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How do you start vitality if there is no space or budget for it (in the coming months)? 💰
As an HR manager, you have a fantastic plan in your head: a big vitality event with all the trimmings. But then you look at the budget... and your calendar. And what turns out? Zero space, zero budget. Let's press pause! Before you completely park the idea of vitality until the next quarterly meeting, realise that you can still do a lot. In fact, the good news is that you don't have to organise a large-scale event to make an impact. Vitality is not just about spectacular events, but rather those daily, small habits that really make a difference. So, let's look at how, as an HR manager, you can get started without worrying about budgets and full diaries.
Time to read: 5 minutes
Start with small steps: build healthy habits 🤏
As an HR manager, you have a unique opportunity to drive change by embedding healthy habits within the work culture. We all know that habits have a major impact on our lives. They form the basis of our health, productivity and well-being. Vitality is not just about organising an event once a year, but rather what employees do every day. Small changes, implemented consistently, can have a huge effect over time.
Imagine moving a little more every day, eating a little healthier every day, taking care of mental wellbeing a little better every day. These micro habits accumulate into lasting changes. So as an HR manager, you can make a difference right now by focusing on building healthy habits into your employees' daily routine.
The great thing is that you can do this without grand plans or events. What if you encouraged your team to start each day with a simple vitality action? Consider, for example, a moment of reflection or a short breathing exercise. This takes hardly any time or resources, but can make a big difference in the long run. Employees feel more energetic, focused and motivated. Indeed, the power of repetition is enormous: over time, these small actions become automatic habits that contribute to improved vitality.
Apply small habits in daily routine 🔂
Vitality doesn't always have to be grand and compelling. Sometimes it is in the smallest things. There are plenty of simple habits you can incorporate directly into your daily workday. Without costing extra time or money, you can help employees become healthier and more vital. Here are a few ideas you can apply as early as tomorrow.
1. Start the day with a standing day start 🧍
As an HR manager, you can easily introduce a standing day start. This is not only good for your employees' vitality, but also for collaboration and focus. Instead of having everyone plop down in a chair, ask your team to stand during the daily stand-up or a short meeting. This keeps the energy high and prevents everyone from falling back into ‘sitting mode’. You soon notice that the energy in the room is different. People are more alert, more engaged, and the meeting often even goes faster!
2. Encourage lunch walks 🚶
How about a daily lunch walk? It's a great way to bring movement into the routine while finding mental peace. For example, you could suggest that employees take a short 10-minute walk daily after lunch, preferably outside. This small change provides fresh air, exercise and helps your team go into the afternoon with new energy. As HR manager, you can set a good example by taking a walk yourself and encouraging your colleagues to do the same.
3. Drink plenty of water 🚰
Hydration is essential for both physical and mental performance. A simple habit you can introduce is to place water jugs in strategic places throughout the office. That way, you encourage employees to drink a glass of water regularly throughout the day. You can also set a ‘drink water reminder’ via internal chat or email, reminding employees to drink a glass of water every hour. This is a small gesture, but it contributes immensely to vitality.
4. Caffeine-free after 16:00 🍵
You've probably seen it before: colleagues having an extra cup of coffee in the late afternoon to get through the last hours of the day. Unfortunately, caffeine often has a negative effect on sleep later in the day, which in turn affects energy levels the next day. As an HR manager, what if you introduce a ‘caffeine-free afternoon’? After 4pm, only offer caffeine-free options, such as tea, water or fruit juices. This will help employees improve their sleep quality, ultimately giving them more energy for work and personal life.
5. Sit for 1 hour, stand for 5 minutes 🪑
Prolonged sitting is one of the biggest culprits when it comes to work-related health issues. Fortunately, there is a simple solution: propose a ‘sit 1 hour, stand 5 minutes’ rule. This means encouraging everyone to stand or move for 5 minutes after every hour of sitting. For example, you can set reminders on computers or via internal chat to remind people of this. These short breaks not only help prevent physical complaints, but also increase productivity.
Start healthy habits today
As an HR manager, you may not always have the luxury of organising big events or allocating a hefty budget for vitality, but that doesn't mean you should sit still. By focusing on building healthy habits, you can already make an immediate impact on the well-being of your employees. After all, vitality starts with the little things we do every day. By simply introducing small habits, such as standing meetings, lunch walks, or encouraging water drinking, you can create a culture of health without costing much money or time.
In the end, it's all about consistency: small actions, every day. This is how you slowly but surely build a vitality culture that is sustainable and that benefits both you and your employees. Vitality doesn't have to be complicated - you can start tomorrow.
