How to onboard a personal assistant
For a personal assistant, settling into a new job is not as simple as learning a company’s systems and processes, names and faces. A PA must also learn the working…
It has long been known that regular exercise is important for improving physical health, but did you know it can also boost your brain power? A recent study by the Mayo Clinic[1] shows the link between cardiorespiratory fitness and brain health. The study demonstrates that the more you exercise, the greater your ability for oxygen to enter your body, which promotes more grey matter. Essentially, you can increase your memory and perform better mentally when you exercise regularly.
This all confirms what onsite fitness class company, Box Mind[2], has seen happening through their workplace programs for the past two years. Regular exercise at work (or at home if you’re working remotely) also increases team moral, productivity and overall company culture.
Issues relating to stress, injuries, illnesses and employee disengagement in the office are estimated to cost the global economy 10–15% of economic output every year[3]. So, by tackling the problem at the source, you can create real change by investing in the health of your workforce. By encouraging your employees to exercise regularly, you can also help to improve their brain function while working.
The benefits of exercise
When you encourage your employees to exercise, you’ll reap these benefits:
- Enhanced confidence, assertiveness and self-efficacy to help them ask for what they need, make sound decisions and execute tasks with vigour
- Increased positive mood states which drastically affect their daily life and the lives of those around them
- Improved memory, greater perception and less confusion
- Decreased anxiety and depression
- Decreased anger, reduced tension and an improved ability to cope with stress
How much exercise is required to improve?
Harvard Medical School states that participating in physical activity for one hour, twice a week is enough to significantly reduce insulin resistance and cellular inflammation. It also stimulates the release of growth factors, which are chemicals in the brain that affect the health of brain cells and the growth of new blood vessels.
How is this important for your employees?
Teams that communicate clearly have a greater ability to evolve and adapt to new challenges. Adaptable teams are made up of more confident, self-aware individuals who perform to a consistently higher level, which in turn improves team dynamics and profitability. Exercise also improves the mental health of your employees, which will in turn improve their productivity and happiness when working.
Options to encourage employees to exercise
The key thing when encouraging your employees to exercise is proving you’re willing to invest in their physical wellbeing. This could range from offering exercise classes or creating an in-house wellness plan if they work in an office, or offering discounted gym memberships if they work remotely. These solutions can also reduce expenditure in areas like recruitment, team-building and absenteeism in the long term.
If your employees prefer to work out onsite during their lunchbreak, before or after work, Box Mind is an all-encompassing platform offering different classes by expert coaches in order to meet the scheduling and space demands of their clients. They also offer a two week complimentary trial[4], making it a great alternative for employees short on time.
Author: Sara Picken-Brown is a head coach for Box Mind
Tiger Recruitment is a leading secretarial agencies in London.
