’s a financial battle too. There are employees where getting fitter is more than a struggle, especially for those who have sought solace in their food, eating to suppress certain emotions, such as anxiety. As well as those who may suffer from depression and avoid food altogether.

Having access to a support network which can help ease these negative mental states can help. Talking to someone is always a great first step, however an Employment Assistance Programme (EAP) can provide the right guidance and support for whoever may need it. Offering the chance to talk about underlying issues via counselling and discuss ways to move forward in a positive light. You can find out more about EAP’s Valentine offers here:

Motivate a Change

It’s important to motivate a change in employee mindset, as getting fitter is something employees need to do for themselves. Getting fitter is big lifestyle change and for many it means battles of motivation which often result in short-term progress only. Encourage employees on the importance of healthy choices, rather than encouraging staff to make drastic changes in their diet which cannot be maintained. A sobering fact about dieting is that about 90% of people who lose weight through dieting eventually regain it again. By fostering an awareness of making healthy choices and motivating employees where possible, employees can be empowered to make long-term differences.

How We Can Help

Valentine offers several tools which can help employers tackle unhealthy eating and employee absence, which in turn reduce absences and increase productivity:

• Wellbeing Programmes to aid worker’s physical and mental health, improve productivity and engage staff and morale.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support staff who need it most.
• Sickness Absence Management resulting in benefits for both the employer and the employee, with referrals based on the nature of the employee absence.
• MyMindPal which can help motivate and support staff to be the best version of themselves.

Contact the team for more details on 0800 020 9913 or service@valentineoh.co.uk