In recent times, the corporate world has embraced and given health and wellness programs a

priority. The incorporation of health and wellness programs in the corporate agenda can

significantly benefit both the employees and employers.

Currently, employers acknowledge that workplace fitness is crucial for business. That's why

companies are now launching custom-made wellness programs to meet the health and

wellness needs of their employees.

The majority of employees now believe that a healthy and fit workforce can be more

productive and more lucrative. A 2013 research study conducted in America by the

International Labor Organization, shows that 85.8% of men and 66.5 women work for over

40 hours in a week.

It also noted that Americans work over 137 hours more in a year as compared to the Japanese

workforce, and 260 hours more than British workers, and in excess of 499 hours per year

more than the French workforce.

This explains why the majority of Americans are suffering from excess weight and lack of

fitness. Also, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services noted that approximately 60%

of American workers do not get enough time for physical exercise.

This is why corporate entities are now coming up with workplace wellness programs that

encourage workers to embrace a healthy lifestyle.

Below are some of the benefits of a healthy workforce to the employer.

Healthy Employees reduces Healthcare Costs

According to studies released by the University of Michigan, employers who have embraced

wellness programs saves up to $1100 annually for every employee who quits smoking, and

$1200 annually for every employee who reduces the cholesterol levels from 240mg to

190mg, and 177$ for every employer who sheds off excess weight.

This proves that healthy employees are cheaper to maintain than unhealthy employees.

Less Absenteeism

Maintaining a healthy workforce goes a long way in reducing absenteeism. For example,

after the Anderson Cancer Center established an employee health and wellness program, the

managing director reported that the number of workdays lost decreased by 80% and

improved the workdays by 64%. This enables the Cancer Center to save costs totaling $1.5

million.

Fitness Programs Creates less Stress

The workplace fitness initiatives go a long way in enlightening employees on how to

positively embrace their jobs both mentally and physically. The fact that many workers spend

the majority of their time on computers, neck, arm, and wrist fatigue can indeed bring them

Stress and burnouts. Also, many workers report cases of eye strain because of spending too

much time on computers. However, the introduction of wellness programs has enlightened

employees on how to avoid this.

Fitness Improves the Employees Retention Rate

According to research, corporate entities that have a well-established wellness program

enjoys a higher employee retention rate. A study released by the National Business Group on

Health reported that companies with wellness programs have fewer cases of voluntary

attrition than those without them.

Fitness Nurtures Teamwork

Participating in fitness programs plays a vital role in promoting the natural growth of team

spirit. Workers who do workouts together can know and understand each other better. This

means improved teamwork for the organization, which comes with increased productivity.

From all this, we can say that workplace fitness programs play a vital role in establishing a

work atmosphere that makes workers feel appreciated and cherished. This usually has a

tremendous impact on their productivity.

Putting in place a Wellness and fitness program will benefit not only the employees but also

the employees.

And remember – Mayfair we care!

Sources

https://www.corporatewellnessmagazine.com/article/five-benefits-workplace-fitness-culture

Improve your sleep

Escaping stress

Healthy Snacking

Guilty pleasure.

Milk chocolate is only 10 to 20% cocoa and mainly consists of cocoa butter, fats and sugar – so less good for you.

Memory boosters

One top tip to help you remember things is to write it down – writing by hand strengthens the memory more-so than recording things on a keyboard. The process of writing, along with the sense of touching paper and hep aids memory

Easy exercising

Good luck!

Mayfair, we care.

Did you know that almost 30% of all deaths each year are due to heart disease?

Now that you do know, might you make an effort to pay a little more attention to looking after a healthy heart? For starters, here are 3 good habits to maintain a healthy heart:

Activity.

Exercise and activity is key to nearly every aspect of a healthy heart. Thirty minutes of exercise five times a week will help enormously. Whether this is on a treadmill or taking a brisk walk around your neighbourhood, a swim, a gym visit or a sports activity try to fit in whatever you can that suits your lifestyle.

Diet.

We hear all the time that diet and exercise are a most effective combination for remaining healthy. I wonder why this is?! Perhaps it’s because it is true?!

Where food is concerned try to base your meals around plant foods such as fruit, vegetables wholegrains, nuts and seeds. Include healthy fats like Olive Oil and have small amounts of red meat and fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel, these are all good for you.

Relaxation.

As mental and emotional stress is now believed to be a significant risk factor for heart problems try to factor some time to relax into your day.

There are numerous ways of reducing your stress levels such as yoga, meditation, going for a walk, reading, listening to music, or just socialising with friends.

3 health checks you should have on a regular basis.

Blood pressure.

According to the Heart Foundation the biggest risk factor for both heart disease and stroke is high blood pressure. High blood pressure is called a silent killer because there are no obvious symptoms so many people don’t realise they have it.

These days it is easy to buy blood pressure monitors for the homes where you can keep an eye on your it. Alternatively, make sure you visit the doctor on a regular basis for your blood pressure to be checked.

Cholesterol

Once again, it is important to have your cholesterol levels checked on a regular basis by the doctor. High cholesterol can be dangerous to your health and a simple test will tell you where your levels up.

Blood sugar.

Even if you don’t have diabetes, too much sugar in your blood can damage your arteries so please ensure that you get this checked on a regular basis as well.

These six tips will all contribute towards a healthier heart and remember, Mayfair cares

Mayfair, we care

Are you a morning person or an evening person?

Morning people can spring out of bed ready for an early start and they are likely to live by the maxim that “the early bird catches the worm “. They will undertake their exercises before going to work and feel a certain self-satisfaction for having done so. They will also feel ready for the day ahead.

For others, leaping out of bed and going for exercise is something that is alien to them. They need that first coffee of the day before they feel human! So, for them, exercising at lunchtime or in the evening is more realistic and more likely to happen.

But does it matter? Are there advantages to exercising in the morning as opposed to the evening? We looked into it:

Morning people.

Those who exercise in the morning believes that it is an easier discipline to maintain. Making it the first task of the means that it is done, out of the way and they can move on Events of the day can often lead to a work out, or gym visit being put off – or so they believed.

There is research that suggests that early morning exercise is a great way to fire up the brain and increase alertness, and interestingly, reduced the potential for depression.

There is a simple reason for this – Endorphins.

Endorphins are a natural drug produced by the body during exercise that trigger a positive feeling in the body producing a more optimistic and energetic belief about yourself

There are those that will say that early morning exercise such as this kickstarts their day and makes them feel ready to take on anything that the day may throw at them – a positivity that will make the individual more productive.

Non-morning people

If you are not one of those who can cope with the thought of a run, a visit to the gym, or a bike ride first thing in the morning then don’t despair.

Did you know that muscle tone and body temperature begin to rise from 3 o’clock onwards? This makes afternoon the best time for strength training of vigourous exercise such as intense indoor cycling.

The afternoon is also when reaction time and flexibility are at a peak and this reduces the risk of injury.

However, be aware that exercise raises our core temperature, so exercise taken within four hours of bedtime could potentially make getting to sleep more difficult.

However different people experience different reactions therefore our conclusion would be that the best time to exercise is when it suits you, and when you feel you get the best out of the time spent exercising

Mayfair we care.