Are Your Employees Getting Fatter?

Are Your Employees Getting Fatter?
By Michael Masterson
MN, the CEO of my largest client, a $300 million publisher, is promoting a weight-loss program for employees. He is giving them financial and other incentives to exercise more and eat less. With good reason.
Obesity is a big problem in the U.S. Disabilities among American workers, The Wall Street Journal reports, are growing at an accelerating pace. One of the main reasons: ever-growing waistlines. "The problem," the newspaper opined, "is increasingly related to unhealthy lifestyles, including poor eating habits and lack of exercise."
Workers who claim Social Security-based disability income grew 4.4 percent last year, according to government figures, bringing the total for the last 10 years to 50 percent. Industry experts say this trend will probably continue as baby boomers try to work past the age of 65 or 70, but fail because of health-related problems like lower-back and shoulder pain, diabetes, and heart disease. All of these conditions are at least partially related to physical inactivity and obesity.
Some employers are trying to accommodate partially disabled workers by allowing them to work from home or work shorter hours. As the demand for skilled workers increases over the next 10 years, The Wall Street Journal predicts, employers will have to be more flexible to accommodate the baby boomers who will want to work full-time but can’t.
In the meantime, some farsighted executives, like MN, are fighting the battle at the front by investing time and money to keep their healthy employees lean and mean.
Typically, companies that establish fitness programs to help improve their employees’ health do it with the expectation that this will, in turn, reduce their cost of health insurance. But MN is hoping for much more than simply saving money. He hopes to help his people make positive lifestyle changes, lose any extra pounds they have, increase their energy levels, and generally feel better.
As much as we hear and read about eating right, it is still something most people truly don’t understand how to do properly. And most companies, even the ones that have an in-house gym, don’t encourage their employees to schedule workout time during the workday.
MN took the initiative to directly address both of these issues. Here is what he did…
The first thing he tackled was motivating people to do something they hear and think about every day but don’t do: eating right. For this, the company created a challenge much like the challenge on the popular TV series "The Biggest Loser."
They measured weight loss as a percentage of each employee’s starting weight. This allowed everyone to compete. For example, Person A weighs 275 and loses 25 pounds, dropping 9 percent of his weight. Person B weighs 175 pounds and loses 18 pounds - 7 fewer pounds than person A, but 10 percent of his weight. So, between the two, Person B would win the competition, despite having lost fewer pounds.
They also grouped folks into teams. MN hopes that, by doing this, some friendly rivalry will nudge everyone to work a little harder to meet their goals.
The competition is set to take 12 weeks, at the end of which there will be awards - $1,000 each for the most weight lost by a man, a woman, and a fitness group. So a top-performing male or female employee who is also a member of the top-performing team can win $2,000.
But the money isn’t the real draw to the challenge, which currently has over 25 percent of the staff participating. The real draw is the personal trainer who doubles as a nutritionist / dietitian offering counseling on site before, during, and after work hours.
Employees are encouraged to work out three times a week for a minimum of one hour with the personal trainer (in addition to having group time with him). And the company has made arrangements for exercise classes on the weekend, too.
In the first four weeks, employees shed 450 pounds. With a goal of losing a total of 1,500 pounds, they are right on track.
"This is just one component of some new programs we will be launching for our employees to get healthier this year," MN told me. "Coming soon is a stop-smoking program, and a new-and-improved employee supplement-purchase program. We will also be developing a wellness library to make sure employees have easy access to information for whatever health problems they and their family are facing."
In the end, MN’s company will spend more than $75,000 for the weight-loss program. Statistics show that there is a 4-to-1 return - in the form of reduced health care costs - for every dollar spent on health programs. So even if they don’t accomplish their main goal, this will be money well spent.
You don’t need to spend $75,000 to encourage your employees to be healthier. Ask around. With little effort, you’ll find that at least 25 percent of them will support each other in their weight-loss goals. (Here at ETR, for example, a group of staff members have been getting together after work to exercise.)
Recommend that staff members walk or bike to work, and park their cars in the farthest corner of the parking lot. Suggest that they use the stairs rather than elevators. You can also encourage your employees to bring or order in healthy salads for lunch, and maybe take a quick walk during their lunch breaks.
Even these small steps will go a long way toward improving your company’s health.
This article appears courtesy of Early To Rise, the Internet’s most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com/.

