Let’s Think About Staff Wellness
Jim on the silver lining of learning more about disinfection…
During late fall some years ago – long before the pandemic - I was managing a hotel in the Midwest when the metropolis was experiencing a surge of seasonal flu that was significantly higher than previous flu seasons. The hotel was also running at high occupancy rates with 100+ guests checking in and out daily. The combination of more flu cases being predicted and our high occupancy led us to conclude that we needed to take care of guests. We realized that while we could not stop sick guests from checking in, we could do all in our power to make sure our healthy guests did not get sick.
This led to a campaign of intensified disinfection protocols of surfaces that our guests would be touching throughout their stay such as light switches, TV remote controls, counters, etc. This probably sounds familiar to everyone after the past 2 years! The HR Director also came up with the idea to bring in a nurse to provide free flu shots for employees. A pleasant consequence of all this quick action was that employee sick days dropped by a third over the previous winter flu season.
While we were congratulating ourselves about the unintended positive outcome of fewer sick days, the conversation evolved into a program that would have our housekeepers train all employees about disinfection protocols. The housekeepers certainly enjoyed the recognition of their work and teaching their colleagues. In addition, employees who had rarely interacted with each other were forming new friendships and camaraderie.
At a subsequent leadership meeting, the topic of improved morale came up, and we agreed to take this program one step further. What if every employee was given a disinfection kit to take home so they could use the protocols at their home? We knew this would align with one of our key values – Taking Care of our Employees and their Families. Once rolled out, we experienced even more of a decrease in employee sick days. This time, it was employees who were single parents. Maybe the moral to this story could be: what is good for our guests is also good for our employees and their families.
Here we are in the fall of 2022 and forecasts are calling for a tough flu season this winter on top of the expectation that the Covid virus will still infect significant portions of our population. We urge you to put together your plan for this flu season - for your guests, employees, and their families.
Now, let’s pivot to year-round wellness for employees and their families.
A few words from Marcus on nutrition…
When it comes to maintaining a robust level of health and wellness, nutrition is an underpinning. The old adage, “we are what we eat” is true all the way down to the biochemical level, and choosing the right foods that maintain our wellness is essential. Fad diets, Instagram and TikTok influencers, and Dr. Google can leave us with our heads spinning when trying to find the right diet for our health. There is no one-size-fits-all healthy diet. Our biochemistry is like a fingerprint - each of us has a unique expression. So, the best diet is the one that works for YOU. Taking a mindful approach to eating, combined with a curious and slightly adventurous taste palate, can lead us each to finding our individual “best diet.”
Experimenting with your diet can be fun! It doesn’t have to be hard, and it can lead to a renewed sense of vitality. On your search for your best diet, there are some general guidelines that are good to keep in mind. Getting good fiber is a strong start. Fiber is found in non-starchy vegetables, beans, legumes, and whole grains. A fiber rich diet not only helps your body absorb other nutrients, it offsets the foods that we overindulge in, like protein and sugar.
Protein is a good example of an important food that can be made better by the right amount of fiber. We need protein to build muscle, hormones, and enzymes in our body, but too much protein doesn’t digest all the way and causes inflammation in the body. Good amounts of fiber will offset that issue, even if you over do it. Some great protein sources include beef, lamb, pork, chicken, turkey, eggs, beans, and nuts. And, quality matters with animal protein: animals that are pasture-raised provide healthier protein than grain-fed animals.
There are certain food types that keep your mood elevated, too. These are foods that are rich in B-vitamins and the amino acid named Tryptophan. Some good choices are Chicken, Turkey, Crab, Eggs, Cheese, Pumpkin Seeds, Pistachios, Walnuts, Black Beans, Kale, Whole Wheat Bread, Lentils, Bananas, and Oatmeal.
Real nutrition is more than the combination of nutrients in our food – it includes our food choices, but also speaks to the importance of proper digestion and assimilation of the foods we eat. Digestion occurs when the body is in a state of rest. Sitting for a meal, chewing the food thoroughly, and having a calm and low stress mind set while eating is incredibly important. So, don’t eat on the run - take a seat, even for 10 minutes, and take a couple of deep breaths before your first bite. Chew each bite thoroughly to aid digestion. And, above all, enjoy!
Ruth Ann on ways to help your staff with their healthy eating…
As management, we can create easy ways to help staff maintain a healthy diet for themselves and for their families. We can begin by evaluating our employee meal practices. As Marcus says, food choices and very act of consuming our food affect our well-being.
