Hello there, Fans of Plans. I hope you are all well. This fortnight I wanted to take a look at physical wellbeing. I’ve written a fair bit around mental wellbeing lately and I thought as we go into the autumn and winter that our physical wellbeing is also worth more than a causal mention. 

Now, maybe it’s just because this year I have reached one of those milestone birthdays with a zero at the end, but now more than ever I’m thinking about how I need to keep physically well. I’ve had a couple of health issues in the last few years, and maybe there is more I can be doing to help keep off those ageing aches and pains! 

Depending on the type of work you do, it can have different detrimental effects on your physical health. Whether your job involves a lot of manual labour, from picking up boxes to carrying loads; or you are sedentary for long periods of time at a desk – both can be harmful to your physical wellbeing. My work definitely falls under the latter and I sometimes find I sit for hours at a time barely moving (save to reach across my desk for my mug of tea!). 

So, what can we be doing to take better care of our physical wellbeing while at work? Well, I’m sure we’re all well versed in the mandatory training courses of ‘manual handling’ and ‘Display Screen Equipment’ courses as tick box exercises for employers to say they have done their bit for our wellbeing. But there is more that can be done.

Anyone for Tai Chi? 

When I was in Japan a little over four years ago, I saw a very curious sight… a whole building site workforce starting their working day with a group tai chi session. It was brilliant to watch and made so much sense… this is a group of workers that definitely need to be stretching before undertaking their manual work for the day. No one seemed embarrassed, everyone joined in, and it seemed it was just taken as the norm before starting a shift. I’m not sure if this would take off in all parts of the world, but it definitely seemed to work for them.

I have worked in organisations where free lunchtime yoga sessions have been on offer, but the numbers are always limited. But with our hybrid working and online video conferencing options – this is something that organisations could take another look at for their employees. 

Health Checks

Offering your workforce an annual health check at their work location is another great way to pick up on any physical concerns your employees may have. These can even pick up on serious illnesses that would otherwise have been left untreated. Helping your employees identify any issues they may have early, means they’ll hopefully be able to stop any further decline and set them on to a path of recovery. There are lots of different healthcare companies that can offer this service. 

Taking responsibility

Of course, there is a point where we need to take responsibility for our own physical health and there is only so much employers can do. For example, we all know by now the dangers of smoking, but many are unable to give up this addiction. But as responsible employers we need to be there with help, advice and encouragement when our employees want it. 

So, my take-away from this is – keep talking about physical health, mark those awareness days, and even if you reach just one of your employees with a campaign that sets them on a healthier path, then it’s a journey that’s not been wasted. 

PS - If you are keen for some individual wellbeing tips to complement this Working Well life, check our Being Yourself Series with Jane. You can read the latest edition here: https://www.makemeaplan.com/news/sobriety-is-for-life-not-just-october/