Want to boost productivity? Encourage employees to eat better and they’ll work harder
There are lots of benefits to living a healthy lifestyle, now a new study indicates it’s good for employers, too.
The study found those who eat well are 25% more likely to have higher job performance, and those who eat five or more servings of fruit and vegetables at least four times a week are 20% more likely to be more productive.
Workers who eat well and exercise had better job performance and lower absenteeism, according to the research from the Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO), Brigham Young University and the Center for Health Research at Healthways.
Exercise was also an important influencer - employees who exercise for at least 30 minutes, three times a week were 15% more likely to have higher job performance.
Overall, absenteeism was 27% lower for those workers who eat well and regularly exercise, and their job performance was 11% higher than their peers who were obese, the study found.
Carter Coberley, vice president of Health Research and Outcomes at Healthways, says more and more employers are defining individual well-being through the performance and productivity of their work force.
“Well-being is gaining recognition as an important measure that relates both to the quality of life of individuals as well as to financial measures that are important to business and government leaders," Coberley says.
"Well-being can also serve as an important business success metric through its demonstrated relationship to employee absence and job performance as measured in multiple large employers," he added.
