Encourage healthy eating in the workplace

Posted on 2018-05-30 by Choice Office Furniture.  Tags: Choice Office Furniture, Healthy Eating

The key to happiness is through the stomach. And in the workplace, the key to productivity is also through the stomach. Promote healthy eating habits for all employees by selecting office furniture that makes it easy to prepare, store and enjoy good food.

You are what you eat, and in the workplace your productivity is directly impacted by the foods you eat. This is confirmed by a 2012 study of three large businesses in the United States. Out of nearly 20,000 workers, over 65% of respondents said they were less productive than their colleagues who ate a healthier diet.

Healthy foods for the workplace are rich in carbohydrates – this includes fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes. The sugars in these foods are metabolized into glucose and aids in giving the brain energy to remain focused. This process – transforming sugars into glucose – has a direct impact on concentration, memory and problem solving. In addition, glucose aids in creating neurotransmitters in the brain to help brain cells communicate between each other.

There are other nutrients, vitamins and minerals that contribute to a healthy diet, but it is most simple to focus on foods that are generally considered “healthy” – fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and anything low on processing, saturated fats, refined sugars and starches.

Glucose levels in blood typically peak after eating and then drop a few hours after consuming food. Considering this important timing, plan on eating healthy meals and snacks every few hours. This will also assist in curbing any temptations for less healthy foods.

Even though healthy eating makes sense and few would argue against it, we all rarely commit to healthy eating habits every working day. These habits can be encouraged by making it easy to prepare, store and consume healthy foods in the workplace.

Start by offering dedicated areas for food. Typically, this is in a kitchen or lounge area – and most workplaces do an excellent job in creating kitchens with appliances and utensils for easy eating.

Even if lunches are consumed out of the office or in workplace kitchens, there are still plenty of snacks eaten right at the desk. Keep healthy snacks right at your desk by storing them in at workstations. Discretionary storage, like the Choices Storage by Trendway, gives the options for employees to keep healthy foods (or any other aids that improve productivity) within arm’s reach.

By considering workplace eating habits, you can improve happiness and health – two big factors in productivity.