5 ways to keep staff healthy during the holidays

By Carrie Kramer

There’s a lot to love about the holiday season. For many, it’s a time of joy, connection and celebration. But the long list of errands and obligations can make it harder to stay active, eat well and get proper rest. In fact, 66% of U.S. adults say they overindulge during the holidays, and 45% say they take a break from exercise. Here are five simple ways to help employees stay active and healthy around the holidays.

Organize a wellness challenge

There are countless benefits to staying active. For example, more than 90% of employees say physical well-being impacts their productivity. Energize your team through friendly competition and everyone reaps the benefits! Brainstorm ideas for a fitness or health challenge and kick it off prior to the holidays.

Assign employees to teams and have them see who can rack up the most steps each week. Or use smart watches to measure calorie burns. Teams can compete against one another, or each can strive to reach their own goals based on past activity.

Hold a hydration challenge to encourage drinking water in lieu of soda or other sugary drinks. Invite employees to take a no-alcohol or no-sweets challenge. Or have each person set a goal for nightly rest and track progress as a team. Keep motivation high by offering small incentives, like gym-ready drawstring sportpacks, shaker bottles or running belts.

Offer holiday perks

Encourage employees to stay active by offering reimbursement for gym memberships, fitness classes, virtual workout subscriptions and other similar activities. This can help them keep fitness a priority during the hustle and bustle of the holidays and showcase your organization’s commitment to employee health and well-being. Plus, access to treadmills and tracks means employees can get their steps no matter the weather.

Host a healthy potluck

When you think of a holiday potluck, hearty dishes and sweets likely come to mind. You can turn your festive workplace gathering into a tasty spread of healthy foods. Create a list of health-conscious guidelines, such as sugar restrictions, vegetarian recipes or calorie limits. Attendees can bring fruit and veggie trays, salads, lean snacks, coffee, tea or flavored water. Provide a sign-up sheet so employees can plan and avoid overlap. Note any food allergies among the team to keep the celebration safe and inclusive. Clip holiday-themed can coolers to invitations and give holiday ornaments as thank-you gifts for those who participate.

Plan team-building exercises

The holidays are about connecting, so bring your team together with exercises that get people moving. Team walks or hikes, light fitness games or group stretching can boost morale and mix up the daily routine. Hire an instructor to lead an exercise, Tai Chi or yoga class. Head outside or to a nearby gym for a pickleball tournament. Give pickleball paddle sets to those excited to step on the court.

Combine activity with helping others for a win-win! Rake leaves, shovel snow, tidy a park or clean up your workplace grounds together. Outfit team members in beanies to provide a uniform look and represent your brand in style.

Lead by example

The same way organizational leaders set the tone in business, work ethic, culture and more, you can lead the way toward healthier behaviors around the holidays. Encourage leaders to share their wellness routines, organize activities and participate in health initiatives. Show that well-being and mental health benefits are priorities by taking movement breaks, managing stress, modeling healthy eating habits and demonstrating self-care. These simple actions can inspire your team to build momentum that carries through the holidays and into New Year’s resolution season.

Happy (and healthy!) holidays

Staying active and healthy through the holidays is no easy task. But through fun fitness challenges, healthy eating initiatives and more, organizations can help employees stick to their wellness routines or even develop new ones. Cheers to a happier and healthier holiday season!

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