5 Good Habits Leaders Should Encourage at Work

Thursday, November 24, 2022

Employees are the most critical resource in the workplace, which is why it's essential to cultivate a culture that centers around the importance of health. This is something leaders and managers should pay careful attention to, considering that in 2019, 15 percent of working adults are reported to have experienced mental health problems.

Caring for employees' mental health increases productivity and efficiency by reducing presenteeism, absenteeism, and compensation claims. As such, employers must foster an environment that minimizes harm, builds organizational and personal resilience, and promotes understanding and acceptance. This can start with encouraging workers to build simple habits that significantly improve their overall well-being.

Here are some of them.

Regular feedback

Having scheduled check-ins with individual workers or whole teams is valuable for productivity. It can address poor habits, reinforce positive performance, and target difficulties. Cultivate a feedback-safe environment where employees can expect positive and constructive conversation. Welcome concerns and feedback for leadership as well. Ensure that your employees feel valued and heard by considering their suggestions and showing concrete action towards them.

Good posture

A sedentary lifestyle is one of the most prominent health risks in modern workplaces. This study from the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity finds that sedentary behaviors are associated with musculoskeletal pain.

These ailments are most prominent in the neck, shoulders, hips, and upper extremities. Pain Free Working explains that the office chair is often the culprit behind most workplace-induced musculoskeletal pains, which is why it's crucial to invest in proper ergonomics that promote good posture for your workers.

Ergonomic chairs can help with this since they are designed to support the back, arms, legs, and buttocks. They are also highly functional and offer incline adjustments to support varying postures, heightening comfort.

Providing the right desk can also help. Its height must allow your employees' elbows to rest at a flat angle while they work. These investments can promote good posture, lessening the health impacts of a sedentary workplace.

Time management

Great work-life balance is all about leaving your work within office hours. However, this depends on better time management, leading to better productivity. That's why our piece on the 7 Habits That Are Killing Your Productivity emphasizes it's vital that employees avoid habits like multitasking, social media browsing, zero planning, and lacking regular sleep. These only prolong employee work hours and decrease productivity. For workers to work better, managers must empower habits that help them consolidate their working time.

You can encourage your team to have a consistent schedule by setting deadlines according to each individual's most productive hours. Have more opportunities for collaboration to optimize efficiency.

Lastly, allow your team to turn down non-priority assignments. These simple initiatives can foster a habit of better time management.

Taking breaks and time off

In line with time management, leaders should stress the importance of taking breaks to avoid burnout. This includes both breaks within the day as well as scheduled leaves. Such breaks will help employees unwind, disengage, and effectively recharge.

Encourage a culture of well-being at work by explaining the benefits of taking time off. Be an example by unplugging from work after hours and scheduling vacations. Create company holidays and set reasonable deadlines for paid time off requests.

Continuous learning

Continuous learning helps build personal and organizational resilience since your team can hone their skills. In addition to seminars, workshops, and conferences, employers should encourage continuous learning even in regular operations.

Invite employees to take leadership roles or shadow senior team members to expose them to new tasks. Encourage a learning mindset by opening up the floor for questions and answering them substantially during meetings. This helps cultivate curiosity and empowers workers to seek learning opportunities independently.

Wrapping Up

Bad work habits can lead to stress, which is why employers should take the lead in fostering a healthier workplace environment. With these five simple habits, you can help improve your team's overall well-being and productivity.

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Reference

Dzakpasu, F. Q. S., Carver, A., Brakenridge, C. L., Cicuttini, F. M., Urquhart, D. M., Owen, N., & Dunstan, D. W. (2021). Musculoskeletal pain and sedentary behaviour in occupational and non-occupational settings: a systematic review with meta-analysis. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-021-01191-y