Working From Home: Health & Wellbeing

[AndyCr15]

if most people have Fitbits you could set up a weekly work challenge for most steps.

I think I've heard about apps that will link in to whatever you use, but tbh the ones I've looked at are generally not well reviewed...

you could reward the winner with a £5 Starbucks voucher

I wouldn't be overly upset if there was no budget and I was fronting a fiver a week It's not a bad idea. (Or maybe fortnightly, line it up with our Sprints) Again, I guess with the team being international I might need to do an Amazon voucher, or a selection to choose from perhaps.

 

[throwaway4372]

[eating healthier and walking daily]
And this is one of the big questions, what would help motivate this? How can I encourage this in my team...

1. [Time] Make sure they have enough time, no meetings after lunch, no meetings at the end of the day. So if they want to take a longer lunch or finish early - to give themselves time to walk or cook - then they can. If they're worried about getting back from lunch for a meeting they're forced into unhealthy choices.
2. [Agency] Keep planting the idea in their heads, so when they find themselves with time that's how they choose to fill it. Just a mention in a regular meeting or newsletter is a good start.
3. [Safety] Make them feel safe about taking time for themselves. So nobody can say "but I don't know if I'm allowed" as an excuse. As long as the work gets done you don't care if bums are on seats. The workload must be reasonable tho.

 

[NotAGolf]

1. [Time] Make sure they have enough time, no meetings after lunch, no meetings at the end of the day. So if they want to take a longer lunch or finish early - to give themselves time to walk or cook - then they can. If they're worried about getting back from lunch for a meeting they're forced into unhealthy choices.
2. [Agency] Keep planting the idea in their heads, so when they find themselves with time that's how they choose to fill it. Just a mention in a regular meeting or newsletter is a good start.
3. [Safety] Make them feel safe about taking time for themselves. So nobody can say "but I don't know if I'm allowed" as an excuse. As long as the work gets done you don't care if bums are on seats. The workload must be reasonable tho.

Absolutely this. I've worked from the home for 2 years now and still feel a bit 'nervous' when I leave my desk in case something urgent pops up.

If my boss added a 1 hr slot in my calendar (preferably everyone else in the team too so everyone is in the same boat) to take some time out and go for a walk, I'd feel more comfortable and more likely to do it. As a boss you could call people out on it if you catch them sending/replying to work measages/emails during this time slot.

 

[gpuerrilla]

On the odd occasion I'd even join a call whilst out for a walk as it was a larger meeting which didn't require participation and I found the call would fly by.

I personally found that by spreading my day out and taking more breaks between stints of work I was much happier and more productive. My fitness was also at an all-time high, whereas now I have to cram everything in outside of office hours and can be a nightmare with the gyms full etc.

I think this is what it is meant to promote and I have found it to be similar. When I was office based I would be more structured but felt more pressured, I would also find I would be less productive due to social interactions and people knowing where you are (my role being technical) came to you with all sorts of periphery problems which I could tackle but would end up soaking up my time not theirs.

So benefits of being office based are there but there is proof you can get more productivity out of happy workers as long as they have that freedom to focus their work and have that blend of breaking up the day. I do some school runs and this benefits the wife's work schedule - which I was not able to help out with when office based some 50 mins drive away.

I think the next positive step would be the four day work week, I cannot see many people complaining if this came about and would be surprised if that extra mile couldnt be achieved in efficiency boosting morale for most I would think.

 

[randomshenans]

Company doesn't _really_ do too much, as much as they would like to think they do. I find I have to make sure I block out specific time for exercise which is my best medicine. I feel so much better. I actually make sure I take my lunch, or, like this morning, did a 40km ride downstairs before I started work. Really helps me.

 

[Deleted member 651465]

If the company has an on-site gym, then they're doing more than a lot of other businesses! I agree though.. it is a mindset change and one that can be hard to break. I work at a manufacturing plant and the business offers 60/40 WFH however the management argument is that you are "plant based" and shall not utilise the 60/40 WFH because the "plant needs you"... even though I worked from home on/off throughout the pandemic and never had issues with my output.

I'd also add that unfortunately, whatever a business does to promote health and wellbeing.. someone will complain. Last year I ran a fitness challenge and gave the winner (person who logged the most exercise minutes) a paid day off plus 1/2 days for the runner up and 3rd place and people STILL complained that they couldn't participate because they had mobility issues and therefore couldn't go for a walk etc.

 

[DB_SamX]

I'd also add that unfortunately, whatever a business does to promote health and wellbeing.. someone will complain. Last year I ran a fitness challenge and gave the winner (person who logged the most exercise minutes) a paid day off plus 1/2 days for the runner up and 3rd place and people STILL complained that they couldn't participate because they had mobility issues and therefore couldn't go for a walk etc.

We did the same and had the same complaints. Unfortunately you can't cater for 100pc of staff in that situation.