With credit crunches and global economic downturn, what better time is there to address the important issue of employee and employer health?!? Since the 1980’s employers and academics have been looking at the impact of an employee’s health (good or poor) on their performance at work and thus productivity.  So how is that an employee’s work limitations are measured? And how is this information used to increase employee/ corporate health and productivity? Many companies use health risk appraisals such as the world health organizations work and health performance questionnaire (similar to the online health check that The Lab currently operates) in order to determine the health risk factors that can or do affect the employees productivity. Reasons for this are that if we are not feeling 100% we are not likely to be functioning at 100%. Think back to a time that you went into work feeling a little less energetic or worried about a child or spouse who was sick at the time; did you work as hard as you normally did?

Loss of productivity can be classified as a) presenteeism - not focused on the job because of a health factor or  b) absenteeism - absence from work due to a legitimate reason. Of the two, studies show that presenteeism can account for 84% of productivity costs and absenteeism account for the remaining 16%. Additionally, presenteeism is more highly associated with differing health risk factors such as obesity (based on BMI), physical activity levels, and mental health issues such as depression or stress plus cardiovascular conditions such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol. In general, studies have found that for every health risk an employee has, they present with a 1.9% decrease of productivity.

Several large companies provide employees with health education and behavioral programs and also on the job physical activity/exercise programs as part of interventions to decrease loss of productivity from increased health risks. These programs are backed by solid scientific evidence showing that employees classified as low risk or those who decrease their risk classification show increases in productivity of 2.0% per risk modified. By taking this information on board companies can not only improve employee health, but also workforce productivity and therefore boost their bottom line. Methods of increasing worker health include:

➢    Health promotion and health education programs
➢    Exercise/ physical activity programs
➢    Behavioral adaptation/modification programs

Exercise/physical activity programs have been shown to have great benefit on many aspects of health including in the areas of stress and psychosocial issues such as depression.

All companies should be taking head of health at work and be considering the value proposition that scientific study has proven. Why not mention it to your employer, if they start health program at work you will be thanking them for the opportunity and they will be thanking you for the results!

According to einteins theory energy equals mass times the speed of light squared. Whilst this is a phenomenon in science it doesn’t quite add up when we consider the human body and the practical implications of energy.

So I have given Einsteis theory some thought and have come up with my own, I believe the actual equation should look something more like this when talking about energy and people:

E = (N + Ex) (EmM) R

So let me explain. To be energetic is to feel alive, to feel like you can do anything that is thrown at you comfortably enabling high performance. Most of the literature around at the moment is focussed on de-stressing or managing stress or even time. Unfortunately this is impossible; time is constant unless you are travelling at high speeds (according to Einstein who believes it actually lengthens the faster you travel, but that’s another story). Stress is unavoidable; and in fact, in many situations it can be desirable, giving urgency and heightening the senses.

Not only is it impossible to control time and stress it is not actually what is needed to produce optimum performance, well not exclusively anyway.

People are looking to distress for a purpose or manage time for a reason and that is normally to enhance performance, the quantity of things they get done and the quality, in whatever field of life they are concerned with.

The thing that affects performance directly and has an impact on everything we produce as human beings is energy. Energy is required to live, to breath, to move, to focus or to think. When someone is lacking in energy their performance will obviously suffer as will the quantity and quality of the things they do and experience.

Let us consider this: When was the last time you felt lacking in energy, did you perform at your best? Alternatively think of the last time you performed at your best, were you lacking in energy at the time?

The answer is a resounding no. Energy and performance in anything go hand in hand. If you are a sports performer you know you better have the necessary energy to complete your race or event, if you are an executive with a to do list that is expanding at an exponential rate, you know that you need energy to complete it. Zap all energy from your body and you will struggle to get through even the simplest of tasks in acceptable time periods. Furthermore if you lack in energy your life will be affected as a result, your relationships, your experiences and your mood will all suffer as you struggle to get through the events of your day.

There is no question severely low energy levels will result in poor or even non-performance. Low energy may be ok for a short period but if it is ongoing tasks will require more effort (energy) to complete then normal and results will be poor, leading to further energy deficits before once again you come to a standstill.

If you are bristling with energy it allows you to focus on the things you are trying to do, it frees your mind from effort and allows you to be more precise in your actions or your tasks. You move through potentially stressful events effortlessly with enhanced resilience and an increase in momentum that frees up time. High Energy = High Performance Potential.

HE = HPP

With this realisation I have decided to do a series of articles on energy production and how it relates to performance and health. You can expect to learn how energy is utilised in the body from foods and how it translates to movement. I will look at how exercise relates to energy, how emotions can fuel or drain energy reserves and the power of your mindset in driving up energy reserves. These articles will be released through our new e-weekly starting soon. So watch this space and contact me if you want to make sure you are registered to receive this new improved circulation aimed at improving performance one small step at a time.

Send me an email alex@the-lab.com.au