How Improving the Health of Your Employees Can Benefit Your Organisation
- Kelly Mulhall
- Apr 20
- 4 min read
As an employer, fostering a healthy and productive workplace is crucial for your organisation’s success. One of the most effective yet often overlooked ways to improve employee productivity and morale is by encouraging a healthier diet and lifestyle. While many companies focus on offering benefits such as flexible working hours, mental health days, and gym memberships, health goes so far beyond that and often simply what your employees are eating is the root cause of many problems.
Here’s how improving the diet of your employees can benefit your organisation:
1. Increased Productivity
The link between nutrition and cognitive performance is well-documented. A balanced diet rich in essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients can significantly boost an employee’s ability to concentrate, think critically, and solve problems. Foods that are high in sugars and fats, on the other hand, can lead to energy crashes, brain fog, and difficulty focusing. Notice how the office floor gets a bit empty around 3pm? The team are out getting that coffee and snack to power through the rest of the day.
Providing employees with access to healthy snacks and meals, whether in the office or through meal programs, can improve their energy levels and mental clarity and avoid any blood sugar spikes. Employees who are well-nourished are better able to stay engaged throughout the workday, leading to enhanced productivity and efficiency. Now don't get me wrong - do not remove the coffee cart! But well nourished staff typically rely less on caffeine and sugar to "get them through the day", and instead coffee is a pleasure, not a necessity.
2. Improved Employee Well-Being and Morale
A well-nourished workforce is a healthier workforce. When employees have access to nutritious information and foods, they are less likely to experience the chronic fatigue, mood swings, or irritability associated with poor diet choices. Healthy eating supports mental well-being by helping to regulate mood, reduce stress, and promote a sense of happiness.
Companies that offer healthy meal options (especially when subsidised!) and create a culture that prioritises wellness sends a positive message to their employees. This can lead to increased job satisfaction and improved overall morale, which is essential for a harmonious workplace environment and productivity.
3. Improving Health of Employees to Reduce Absenteeism
Employers lose an average of 49.7 days per year to poor health and/or illness related underperformance (Britain’s Healthiest Workplace Study 2023). That's a huge number isn't it!
Sick days due to diet-related illnesses (feeling run down, gut health issues, allergies) and diabetes, obesity, or cardiovascular diseases, can have a significant impact on productivity and overall operational costs. Providing employees with an understanding of basic nutrition can help prevent these health issues and reduces the number of sick days taken.
Moreover, employees who have access to healthy food are less likely to experience digestive issues, headaches, and energy slumps, all of which contribute to absenteeism. A healthier workforce means fewer missed workdays and a smoother operation for your organisation.
4. Enhanced Team Collaboration
Healthy employees tend to have more energy and are in a better mood, making them more likely to engage positively with their colleagues. There's also someething to be said for reduced illness in the workplace means teams are more likely to come into the office and spend time together.
When a healthy culture is fostered within the workplace, it provides employees a goal to bond over (outside of their work KPIs), which is so important for collaboration. This camaraderie can extend beyond lunch breaks and result in a more cohesive and effective team.
5. Attracting Top Talent & Retention
In today’s competitive job market, offering wellness-focused benefits beyond a cheaper gym membership is no longer seen as a perk, but as a necessity! In fact, 83% agree that wellbeing support is equally as important as compensation! (Benify 2023). Furthermore, 85% are likely to stay in a role if their company took better care of their wellbeing (Benify 2023). Those are not numbers to dismiss. Having a well thought out, curated corporate wellness strategy is actually what can give you a competitive edge AND reduce churn rate.
Moreover, offering these types of benefits demonstrates that you care about your employees' overall well-being, which can increase your company’s reputation as a desirable place to work.
6. Improved Long-Term Health Outcomes
Investing in your employees' health today can lead to long-term benefits for both your employees and your company. Healthier employees are less likely to develop chronic illnesses, reducing healthcare costs for the company in the long run. Additionally, promoting healthy habits within the workplace can contribute to a culture of wellness that extends into employees' personal lives.
Educating your employees on healthier eating and overall positive lifestyle changes is such an effective way to boost productivity, morale, and overall company performance. A well-nourished workforce is not only healthier but more engaged, motivated, and likely to stay with your company for the long term. Making nutrition a priority in the workplace is not just an investment in your employees—it's an investment in the future success of your business.
At The Natural Balance we're experts in corporate wellness. We'd love to get to know your business and help you address your concerns to help your team feel better, work smarter, and stay engaged — both in the office and remotely.
Kelly Mulhall
Registered Nutritional Therapist, Health Coach, Master SIBO Practitioner
Kelly is a Registered Nutritional Therapist who focuses on positive physical and mental wellbeing, achieved through diet, lifestyle, sleep and exercise. Having struggled for years with IBS and hormonal imbalance, and increasingly frustrated with the lack of support and helpful advice from her GP, Kelly began her own journey of healing the body from the inside out. After seeing huge improvements she quit her job to study nutrition and focus on harnessing the healing powers of food to help other people in similar situations.
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