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April 29, 2019

How can a good diet boost productivity in the workplace?

When we think about eating healthily, generally we are considering the long term benefits associated with it. The short-term benefits however – a boost in productivity, mood and creativity – are just as important.

As well as reducing the risk of long-term illnesses like heart disease, cancer and diabetes, eating well can have a profound effect on your productivity in the workplace. Here’s how.


Energy

A good diet increases energy and alertness, making you feel more motivated and increasing your output. Eating well can reduce fatigue and improve brain function, making you feel reinvigorated.

If you’ve ever experienced that 3pm slump, you may choose to have another cup of coffee or reach for the biscuit tin, but there are healthier ways to make you feel energised.

One of the easiest and most beneficial ways is to drink more water throughout the day – staying hydrated can make a significant difference to your energy levels and concentration.

Eating nutritious but also filling food will keep your concentration levels up and help you focus. Making sure you diet consists of plenty of fruit and vegetables, fish and starchy foods, whilst cutting down saturated fat, sugar and salt, will help you achieve this.

A good diet also helps improves sleep, leading to greater concentration and elevated mood!


Absence

A well balanced diet, incorporating plenty of fruit and vegetables, will also significantly enhance your health and strengthen your immune system, minimising your number of sick days.

With a healthy workforce, the number of absences will be significantly diminished, maximising productivity and efficiency.


Creativity and mood

Eating well also boosts creativity and happiness at work. Research suggests that the more portions of fruit and vegetables eaten per day, the happier, more engaged and more creative people will be at work. Ultimately, this will create a more pleasant environment to work in and boost overall productivity and the quality of work that is produced.

Research suggests that employees who eat five portions of fruit and vegetables on at least four days per week show 25% higher job performance than those who do not. More than 20,000 employees across three US-based companies undertook an annual survey for three years. In the study, those who ate healthily were off work less, and achieved more.


How to achieve this

Your office design and management can help facilitate this.

Building awareness these benefits of healthy eating by providing information and guidelines to colleagues or employees is especially important. Similarly, encouraging staff to eat well or take part in healthy eating campaigns and supporting those who wish to eat more healthily is invaluable.

Improving access to healthy foods and resources is also a great way to facilitate healthy eating and boost the productivity of staff. Providing free fruit in the office, which is something we do at Workspace, improving storage facilities for fresh and nutritious foods and providing access to a fully functional kitchen which allows individuals to prepare their own food is ideal.

Oh, and don’t forget that ensuring access to a clean and hygienic eating area and providing fresh drinking water is absolutely essential – it’s a minimum requirement in any workspace.


Get in touch!

For more advice about how you can get the most out of your office and employees, drop us a message on Facebook and LinkedIn and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

If you’d like to enquire about an office redesign or fit-out, get in touch with our expert team today and they’ll be able to help you out!