By Kelley Reynard

Have you ever noticed how good you feel when you exercise, eat nourishing food, engage in relaxation, get your required ‘8 hours’ a night, and interact socially with friends? I know I feel happy, excited about the day ahead, optimistic about the future, and grateful for all the amazing things and people in my life. In turn, my energy levels soar and my productivity at work is totally enhanced. For most of us who have experienced the highs of wellbeing abovementioned, there have also been those times in our lives when we have been unwell, worked in a job we disliked, been slack in looking after ourselves, and spent too much time on the couch watching TV instead of being outside in nature soaking up the sun. Having experienced both ends of the health spectrum enables us to understand the direct link between our wellbeing and our productivity, energy, and happiness. Sometimes however, our health and happiness is not determined by ourselves, but is in the control of someone else. Susan Steinmbrecher, Leadership Consultant and Author, explains how leaders and managers can have a direct impact on their employee’s wellbeing and productivity.

Many leaders of organisations are now realising that they need to invest in their employees’ health and wellbeing in order to see a direct positive impact on their bottom line. They also want to see happy, satisfied employees who want to make a positive contribution and are proud of the organisation they work for. What some organisations fail to realise and acknowledge though, is that investing in health and wellbeing is much more than a weekly fruit bowl and discounted gym membership. It is about ensuring employee’s full integration of physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social, and environmental health needs are met.
Leaders who engage in self-care and provide ongoing support to their employees, offer a buffer against the typical stressors of the workday. These leaders bring wellness into their schedule, and they look for opportunities to show others how to do a better job at self-care. In addition, research shows that heart-centred leadership, such as authenticity, mutual respect, and health promotion relate to better financial performance, and this in conjunction with role modelling self-care behaviours promotes a supportive, healthy environment. Studies have shown that even in times of economic crisis and market downturns, caring, health-promoting leaders sustain the same level of performance as in periods of growth, and points to the importance of balancing supportive management with health promotion and self-care.

When we think of the primary imperils to wellness, stress comes out as number one. Causes of work-related stress can include a heavy workload, low autonomy and control, strict timelines, and a toxic work environment and culture. Instead of referring employees to EAP’s or brushing the issue under the carpet and merely masking the problem, the root causes of the stressors need to be exposed. To simplify things, the single most useful approach for dealing with stress is promoting a work environment where high stress is not taken for granted, but is discussed with an open and problem-solving attitude. Failure to communicate with employees about the stress just makes the problem worse. In addition, leaders who allow their employees decision-making latitude on the job, as well as encourage team-based decision-making will see the high morale, engagement, and productivity of their workforce.

Other ways of promoting a positive work environment where people want to come to work and feel they are worthy of more than just a fruit bowl and gym membership, is as simple as saying ‘thank you’. When workers feel underappreciated for their work and contribution to the organisation, they are not only at greater risk of the consequences of ill-health, but they are less productive and engaged, and far more likely to leave the organisation. But when leaders communicate the development path to their employees and keep them up-to-date on their performance and achievements, and support and recognise their efforts, employees will want to achieve more. They will want to stand with their leader and work towards the organisation’s goals and objectives. Leaders who also act as mentors to their employees and work with them to develop their skills, provide them with feedback, and support them to grow in their career, are likely to receive greater respect and trust from their subordinates.

When employees are at peak health levels, they are also at peak levels of productivity. When combining supportive leadership and the promotion of self-care, it is possible that employees will not only enhance their physical health, but also their interpersonal and social well-being.

For more information, and to read the full article, please click the following link http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/235160