Healthy Teams Are Happy Teams
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The concept of well-being in the workplace has become a common topic for discussion at all levels in recent years. But what can you as a Manager do to support everyone in your team to feel their best, and ultimately to give their best when at work? Whilst most organisations have fantastic offerings in place such as mental health first-aiders, online personal well-being courses, or even a fuse ball table in the breakout area, there are also simple but impactful things that you can do right now. Read on to find out more.
The key message is that this is really simple stuff and in most cases costs nothing! Here we focus on two sides to personal well-being: Physical and Mental. Many organisations provide structured support in both of these areas, so the ideas below are simple additions that you could try out. Needless to say, if you spot a member of your team in need of support then you should follow official procedure to sign-post more formal offerings available.
Physically – what can you do to keep your team healthy?
Walking 121s – Get some fresh air! Going for a walk around the block instead of sitting in a meeting room for an hour will not only help burn calories and soak up vitamin D, but it’ll also get your creative juices flowing. Take as little as possible with you – just a pen and pad to take any important notes. You may notice that your discussions are much more action-oriented…
Team Activity – Along the same lines as above, why don’t you take a portion of your regular team meeting to spend time outside? Perhaps you take a team walk for 30 minutes in the middle of the day? In the summer when the weather is better, can you go to a local park and have a meeting there instead? If someone is wearing a fitness tracker perhaps you can see how many steps you’ve taken and try to beat it next time?
Encourage Breaks – We’ve all had a boss who sat at their desk all day without moving, which made us feel we should do the same. So why don’t you be the boss that models great healthy behaviour by stepping away from your desk for a period of time each day. Perhaps you could invite the team to join you for lunch? Not only will your behaviour set expectations, but this time together is likely to yield helpful work discussion – you may resolve issues in the moment or even generate new ideas. Don’t forget the value in getting to know people better too; a few extra minutes a day with someone could have a positive impact on your relationship with them.
Healthy Snacks – It’s simple but effective, why don’t you have a ‘team fruit bowl’ for everyone to dip into. If people are willing to bring in 1 item a week (bunch of bananas etc) then you can all eat healthier whilst at work rather than reaching for a bag of crisps.
Devices and Desks – When working in office environments it can sometimes be difficult to get peace and quiet to concentrate. Therefore, a simple ‘mobile phones on silent/vibrate’ policy can really help people with focusing on their work. Also, if you encourage people to move to other desks if they need some space/quiet, you’re likely to see higher levels of quality work.
Mentally – simple ideas to keep people feeling their best
A trusting team is a happy team – By encouraging a team environment of openness and trust you will find people share more about themselves with you, whether that be about work or their personal life. This in turn will help you keep an eye out for any signs of stress, and also help you ask the right questions if need be. Don’t be afraid to share how you’re feeling with your team too, we know from experience that leaders who aren’t afraid to make themselves vulnerable often have the strongest followership. Plus, you’re human too!
We all have a home life – If you can ensure your team are able to switch off from work and be ‘present’ in their home lives, you will reap the rewards. Simple reinforcement around leaving work at a reasonable time and not responding to emails through the evening/night will leave you with a team of people who don’t feel excessive pressure, and most likely a team who are willing to give you 110% whilst they’re in work. By giving people space to decompress from busy working lives, your reward will most likely be increased productivity.
Flexibility is king – In most organisations, long gone are the days where people would clock in at 9am and leave at 5pm. For some, this switch to ‘always being on’ can be problematic, whereas others will thrive. Some people are unable to flex, and some will flex too much. It’s your job to set the tone in your team – what’s expected? If you get this balance right you will have a team of people who love working for you, feel their lives are balanced, and are determined to do a great job for the organisation. If you are an ‘output focused manager’ your team will ensure they deliver work for you, but they won’t be under traditional pressure around presenteeism or core hours.
Spend time with your team (as above) to find out more about them as people – you may be able to offer flexibility on an individual basis. For example, someone in your team may have a loved one in hospital – can you offer them the flexibility to leave at 4pm so they can get there in time for visiting hours until they are discharged? For others, simply allowing them to leave on time to attend parent’s evening or even take a couple of hours out for sports day will be paid back in dividends.
TAKE AWAY
Whilst many organisations offer structured support to their employees around well-being, there’s nothing quite like a manager who creates and role models a healthy and happy work environment. By getting to know everyone and offering some flexibility, you will find yourself not only leading a team who enjoy coming to work, but also one which outperforms other teams time and time again. Add some fresh air into the mix and you’ve got the recipe for a high performing team.