It might be Healthy Eating Week but with poor diet being the biggest factor for preventable ill health in England, understanding our body and what it needs has never been more important.
So how can we encourage employees to take up healthy habits, and create a working environment that can thrive with new eating attitudes? Enter: Spectrum.Life.
Wellness at your fingertips
Having access to tools that can help employees keep on top of any new healthy eating behaviours is critical. Our partner; digital workplace wellbeing platform Spectrum.Life provides a base for all types of nutrition and self-care. Whether you are interested in recipes and exercise classes or meditation and mindfulness, the platform offers videos and helpful advice on everything from women’s health to how to correctly fuel your body for activity.
Write that down!
It’s not always easy to keep track of what you eat when you’re hard at work but a food diary is a great way to monitor what we’re munching, as well as identifying the good foods we are missing from our diets and what we are perhaps eating too much of. Spectrum.Life has a handy food tracking and diary option so Members can quickly access the recipes they have bookmarked and have optics on all their nutritional goals.
Give your day a boost
Eating right is key to staying engaged and alert throughout the day. There is nothing worse than getting past lunch and having energy levels plummet; it’s not just bad for an employee’s health, but for the whole workplace.
Performance in an organisation can increase when people are fuelled by foods that assist in our productivity, and new research even suggests foods with probiotics like yoghurts and kimchi can help release happy chemicals, reducing feelings of depression and anxiety! The recipe search on Spectrum.Life is your employees very own online nutritionist. It provides easy-to-follow steps to help them create delicious meals and prevent food boredom (and snacking) from setting in.
Going veggie
Veganism is on a meteoric rise. The number of vegans in the UK have quadrupled between 2006 and 2018, according to research by The Vegan Society. A plant based diet has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease, as well as a diet which is usually lower in cholesterol than their meat eating counterparts.
For some people, going veggie can seem a bit daunting. If completely cutting out meat isn’t for you, trying a flexitarian diet might be the way forward. Encouraging employees to take part in Meatless Mondays or to give a Veganuary style challenge a go could introduce eating habits they turn into a way of life.
Spicing up office lunch times
Sharing recipes with colleagues is a great way to inspire others to get involved with trying healthier alternatives, and get your employees talking about what has worked for them. Here are a few quick and easy recipes you can suggest to get the ball rolling:
If it’s that all important protein your employees are wanting to increase in their diets, this simple but nourishing Chicken satay salad will do the trick. Packed with plenty of protein per serving, these are perfect for those in your organisation interested in using good food to increase their fitness goals.
What about for something that looks like a treat, but is beneficial to your health? These Sloppy Joe stuffed peppers are a real naughty-but-nice meal that are loaded with healthy ingredients. Veggies need not miss out – just swap the meat and cheese to vegan alternatives!
For the vegans and vegetarians in your company, A flavourful Tofu stir-fry with chinese spices will give them a delicious boost, whilst providing the nutrition they require while maintaining a plant based diet.
Point your employees to the host of videos and tips on Spectrum.Life to explore – while HR can examine the metrics to show who is engaging (and could be potential ambassadors for making those positive healthy choices), and who might need more guidance and support.
Think about your approach
Do be mindful that food and nutrition can be a sensitive topic for a lot of people. It’s estimated that 1.25 million people are living with an eating disorder. If you feel a colleague needs more support, you can point them towards your company’s Employee Assistance Programme where they can access professional advice.
We may not be aware of those with a difficult relationship with food when discussing nutrition so be sensitive, and rather than focusing on fad diets and unhealthy habits, explore the benefits of a balanced diet and a positive attitude towards food and how we view it in our daily lives
Explore the Spectrum.Life platform by requesting a demo today.