How do I improve the physical and mental well-being of my employees?

February 10, 2021

5 min reading

^{By: Lucas Melman, CEO of Gympass Mexico}

“Health“It is probably the main desire, interest and engine of both personal and business agendas in this 2021. In an environment as challenging as the previous year, it is increasingly essential to know the new tools and platforms to comply with regulations already established as NOM 35, as well as the recently approved reform to regulate telework.

One of the concerns we hear most at Gympass from the Human Resources area is how to support teams, especially because according to a study by the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) 85% of organizations Mexicans lack adequate conditions for their collaborators to have a balance between their personal and work life, which leads to physical and psychological disorders.

One of the elements in which companies can be supported is precisely technology: bringing integrated platforms where employees find tools that allow them to achieve precisely this balance: from food to adopt or deepen healthier lifestyles, physical training options or start meditation practices to improve day-to-day quality.

We also consider that according to information from the consulting firm Gartner, 41% of employees would be willing to follow the scheme of home office being that before the pandemic only 30% worked from time to time remotely and that the own circumstances will be propitious so that more and more people join this labor modality.

^{Image: Depositphotos.com}

We know how challenging the year is, so I would like to share five actions that can support you to address the concerns of work teams in this early 2021.

1. Explore flexible schemes: It is very likely that teams have different needs in order to meet their goals. It is important to consider several approaches to designing policies that allow teams to benefit as much as possible from the benefits of remote work and can adequately meet their goals. Remember that showing flexibility contributes greatly to building support networks and value relationships that benefit everyone.
2. Visualize well-being as an integrated concept. One of the main learnings that 2020 left us is that physical well-being is as important as emotional, due to the impact it has on social skills as well as the ease for proper concentration, empathy, generation of ideas and teamwork. According to a study of Gympass at the regional level, 77% of users surveyed stressed the importance of companies offering wellness solutions, but only 34% of companies had an approach that also included the aspect emotional and not just the physical.
3. Strengthens resilience capabilities: It’s no coincidence that companies use phrases and images associated with the sports world: “Eyes on the goal,” or “achieving market positioning is not a short race, it’s a marathon.” Physical activity is a great teacher because both from the individual and from the formation of teams we know our strengths, improve our communication skills and it is an experience that can be capitalized in a positive way by both leaders and the companies themselves.
4. Encourages collaborative environments: Collaborative work is an essential ingredient in all processes, in this new context, teams can be impacted by the geographical barriers of remote and dispersed work; however, establishing common challenges through physical activity or wellness on an integrated platform can be a catalyst for detonating powerful conversations that allow them to stay creative, innovative, and close.
5. Don’t forget self-care. The Human Resources area was one of the most worn out during 2020. It is also important that those responsible for the optimal functioning of the teams are included in the physical and emotional care agenda, with routines of exercises and monitoring activities whether meditation, yoga and those applications for better sleep quality. Happy employees are not only synonymous with healthy people, but also with productivity, loyalty to the company, aspects that provide a healthier work environment.

Companies are one of the productive engines of any economy. They cannot forget that they are entities made up of people, who unite their efforts, talents, discipline and interests to achieve a common goal. To the extent that the approaches are more comprehensive and measures are taken for both physical and emotional care of the teams there will be a positive impact that will develop potential and capabilities to increase well-being, generating virtuous circles in new market dynamics. labor.