The Ultimate Monthly Motivational Club

Become committed to constant, consistent, personal development in order to achieve your why in life and becoming laser clear on your life's purpose by joining the Monthly Motivational Club with John Di Lemme. You won't be disappointed. Don't miss out on a life changing tool.

Remember the good things

Start the week out right. Start a compliment journal. Whenever someone pays you a compliment write it down or paste the note in your journal. At a later date, when you need a boost you can open the journal, read the compliment and reflect on how it made you feel. This is a fun thing to have your kids do too.

Have a great week.
Lisa

The real secrets of getting what you want

When all other things are equal, why does one person make millions and the other one can barely make a living?

The answer is the number one secret of the super-successful and it's found in a new report I just read called the "13 Secrets of World-Class Goal Achievers."

The report also includes:

* The one practice that golfing legend Jack Nicklaus used every time he ever went on the course that you can use to achieve virtually any goal you can imagine.

* The two biggest secrets of the World's Number One Goal Achiever

* Winston Churchill's secret that transformed him from "washed up and forgotten" to one of the most powerful leaders of the 20th Century.

* The one common attribute of all World-Class Goal Achievers (it's something that anyone can learn) and how to develop it.

* Instant "Front Of The Line" access to "World-Class" solutions to help you reach any goal you choose.

* And lots more...!

My friend Vic Johnson, who is an internationally recognized expert on goals and host of the television show "Goals 2 Go,"

has made a limited number of "preview" copies available before the report goes on sale to the public. This is a report that's so loaded with specific hands-on "how to" that it could easily sell for $49 or more whenever it goes on sale.

As one of our preferred readers I've reserved a copy for you that you can claim now by clicking on the Title.

But hurry, when the quota for preview copies is reached the report won't be available from this link.

I know you've probably already given some thought to what you'd like to accomplish in 2007 and I can't think of a better tool to help in that process. I'd love to hear from you after you've read it.

Best of success,

Lisa @ OfficeMotivation.com

P.S. Jim Carrey is one of the highest paid actors in the world, earning millions for every movie he does. Ever wonder what took him from driving an old Toyota to Hollywood stardom? It's something you can use today --- and you'll find it in the "13 Secrets of World-Class Goal Achievers." Get your complimentary copy today by clicking on the title.

Your Employees are Individuals

Sometimes when showing our appreciation to employees we give "generic" rewards. We often give employees something WE want rather than something they may have an interest in.

Do something fun and tell each employee to take an hour and do something that would make them feel good and after their time is up they need to come back to the office and share what they did with others.

Remember to show appreciation with something that says "YOU are special".

Lisa

Healthy Eating in the Workplace

The key to a happy workplace is a healthy employee.

Healthy Eating:
A diet high in fruits and vegetables helps to reduce calorie intake and may help to control weight.

• Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables each day.
  
• Add healthier vending machine and cafeteria food choices.
  
• Support an on-site farmers market once a month.
• Hand out informational sheets to all employees explaining the benefits of healthy eating.

Get tips and a food journal at http://www.motivate.transitionslife.com

Employee Motivation Guidelines

I found this tip at www.lifecoach.lifetips.com. A great resource for helping to inspire your employees.

Guidelines are necessary for employee motivation. Make a minimum number of rules and policies to protect your organization legally and create order. Publish the rules and policies and educate all employees. Let many employees join management in identifying organizational values; write value statements and a professional code of conduct. Develop guidelines for supervisors and educate them about the fair and consistent application of the few rules and policies. Address individual dysfunctional behaviors on a “need-to” basis with counseling, progressive discipline, and performance improvement plans. Clearly communicate work place expectations and guidelines for professional behavior. Finally, do not just discipline undesirable behaviors but be sure to also seek out ways to acknowledge desirable behaviors. Creating employee recognition programs will motivate employees to strive to do their best in the workplace.

