Best Practices
For a different topic today, let's talk about resolutions.
res·o·lu·tion
/ˌrezəˈlo͞oSHən/
1. A firm decision to do or not to do something.
2. A formal expression of opinion or intention agreed on by a
legislative body, committee, or other formal meeting.
With this month being the first of the New Year, here at Acumen Learning we decided to change our lifestyles a bit. (With the help of a little incentive).
Being healthy and fit is important for the work place! Eating the right foods gives our minds and bodies energy and lifts our spirits, therefore creating a happier and more productive work environment. Being physically active can help reduce stress levels, and everyone knows that stressed coworkers can sometimes be contagious and make others around them stressed. Exercising regularly can also help us sleep better during the nights so that we can be more awake and proactive during the day. David Ballard, assistant executive director for marketing and business development at the APA stated, "Companies that provide a psychologically healthy workplace also have a better chance of overcoming obstacles such as a recession. With more satisfied and productive employees, these companies will have a “competitive advantage” in the market." Read more from the article here on Healthy Work Environments.
Our CEO Kevin Cope had the idea to hold a company fitness challenge. Each employee made their own personal fitness goal; whether it was hitting a target weight, cutting out soda, train for a triathlon, or simply going to the gym 3 times a week. Every week, each employee is in charge of tracking their own progress on our fitness chart. We are pretty lucky to have a gym in walking distance of our office--- so we have no excuses! The guys who are out on the road traveling have it a little bit harder, but whether it is working out in their hotel room, or finding a nearby gym in a city they are training in, they get it done. Props to them!
We are now in the midst of our fourth week of the fitness challenge, and it seems to be going great. During lunch breaks, there are at least 4 or 5 employees over at the gym at the same time. We have our fridges stocked with fruit, greek yogurt, and lots of protein. The company even bought a Blendtec blender with which we make spinach smoothies daily! Everyone is rockin' it. But with every resolution, comes the challenge of sticking to it. Our fitness challenge goes until April, and like I mentioned before, we have a cash incentive to give us extra motivation--which definitely is one of the hands that are gently pushing us out the door to the gym. With this boost of confidence, some of us even signed up for a few different races in the summer! Yikes. But taking the prize out of the picture, I think that our whole company would agree that this fitness challenge really is an awesome thing. Everyone around the office is helping one another to work out, to eat right, and to stick with their goals. And as a result, I can definitely notice a difference in the workplace! Like I mentioned before, there seems to be a stronger sense of motivation in the air- not only to exercise, but to work harder with our jobs and to increase our own business acumen — all with a protein shake in hand.
With all this being said, maybe this post will spark one or more of you out there to incorporate a company-wide fitness challenge into your own office, resulting in healthier, happier, better looking employees!
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