How fit is your company? Here's how to boost vitality in the workplace
Are your employees vital, or could they use a boost? "Vitality in the workplace is an important responsibility of you as an employer," said Dennis Rupa of Zorg van de Zaak MKB. After all, an investment in the vitality of your employees is an investment in your company itself. But where do you start?
What does vitality mean?
As an employer, it is important to have a clear picture of what vitality actually means. "Vitality is kind of a catch-all term," Dennis states. "It's not only about the health of the body itself, but also about the interaction between the body and the environment. How do you make sure that all this functions well, and that it is also experienced that way by the person himself?"
Getting started with vitality
To ensure that your employees are vital, Dennis says it is crucial to have the right person in the right place. "Make sure mutual expectations are aligned and set and match the employee's competencies," he recommends. It is also important to discover what the employee wants to achieve within your company, and how you can facilitate their development. "Vitality occurs when an employee can function autonomously within the company," he says.
Dennis stresses the importance of the human approach. As an employer or HR person, you can't monitor how your employees are doing from your desk. "You really have to seek and carry out the engagement, engage in the conversation! There is no point in just using difficult terms when it comes to vitality. It's about human contact, to see what's really going on. You need good HR people for that, and humanity from the manager."
How do you start the conversation about vitality?
Do you discover during these rounds and conversations that some employees are not as vital as you hoped? As an entrepreneur, you may then feel a barrier to raise this. "It is then very smart to enlist the help of an organization such as Zorg van de Zaak MKB for this. They can monitor the vitality in your organization and apply interventions where necessary. They can also advise you if you want to start the conversation yourself." One way to promote vitality is to provide information to the entire team. There are often factors at work that can lead to reduced vitality. It can sometimes be easier explains Dennis, not to address and inform non-vital employees individually on what is "going wrong," but rather to give general information to the whole group.
In addition, Dennis says there are other ways to boost your employees' vitality. "For example, make sure your employees get enough rest, and do meetings while walking instead of sitting down," he tips. "You can also give mini-lectures on health background, for example. Or look at what's going on in the canteen, does this food contribute to vitality?" He emphasizes that it is important, however, that the interventions offered are well suited to the target group. After all, employees of a construction company have different needs than office workers.
The non-fit fire department
Dennis gives an interesting real-life example from the New York Fire Department. "These men are known as real heroes; we have the image that they must be very fit. Yet research revealed a disturbing picture: many actually had a risk profile for developing diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes," he says. So the fire department's company doctor decided to make the whole group aware of the risk signs, and came up with fun ways to address them together. "For example, the firefighters agreed to all eat healthier. That worked very well! Because they had a common positive goal to work toward, it also created another strong cohesion in the group."
The importance of vital employees
A company where everyone works safely, healthily and with pleasure is what every employer wants. After all, fit and vital employees are not only happier but also more productive. Read what you can do to encourage vital work.
Find out why a vital organization is important and how to promote healthy working in our white paper "Vitality for SMEs.
Participate in National Vitality Week 2023
Do you want to work on the vitality of your employees? During the National Vitality Week from 25 to 29 September 2023 you can gain inspiration and knowledge, as well as enter into discussion with other employers. The National Vitality Week is a hybrid event, with both physical and online activities. For example, every day at the Vitalogieplein in Eindhoven you can participate in various workshops on self-awareness, physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being. You can also organize an activity yourself, possibly with the help of the National Vitality Week organization. Don't forget to sign the digital manifesto to show that as an employer you are committed to a vital workplace.