Happy Labor Day

Are your employees required to work on a holiday? If you just can't seem to shut downt the office and let your employees play then make them feel special by surprising them with a day off during the upcoming week. A surprise for time off is a great way to show your employees they are appreciated.

Make it a great day!
Lisa

Positive Attitude

Share your positive attitude with someone you really love. Strive to be the best and find something you love to do. Your positive attitude can make a difference in the life of those around you.

Lisa

Make Their Day

Communication with your customers is a key factor in client retention. Good employees with high self esteem can master the art of commmunicating with your customers just by being themselves. Do you have an "Employee of the Month" board? If so, add a note to the board and send a copy to your client that they work with.


Have a great day!
Lisa

Suzanne's Self-Development Blog: EFT Therapy

Suzanne's Self-Development Blog: EFT Therapy

The Benefits of Play

Happy employees will treat others well. They tend to add the positive vibes in the workplace. Fun leads to creativity and having a good time is healthy. Don't forget to laugh. Create a "sand box" for your employees to work in.

Make it a great day!
Lisa

Check out this awesome book!

Link to my blog

Motivation from within

Motivation comes from within. Don't beat up on yourself if you are struggling to "motivate" your employees. Motivation comes from within. There are several reasons why your employee's may feel unmotivated. Just keep encouraging them with compliments and help them identify and use their strengths.

Make it a great day!

Lisa

Take Charge of your Learning

The world’s top success speakers and trainers have come together under one television network to deliver 24/7 business and personal success training.

"This quite possibly could be the most important breakthrough to take place in personal education in the last 50 years" – Dr. Denis Waitley

You won’t believe all the amazing people and the shows they have on this TV channel – INCREDIBLE stuff! Click here to see who else is involved with this: Success, Motivation, Sales, Goals.

Make it a great day!

Get a jump start on learning

Do your employees work from home? Is it difficult to get your employees in front of well known industry experts such as Simon T. Bailey, Bill Brooks, Brian Tracy, Connie Podesta, and many others?

In this fast-paced society, distance learning has become a reality and is being used by more and more people around the world. Unfortunately, most programs require you to spend hour upon hour at one sitting just to complete a course. With this cutting edge program, you'll master a new topic of success each month by receiving a short 10 - 15 minute lesson each day, Monday through Friday, over the course of one month. (28 days)

This is an incredible investment in the success of your employees. Go to www.SupplementYourWealth.com today! You won't be disapointed and your employees will know you appreciate them.

Make it your best day!
Lisa

Make it your best day

Make a decision today to do your very best. A few tips to ponder. Be the best in your class, identify an area that you need to improve and work to master the skill by hanging around those that are great at what you need. You will be setting a great example for your employees.
Make it a great day!
Lisa

Employee Appreciation

Good performers are constantly challenging themselves to learn. Self development comes in the form of reading books, attending seminars, and listening to motivational tapes or CDs. Also, top performers are hanging around other successful and positive people. Are your employees wanting to be around you? Make it a great day!Lisa

Fwd: Great Quote

I came across this quote today and thought it was great!. "All great leaders have understood that their number one responsibility is cultivating their own discipline and personal growth. Those who cannot lead themselves cannot lead others." - John Maxwell.

Make it a great day!

Lisa

The true meaning of appreciation

Did you know the true meaning of appreciation is not the "thank you" gift of money, trinkets or a pat on the back? It is about placing value on the person or item. Showing your employees that you appreciate them shows that you value them and their contributions they are making to your organization. Go out and share with your employees the value they bring to your organization. Employee's will appreciate your effort in doing so.

 

Make it a great day!

Lisa