Even if you are not providing employee meals, you can ensure that your staff has a pleasant, quiet place to enjoy their meals. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but a clean, well-maintained space with tables and chairs that are also clean and in good shape are a must. Too often, I’ve seen employee break rooms where furniture is in disrepair, the sink and refrigerator are dirty and well…it’s totally unpleasant. Yes, it’s important that the entire team is responsible for keeping the place clean and pleasant, but first, employees need to know that management cares enough about them to provide a positive environment. Here’s a good test to evaluate your breakroom: would you invite your important guests to join you for lunch there? If not, you have some work to do!
If you are providing employee meals, would you say they are healthy, balanced meals that will nourish bodies, minds and spirits? It might be slightly more expensive for you to provide healthy menus and high food quality, but the cost is far less than the cost of constant turnover, covering for workers who are out sick and low morale.
So, where do you start? By learning more about what “healthy meals” mean to your staff. Here are some ideas:
- Do some simple internet searches on credible websites such as
- Ask your staff what kinds of foods they prefer – be mindful that some employees with strong ethnic backgrounds will also have strong preferences for their own ethnic foods, so incorporating some of their preferred items in your menu rotation will signal their importance to the team.
- Work with your chef/cook to create healthy weekly menus and to source high quality ingredients. You might be able to make a deal with your local grocer to buy at a discount some of the less-than-perfect looking produce that he can’t put out to sell. If it is still fresh but just bruised, you can use it for cooking.
- Sit down for meals with your staff a couple of times each week – you’ll build stronger relationships and you will receive valuable feedback on not only the employee meals, but on a multitude of ways to improve your business and results. (And be sure you are sitting down with a variety of people, perhaps with a goal to share a meal with every employee over time.)
Another way to help employees with their own wellness is to provide them tools to promote healthy meals at home. Here are some ideas:
- Start a healthy eating tip program – and provide one or two nutrition factoids or tips along with recipes. You can try a flyer or an email once a month or perhaps something simpler on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.
- Bring in credentialed guest speakers who can talk to your staff about healthy eating in a fun and interactive way.
- Try a teambuilding activity where teams prepare meals together – with the goal of wellness in mind.
Some easy ways for you and your staff to eat healthier starting today include:
- Cutting down on salt, sugar, excess fat and excess caffeine.
- Eat less processed food and more fresh food.
- Eat more fruits and vegetables.
- Be more intentional about protein – choose smaller portions of high-quality protein.
- Make it a point to sit down and ENJOY each bite and try not to dine alone too much of the time – social interaction feeds your mind and spirit!
Some ideas from Jim on workplace exercise…
In Japan, before workers start performing their work, they go through muscle stretching exercises and some simple calisthenics to warm up their bodies. If you think about this, it makes perfect sense, right? Athletes warm up first before performing and if you attend an exercise or yoga class, the instructors go through a few warmup/stretching movements.
Thinking about the various jobs at our resorts such as housekeeping, maintenance, and kitchen staff. These colleagues are lifting, bending, squatting, and moving all day long. Other jobs also have some requirements that are atypical for most human beings. Reception staff are standing for extended periods during their shift and the administrative staff are seated for a significant portion of their workday.
Studies show that stretching and warm-up exercises reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries by reducing fatigue, improving muscular balance/posture and improving muscle coordination. Employees can therefore be more productive and less likely to get injured on the job. Also, having stretching and warm up protocols will support your wellness culture and teamwork.
There are plentiful online resources for posters and videos that you can use for your stretching and warm up protocols. If your resort has a Yoga instructor ask them to design a five minute standing stretching program.
https://smile.amazon.com/Stretch-Exercise-Workplace-Employees
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OnHd1ZMtik
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B15aSPGvHS8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9wBznkjcFM
Marcus added, “Stretching engages the proprioceptive function of the brain, meaning the part that tracks out awareness of our body in space. By stretching before engaging in brain heavy work, we allow for more balanced activity of the brain, a more embodied work experience, and a balanced stress response.”
The Bottom Line:
Caring for your employees’ wellness and well-being will reap many rewards.
There are many facets to what we call company “culture,” and one of the underpinnings is the way employees feel they are being treated by their employer. Keys to employee engagement include a feeling of belonging, recognition and the relationship between the employee and their supervisors and management. If an individual feels you care for their well-being, they are more likely to reciprocate with hard work and commitment. And, you will likely see some of the positive “side effects” such as improved attendance, higher productivity, higher levels of contribution to the team, improved morale and less turnover.
All pictures courtesy of creative common